If you have been doing any shopping for new flooring, you know that the market is very competitive and there are a lot of products and installers to choose from. Adding to the confusion are badly trained salespeople with very poor product knowledge, but high-pressure sales tactics. It’s enough to make people stick with their 20-year-old carpet for a while longer.
But there is help. If you are building new, remodeling, or just freshening up, Shirley Pai Hilton of Kahala Pacific Floors would like to help you with some unbiased information on products and installation so that you can make the right choice for the person that matters here — you!
Hilton says that the first thing to remember is to always buy quality products that fit in your price range. The old adage of getting what you pay for applies doubly in a competitive market. Vendors will try to get your attention and money by offering an amazingly low price, but that’s because they didn’t pay much for it, either. Always look for a good warranty on materials; about 25 years for home use should be right.
Next, Hilton recommends always looking for integrity with the company you are dealing with. You may have a written contract, but good customer service is usually not one of the listed contractual obligations. It is also interesting to note that good, knowledgeable sales people are a direct reflection of the company’s openness and attention to detail. That person should be able to offer you good information that will help you make an informed decision. Always walk away from high-pressuring, badgering sales people who call or text you incessantly. They definitely don’t have your best interests at heart.
Hilton said that even before you venture out into the Hawaii flooring forest, get a basic education by attending her monthly Wood and Stone Flooring 101 seminar. The 90-minute session has been attended by hundreds of consumers who always come away more knowledgeable about flooring. The seminar will give you the tools to begin chopping through that forest and really seeing the trees (no pun intended).
Kahala Pacific Floors’ next seminar will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m., at 926 Kohou St. To reserve a seast, call 847-7711.
KAHALA PACIFIC FLOORS
contact // 847-7711
address // 926 Kohou St.
web // kahalapacificfloors.com