In most instances, selection of a particular Flooring Services Nashville TN material is made by the group responsible for design and construction. One of their primary interests is to keep construction and renovation costs low. Maintenance and operating costs are not their concern, so they are rarely factored into the selection process. As a result, most flooring decisions are made primarily on the basis of lowest initial costs and appearance when new.

Flooring in Nashville requires ongoing expenses for cleaning and maintenance, and there are costs for removal and disposal. Often overlooked are costs associated with the disruption to building operations while flooring is being installed. These factors vary with different flooring materials and must be considered if the organization is to get the most out of its investment.

Approaches and Cost Analysis

In contrast to the traditional approach of selecting a flooring option based on first costs, life cycle costing examines all costs associated with owning a particular type of flooring over its life.

A life cycle cost calculation can be simple or complex, based on the needs of the organization. In its simplest form, it examines only the major costs associated with the installation over its service life. In its more complex form, a life cycle cost calculation can include such factors as return on investment and present value. Both types of analysis are effective.

Using the simple model, the cost of ownership for flooring is equal to the sum of the installation, maintenance, cleaning and disposal costs over the product's life.

The biggest portion of the installation costs will be for the preparation of the space and the purchase and installation of the new flooring. But installation costs also include other items that are often overlooked.A new floor installed in an existing space causes disruptions to the building occupants. How extensive those disruptions are depends on the type of flooring being installed.

For example, the installation of carpet tile or vinyl floor tile disrupts operations less than does the installation of sheet vinyl or roll carpet. Even more disruptive is the installation of a raised floor. The cost of these disruptions can be significant and must be factored into the life cycle cost analysis.

Maintenance costs also vary widely. Relocating workstations and office equipment will require repairs or modifications to the flooring. If sections of the flooring are damaged, they must be repaired or replaced. The installation or modification of under-floor cabling systems will result in the need to make changes to the flooring. How often these repairs and modifications are required, how disruptive they are, and how costly they are depend on the type of flooring that is installed.

The facility executives must look at the maintenance history for the flooring systems in a facility. How often are repairs and modifications required? What do they cost? It's important that the facility executive determine an average cost per square yard per year for the types of flooring considered for the application.

One of the largest components in the life cycle cost of flooring is the cost of cleaning. Depending on the type of flooring installed, its location and the level of traffic, flooring may require cleaning only once a week or as often as several times a day.

Again, the best way to identify actual cleaning costs is to review the historical cleaning cost record for a facility with a similar type of flooring in similar applications. Flooring manufacturers can provide recommended cleaning levels and estimated costs, but they may not reflect the actual conditions found in a facility. Using the best available data, estimate the annual cleaning costs for the different types of flooring considered.

Removal and disposal costs must also be calculated. These can be significant, particularly if large areas of the operation are disrupted during the removal process. Manufacturers can provide data on average costs for removal and disposal of their products.

Determining Service Life

One of the most critical elements in determining the life cycle cost for a given product is service life. Most flooring products have published or accepted service lives. For example, the rated service life is 25 years for hardwood flooring, 25 years for terrazzo, 15 years for vinyl tile and 10 years for carpet.

But rated service lives are averages, not absolutes. In many applications, flooring will need replacement well before the rated service life is reached in order to meet appearance standards for the organization.

In these cases, what might be called the material's attractive life, not its rated service life, will determine when the flooring will need replacement.

Even then, the length of a floor material's attractive life will vary from application to application. For example, a quality carpet may last eight to 10 years in many commercial applications, but only five to seven years in schools, or only three to five years in hotels.

Another factor that will influence the actual service life is churn. Organizations are in a constant state of change. People move. Operations undergo constant upgrading. Support needs change. As a result, the facility itself is in a state of churn.

This rate of churn will have an impact on the actual service life of a flooring product, generally shortening it well below the rated service life and frequently below the attractive life. Changes in space needs can result in the need to change flooring before it wears out.

For this reason, the most expensive flooring option, or the one with the longest service life, is not always the most cost-effective option for a particular application. Money spent purchasing performance beyond the expected remodeling date will be wasted.

It is essential that the proper value for service life be used. For organizations that undergo constant changes, the service life used in the life cycle cost calculations will be well below that of most flooring materials and must be based on historical renovation schedules. In other organizations, the service life will be determined more by the rated service life of the material and the organization's experience with the attractive life of that type of flooring.