Get Quotes from Top Flooring Contractors in Phoenix, AZ

Are You Licensed to Practice as a Flooring Contractor in Phoenix?

The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ARC) regulates flooring contractors in Phoenix at the state level. To operate within the city, they must obtain a B or B-3 residential contracting license from the ARC. The appropriate license will depend on whether the contractor offers to construct new flooring or repair existing ones. Eligibility requirements for these license types include that the applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Present a qualifying party.
• Have at least four years of hands-on or supervisory experience in flooring services.
• Satisfy bond requirements
• Obtain workers' compensation insurance
• Pass the relevant licensing examination

Eligible persons can apply for the relevant license online or obtain the appropriate license application form, complete it, and submit it to the ARC. Applicants can submit filled-out forms by mailing them to:

Similarly, they can submit their forms in person at:

Note that before prospective applicants can apply for a license online, they must create a user account or log in to an existing account that they own.

This licensing requirement is mandatory. Failure to obtain the relevant license before bidding for or performing flooring services in Phoenix is a Class 1 misdemeanor. This comes with a minimum fine of $1,000 for first-time offenders and a minimum fine of $2,000 for subsequent offenders. Note that these penalties are besides other court-ordered penalties or administrative penalties that the ARC may impose. Homeowners can use the ARC Contractor Search portal to verify that their preferred contractor is licensed. Similarly, prospective licensees can contact the ARC at (877) 692-9762 or by email for clarification or more information on licensing matters.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Flooring Contractors in Phoenix?

On average, Phoenix homeowners spend between $1,000 and $7,000 for various flooring projects. Factors that affect exact project costs include the type of flooring project and whether it is a new installation or a repair of existing structures. Other factors typically include:

• The labor necessary to complete the project
• Necessary equipment
• The neighborhood or city the house is located
• The expected traffic in the building
• A homeowner's preferred flooring material
• The size of the room where the floor will be installed.

The pricing structure of a contractor may also influence these estimates. Flooring contractors typically charge per hour, per square foot, or a flat fee. Considering these factors, it is best to compare estimates from at least three contractors before starting your flooring project. This helps you determine the average cost for your project and:

• Avoid possible scams
• Notice price gouging
• Know what you are paying for.

Annually, flooring contractors in Phoenix earn an average of $46,450. The following list shows the average hourly wages of these contractors in Phoenix compared with the average hourly wages of floor layers in other parts of Arizona and major cities in the United States:

Are You a Member of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)?

Besides obtaining the relevant license, it also helps if your preferred contractor is a member of a reputable association in the flooring industry. One such reputable association is the National Wood Flooring Association, and other examples include:

• The Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association
• The World Floor Covering Association
• The Professional Flooring Installers Association
• The Northeast Flooring Contractors Association

These associations typically expose members to evolving industry best practices and offer specialized training. They also ensure members maintain ethical standards and a high level of professionalism. Members stay updated with rules and legal and administrative requirements that regulate the industry. Therefore, contractors who are members of such associations are likely to offer better service delivery, comply with occupational requirements, and avoid fraudulent behaviors. Also, you can easily find out about such contractors, their level of expertise, professionalism, or any history of questionable conduct by contacting the relevant association. Likewise, you have additional complaint options in the event such a contractor acts unprofessionally or fraudulently. Hiring a contractor who is a member of any such association reduces your risk of engaging inexperienced or unscrupulous individuals.

However, always verify claims of association membership with the relevant association. Do not simply take your contractor's word for it.

How Much Do You Charge for Floor Repairs?

Proper maintenance of your home's floor is key to lengthening its lifespan and utility. This maintenance would typically require occasional repairs and refurbishment to reduce the effect of depreciation and correct damages from everyday use. Nevertheless, some situations indicate the need for a full floor repair or replacement, the failure of which may result in serious injury, more expensive repairs, disturbances, or unappealing aesthetics.

These situations include:

• Flooring damage caused by burns or liquid
• Sloppy or misaligned floors
• Broken or cracked tiles
• Damage from pet scratches or sharp objects
• Squeaky floors.

