Saturday, February 24, 2007

Keeping our feet on the floor

When we first started designing this house, Mr. Big and I were enamored with the beautiful rustic, plank floors that were available on the market. We had no idea how much to expect to pay for flooring, so there was a huge gasp when we realized that we had been considering floors costing between $18 - $25 per square foot. Gulp.

Last September we went to Miami for a major "home weekend" and found a wood that we liked at a much more reasonable price...around $6 per square foot. Definitely within the budget. It is called American Originals Maple (5 inch) in the color Shenandoah.


I have recently been looking for prices on the internet and have found this wood for as low as $4.50 per square foot. I love finding deals! It's amazing how much you can save by simply putting your selection in a google search.

Well today I came across another option that looks very interesting. There is a website called builddirect.com that sells directly to consumers at very reasonable rates. They have a good selection and will send you sample boards for free (you pay shipping only). The best part? They even ship to the Caribbean! :) Since their prices were so competitive (around $3.50 per square foot), I ordered a few sample boards.




Heck, if we save $1 per square foot on our flooring, that can add up to a few thousand dollars.

Build Direct also has stone flooring, siding, decking materials, roofs, etc. all at pretty good rates. After finishing with our wood flooring, I also ordered a sample of the following stone for our outdoor pool area, as my wonderful husband has been pining over an effect like this for quite some time. At $2.80 per square foot, this is very competitive with anything offered locally.


The internet has changed our lives and business in so many ways. Ten years ago we wouldn't have the bargaining power available to us these days. Yes, the beautiful $20 per square foot woods are worth drooling over, but the above options come very close for a small fraction of the price.

I'll give you all a review on the quality when the sample boards arrive. Keep your fingers crossed!

1 comment:

jeannie said...

psst. you've been tagged by houseinprogress.net in the 5 things meme.