Get Quotes from Top Flooring Contractors in Nashville, TN

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

A flooring contractor will be required to obtain a contractor license when offering flooring services worth more than $25,000, including labor and materials. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) handles the licensing process for flooring contractors in Nashville through its Board for Licensing Contractors. Note that a TDCI license is not required for residential projects with a total value of less than $25,000. Flooring contractors bidding for projects between $3,000 and $25,000 must obtain a home improvement license.

If a flooring contractor fails to get the necessary licenses before offering services in Nashville, they will be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. This offense carries a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail and $2,500 in fines, as well as a separate administrative penalty of up to $5,000 in fines.

Interested individuals can complete an application online via the department's CORE platform. The user must create an account to use this platform. Meanwhile, existing users can log in with their details to sign on. To help prospective license applicants navigate the platform, the department provides user guides and instruction resources for contractor and home improvement licenses. In addition to applying online, a flooring contractor must meet specific eligibility requirements, including:

• Paying all stipulated application fees
• Submitting a Letter of Reference from a past client, employer, or codes official that can confirm the applicant's construction experience
• Providing proof of adequate general liability and workers' compensation insurance coverage
• Providing proof of business registration, where applicable
• Submitting a notarized Contractor's Affidavit and a Power of Attorney where applicable
• Passing a licensing examination, which consists of a business and law portion and a trade portion
• Providing a current audited financial statement duly prepared by a Certified Public Accountant or a Licensed Public Accountant

The flooring contractor may be required to have an interview with the TDCI's Board for Licensing Contractors before a contractor license can be issued. The TDCI also has a monetary limit and license classification for licensed general contractors. This limit is based on the value of work that the contractor can bid for. It is typically calculated using the financial statement that the flooring contractor submits during the application process.

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Industries (TDCI) has a variety of procedures and requirements for contractors in Nashville. If you need more information about the licensing requirements of contractors in the city, you can contact the department's Board for Licensing Contractors at (615) 741-8307, (800) 544-7693, or via email.

It is always important to confirm the licensing status of the flooring contractor you are planning on working with before signing a contract. You can use the TDCI's License Search and Verification portal for this purpose.

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

Aside from the licenses issued by the city, it's also essential to look for additional credentials when choosing a flooring contractor in Nashville. These can include certification or membership in various flooring-related organizations like:

• The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)
• The Home Builders Association of Tennessee
• The Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association (FCICA)
• The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA)

These credentials can be very beneficial when it comes to choosing a flooring contractor in Nashville because:

• They have more on-the-job experience
• They have access to resources like education, training, and insurance options
• These professionals are held to high standards, which can assure you that their work will be handled competently.

These organizations also help resolve disputes if there is a problem with the professional flooring service. When choosing a reputable flooring contractor in Nashville claiming to belong to an association, you should ask for proof of their membership or certification with an association. You should also research the group online to ensure a strong local following.

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

Before you hire a flooring contractor in Nashville, you should know the exact fee they will charge you for their services. Most flooring installers in the area use different methods to bill their clients, like hourly, fixed, square footage, linear footage rates, or a combination of these methods. The overall cost of their services will vary depending on the factors that affect the project, such as:

• Your preferred flooring material
• The current condition of the floor
• The labor intensity required
• Locality within city
• Size of the floor area
• The reputation and experience of your preferred flooring contractor

To this end, before commencing a flooring project, it is best to get multiple estimates from multiple flooring contractors to better understand the project's cost. Doing so will allow you to identify the lowest and highest-cost providers and ensure that you hire the best possible service. If you see price discrepancies between the estimates of any flooring contractors, you should not hire them. You should only consider hiring them if they can provide justifiable reasons for the difference.

Flooring contractors in Nashville earn an estimated annual wage of $35,940. The list below indicates the average hourly wages for Nashville flooring contractors and compares these figures with the average hourly wages of floor layers in other parts of Tennessee along with other major cities in the United States:

How Much Do You Charge for Floor Repairs?

Due to the foot traffic these floors typically experience, they can get regular wear and tear. However, in some cases, they can also sustain more serious damages, such as:

• Damage from carelessness, negligence, and poor upkeep
• Damage from sharp pet nails, furniture, and other similar objects
• Improper initial installation
• Tracked-in dirt and debris

In most cases, the damages caused by these incidents can affect one or more of the floor's components.

• Floor surface: This is the visible part of the floor that can get damaged due to various factors. Some of these include sun fading, poor upkeep, and minor water damage.
• Subfloor: This is the support section of the floor located underneath the surface of the floor, and it also provides an even surface. Water damage is the most common cause of this issue.
• Joists: This is the structural component of buildings and supports the floor's weight. If the support section of the floor gets damaged, it should immediately be repaired by a skilled floor installer.

When choosing a flooring contractor to repair or replace your damaged floors, ensure they have the necessary skills and experience to handle the issue efficiently. You should also ask them to provide you with how much it will cost for their services.

Here are the different price ranges flooring contractors in Nashville can provide for their services:

Estimates based on flooring material per square foot:

Estimates based on type of damage:

Estimates based on repair solution:

Estimates based on floor location:

What Kind of Flooring Services Do You Offer in Nashville?