To remedy such situations, a flooring contractor may need to work on any or all of the floor cross-sections:

• Floor Covering: This is the floor exterior that is obviously seen and walked on. The outer layer of flooring covers the subfloor and other floor reinforcements and constitutes the walking surface. Floor coverings come in different styles, and homeowners have a wide range of materials to choose from, including carpet, tiles, hardwood, and laminate.
• Floor underlayment: This is a typically light layer of flooring between the floor covering and the subfloor that helps to support the whole flooring structure. It helps reduce wear and tear, provides a smooth surface to place the floor covering, and plays other critical roles like sound reduction and water resistance.
• Subfloor: Subfloors, along with joists, are a foundational part of a floor. They are rough floors that serve as the outline on which finished floors are placed.
• Joists: These also form part of the foundation of a floor. They may be made of concrete, metal, or wood, depending on the type of building and flooring. They help provide support and transfer the load on the floor surface evenly.

When planning a floor repair project, ensure to confirm with your contractor if they are skilled and experienced in offering the repair services you need. It also helps to have a contract with this contractor detailing the job description, payment cycles, and cost of these repairs.

The following list outlines some cost estimates for floor repairs in Phoenix:

Estimates based on flooring material per square foot:

Estimates based on damage per square foot:

What Kind of Flooring Services Do You Offer in Phoenix?

Flooring services vary widely and generally include new floor installations, repairs, replacements, and maintenance. In most cases, the project's success depends on the contractor's familiarity with the material. Popular flooring materials in the Phoenix area include:

• Laminate flooring: This material is widely considered affordable, aesthetically pleasing, and low maintenance. It is a relatively cheap option that offers some elegance and is easy to install. However, it is prone to moisture damage and can be expensive to repair.
• Vinyl flooring: This material comes in different types, and popular ones include vinyl plank and vinyl tile flooring. It offers a cheaper option to hardwood and tile flooring, along with decent aesthetic appeal and ease of installation. Vinyl flooring is also durable, low-maintenance, and water-resistant, but its drawbacks include its shorter lifespan and not being eco-friendly.
• Hardwood flooring: Hardwood flooring is popular for many reasons, especially its available range of designs and varieties. Some varieties of hardwood flooring are solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, finished, and unfinished hardwood. There is also a unique variety that is reclaimed hardwood, which refers to re-used hardwood, indicating this material's durability. Other benefits of hardwood flooring include its long-lasting, low-maintenance, and high-quality appearance attributes. However, this material is relatively expensive, prone to liquid and termite damage, and susceptible to scratches.
• Carpet flooring: This material type is mainly made from woven fiber, which may be natural or synthetic. The fiber material typically determines the utility and satisfaction to be gotten from this flooring material. Fiber materials include wool, nylon, or polyester. However, the advantages of carpet flooring include its variety of color designs, softness, aesthetic appeal, and slip prevention. Natural-fibered carpets have the added advantage of being eco-friendly. Drawbacks of carpet flooring include that it is difficult to clean, retains dust and moisture, and is prone to damage from sharp objects like pet nails.
• Tile flooring: Tile flooring is largely of two types: ceramic and porcelain. While both types may have unique differences, tile flooring generally improves a home's aesthetics. The tile flooring material is also considered durable, low-maintenance, and water-resistant. However, it is expensive and difficult to install. Also, tile flooring gets cold during cold weather, making it uncomfortable without an extra surface like carpets.

Before making a hiring choice for your flooring project, find out your preferred contractor's range of experience. Some contractors are less skilled in handling certain flooring materials. Likewise, some contractors are better at flooring maintenance than new installations. You can find out by requesting proof of previous work or customer references from the contractor. This way, you have some assurance that you have the right person for the job.

Note that a contractor's experience may influence how much they charge you for their service. Nonetheless, below are some cost estimates for certain flooring services in Phoenix:

Do You Refinish Hardwood Floors?

An effective way of preserving hardwood floors and keeping them in good condition is refinishing them. Refinishing hardwood floors is the process of cleaning and sanding the floors, then applying new stain and lacquer for a refurbished appearance. It is identical to an in-depth repainting, as the process requires making minor but necessary patches, removing any debris or sanding marks, and wiping down the floor to ensure the floor is smooth and clean before applying your preferred stain.

Following DIY approaches to refinish your hardwood floors successfully as possible, but leaving it to professionals guarantees a better outcome. Instances where refinishing your floors may be necessary include the following:

• The floorboards are discolored or have a dull appearance
• Its colors are fading
• It has many noticeable scratch marks, which may be from pets or improperly moved heavy objects.
• The floorboards have an odd coloring or spots due to liquid or moisture damage.
• The floorboards have splinters.