In Nashville, flooring contractors offer four main types of flooring services to residents, including:

• Floor repairs
• Floor installations
• Floor replacements
• Floor maintenance

As such, before hiring a flooring contractor, ensure you confirm they can provide the services you need and that they have the necessary experience to work with your preferred type of flooring. Do this before you sign any work contract with the flooring contractor. In Nashville, most of the common flooring materials used by homeowners include:

• Hardwood: One of the most popular flooring materials that residents in Nashville choose is hardwood. This type of flooring is durable and has a pleasing appearance. Hardwood is also prone to scratching and water damage, which are disadvantages of this flooring. Hardwood can be made from wood species such as cherry, maple, oak, bamboo, and teak. It comes in four types: solid hardwood, unfinished hardwood, engineered hardwood, and finished hardwood.
• Tiles: Although tile flooring is attractive, it requires the proper installation to ensure that it's laid evenly and has no flaws. This material comes in various types, such as ceramic, porcelain, and engineering.
• Laminate: Another type of flooring commonly used in Nashville is laminate, a more cost-effective alternative to tile and hardwood. It's also more resistant to scratches by being susceptible to moisture damage.
• Vinyl: This is highly resistant to moisture and water damage. This type of material is also relatively cheap and easy to maintain. It can be used in various areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Three main types of tile flooring are commonly used in Nashville: sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and luxury vinyl plank (LVP)
• Carpet: The two main types of carpet flooring commonly used in Nashville are natural and synthetic fiber carpets. While natural fiber carpets are eco-friendly, synthetic fiber carpets are more likely to last longer and require less maintenance.

The following list provides a price range for some of Nashville's common flooring services:

Do You Refinish Hardwood Floors?

If you have old hardwood floors in your home, consider having them refinished instead of replacing them. This process involves applying new lacquer and stain to the surface. Even though refinishing and resurfacing are used interchangeably, the processes are not the same. Resurfacing is a more labor-intensive process that involves removing the old floorboards, which are then leveled, and reinforcing them with new nails.

You can get up to a hundred percent of your project's cost if you have your hardwood floors refinished. The cost of this process varies depending on the size of the area and the labor required. In Nashville, the average cost of a hardwood floor restoration is around $3 to $5 per square foot. While it is possible to do it yourself, hiring a professional hardwood floor contractor is essential to ensure that the work is carried out satisfactorily.

Although experts usually recommend that hardwood floors be refinished every seven to ten years, it's also essential to start this process if you notice that the surface has:

• Significant dents and scratches
• Splinters
• Water stains or other difficult-to-remove stains
• Started ending downwards from its edges
• Turned gray
• Signs of discoloration and fading

In addition, you may need to replace your hardwood floors in situations like the following:

• The floorboards are creaking or moving
• Nails are poking through the floor
• The floor has been refinished multiple times
• The floor has sustained significant water, scratch, mark, or dent damage

Do You Offer a Warranty for Floors Installed?

When choosing a flooring contractor in Nashville for a project, it's important to consider their warranty options. There are two types of warranties that a professional flooring contractor can provide for a flooring project in the city:

• Manufacturer's Warranty: This type of warranty ensures that the flooring material performs well. The manufacturer usually determines the coverage period and extent of this warranty. These types of warranty are usually valid for certain types of flooring materials like:
  • Hardwood – at least 25 years
  • Tile – 10 – 25 years
  • Laminate – 10 – 30 years
  • Vinyl – 10 to 20 years
  • Carpet – 10 – 20 years

Although the manufacturer's warranty is non-transferrable, some products may provide transferability options that enable the coverage provided by the manufacturer to be transferred to a new homeowner. This type of transferability is usually only valid within a certain timeframe. The duration of this warranty is usually shorter for commercial flooring materials.

• Workmanship/Installation Warranty: This type of warranty is usually valid for a year or more. It assures that the floor installer's work will be of the highest quality.

When it comes to warranty, some kinds of damages will not be covered, including:

• Damages caused by natural disasters
• Damages caused by improper installation
• Damages caused by unauthorized repairs of the flooring material
• Damages caused by negligence or inadequate maintenance of the installed flooring material by the homeowner

Will You Handle Clean-up after the Flooring Installation?

When it comes to hiring a floor installer in Nashville, it is vital to confirm that the installation, repair, or replacement of flooring can generate a huge amount of trash and dirt. Getting a floor installer to handle the cleaning and post-work tasks can also help avoid the difficulty of doing it yourself. When hiring a floor installer in Nashville, confirming that the contractor will handle the cleaning is essential. To this end, ensure the cleaning arrangements are outlined in your service contract. Also, ensure the cleanup is completed before your new floors are used.

Below is a list of tips for the proper cleaning and maintenance of different kinds of newly installed floors in Nashville:

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

In 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were almost 2.7 million non-fatal work-related injuries and over 4,700 fatal work-related injuries in the U.S. Confirming the insurance status of the flooring contractor you are planning on hiring is an important step you must take. Doing so can help prevent you from incurring liabilities caused by bodily injuries and property damages that occur while your project is going on.

In Nashville, flooring contractors are required to carry out certain insurance conditions before they can operate. This includes:

• General liability insurance with a minimum limit ranging from $100,000 to $1,000,000, depending on the contractor's license monetary limit.
• Workers' compensation insurance for their employees
• Posting a $10,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit if holding a home improvement license

As such, before hiring a flooring contractor in Nashville, you should confirm they have the necessary insurance coverage. This can be done by asking for copies of their certificates and contacting their insurance provider. Ensure that their policy adequately covers property damage and injuries that may happen during the project.

You can direct your queries regarding the insurance requirements for flooring installers registered as general and home improvement contractors to the TDCI's Board for Licensing Contractors at (615) 741-8307 or (800) 544-7693.