Notwithstanding any of the above situations, it is advised that homeowners refinish their hardwood floors once every seven to ten years and, at most, six times in total. Hardwood refinishing in Phoenix costs an average of between $2.50 and $4.50 per square foot.

Although refinishing your floors may involve minor repairs and beautification, it does not involve a complete facelift. This is what makes it different from resurfacing your floor. Resurfacing involves removing and sanding down existing floorboards and may include improving floor reinforcements. In some cases, resurfacing floorboards may involve replacing them with newer ones or adding more floorboards. Therefore, it is more labor and capital-intensive than simply refinishing them. However, there are also certain situations where resurfacing your floor is the proper and safer thing to do, and such situations include the following:

• The floor has structural problems.
• The floor has been refinished too many times
• Nails are bent or protruding
• The floorboards are excessively worn out and wiggly
• Refinishing the floor cannot restore it to good condition
• The floorboards are weak or rotted from water damage

Do You Offer a Warranty for Floors Installed?

Warranty offers are additional factors to consider when searching for a floor installer or flooring contractor near you. This is important, especially when the flooring is to be done in a commercial space because such spaces have much more traffic and weight. Warranties are primarily of two kinds, which are manufacturer and installation warranties. A manufacturer warranty is an assurance that the flooring material you purchase for your project is in good condition, reasonably durable, and has no defects. Manufacturer warranties are for a limited period, which varies by manufacturer. However, below are average warranty periods for different flooring materials:

• Hardwood: 10 - 30 years
• Laminate: 5 - 10 years
• Carpet: 10 - 20 years
• Tile: 1 - 15 years
• Vinyl: 1 - 5 years

An installation warranty is an assurance that the flooring installation will be done correctly. This warranty typically covers instances of shoddy installation, such as inaccurate measurements, misalignment, or loose flooring. These warranty periods are also limited and depend on the contractor. However, it helps to have any warranty in the installation agreement or have a separate warranty agreement.

Note that these warranties are usually not transferable. However, in cases where they are, the transferability will depend on conditions usually contained in the warranty agreement. For clarity, it is better to discuss the transferability of any warranty offers with the relevant manufacturer or contractor, depending on whether it is a manufacturer or installation warranty.

Warranties only cover defects that are the fault of the manufacturer or floor installer. Therefore, certain situations may void the warranty. Such situations include:

• Damage caused by a homeowner's negligence or actions
• Damage caused by pets
• Damage resulting from inappropriately using the floor. Examples include exceeding weight limits the floor can take
• Damage caused by unprofessional repairs, such as DIY repairs or repairs by a contractor that is unlicensed or not certified by the manufacturer

This list is inexhaustive, as most warranty documents have exclusion clauses. Therefore, ensure to check your warranty agreement and confirm with the relevant manufacturer or floor installer instances that may void the warranty.

Will You Handle Clean-up after the Flooring Installation?

Flooring projects typically involve trimming, sanding, cutting, and dirt. This is the case especially for flooring projects in commercial spaces, as these spaces are more extensive than residential spaces, require more reinforcements, and sometimes require a protective covering to keep the floors new until opening day. Therefore, you should consider how to handle clean-ups along with other considerations relevant to your flooring project. In this regard, you should confirm whether your contractor will handle any necessary cleanups. Preferably, confirm this before making a hiring choice.

Note that it is best to ensure your contractor deals with the cleanup. A professional cleanup guarantees a better outcome and helps you avoid the risk of possibly damaging your flooring. It also helps you avoid the risk of injury or health hazards that may occur due to your inability to use cleaning equipment or machines properly.

Listed below are tips for properly cleaning and maintaining different types of newly installed floors in Phoenix:

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Flooring Contractors in Phoenix?

In 2020, there were more than 5,000 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the construction industry across Arizona. Some of these injuries were sustained during residential contracting, like flooring projects. Essentially, these projects have their risks, and project owners are sometimes held liable when such risks occur. This is one reason why you should ensure your preferred contractor is insured. Hiring an insured contractor helps you avoid incurring personal expenses when any occupational risk occurs during your project, especially if the contractor holds valid general liability and workers' compensation insurance policies.

It should be noted that flooring contractors in Phoenix must be bonded and maintain workers' compensation insurance. The bond amount depends on the value of the work the contractor expects to handle. These requirements are mandatory, and you should avoid contractors who have not satisfied them. Likewise, ensure to request proof of insurance and bonding from any contractor that claims to be insured and bonded and verify this proof with the relevant organization.