Some folks would like to see "an all-in price," but Steller Floors doesn't do it that way. What gives?
Interestingly, at one point we tried it -- we priced our flooring as a "one-price-fits-all product" -- and it doesn't work! Here are a few reasons why:
1) Component Pricing
When you're at the home improvement store, everything is priced separately - whether you're looking at tile with mortar and grout, hardwood floors with nails or glue, and even lights with separate light bulbs.
- Part of this is strategic price positioning: Manufacturers are looking for the lowest possible sticker price -- and sometimes it feels overwhelming to add up all the costs of everything in your cart, however --
- Another part of this design is actually critical: Ask yourself, "What will it cost me to replace this part?" With a Steller Floor, you'll never pay to replace a clip because we warranty them for 20 years (and they'll outlive all of us), but you may want to replace a plank due to a dent or stain. Items need to be priced separately for these lifetime costs to be fully transparent.
2) Apples-to-Apples Comparisons
When you are comparing different flooring products (no matter which manufacturer you go with) each item is priced separately. That goes for plank materials, assembly components (glues, nails, underlayment), tools and labor. They all cost different amounts. Lumping them in together is not helpful because you can't see where your money is going or compare the costs and benefits of different installation systems. In particular, for Steller Floors:
- Plank Materials: With a Steller Floor, you get super high quality, wide plank, solid wood planks that are prefinished and sealed at the absolute lowest price possible. Literally no one on Earth can make higher quality materials at these prices.
- Assembly Clips: Our innovative clips are more expensive than nails and less expensive than glues for engineered wood flooring - with unbelievable additional flexibility. These clips are the specific, patented component that makes all of our functionality possible for the entire lifetime of the floor, which is why they are priced according to their value--not the raw materials price.
- Installation & Labor: Our fast and easy assembly means you can have our flooring installed by a professional for much less per sqft versus other solid hardwoods. With us, it's $2-3/sqft in most markets versus our competitor's $5-7. With Steller, you don't need a certified professional for installation, and you can even do it yourself. In some cases with traditional nails & glue, you invest in labor that walks right back out of your space with the person who installed it. With a Steller Floor, the value stays in your space with high quality components. All-in pricing is not transparent to these transactions.
- Lifetime Costs: No flooring product puts a lifetime all-in-cost on their sticker, because it would horrify you in all cases except one: with Steller Floors. When you don't need to refinish your whole floor, or tear it all out because of a leaking refrigerator, you'll thank us later. Seriously. When you don't need to move out to refinish, and you can remove, repair or replace planks yourself, and you could even re-sell your Steller Floor if you want -- you can't even calculate Lifetime Value.
3) Innovative Plank and Clip Variants are Coming
What if we told you that different kinds of products are coming from Steller Floors, they will be exciting when they're launched, and allow you to retrofit your own Steller Floor? Would you be surprised that we were innovating behind the scenes? We doubt it. Meanwhile, you also wouldn't be surprised to find out that different clips will have different prices, either.
We understand that flooring projects are expensive and price comparisons can be exhausting. Seeing more costs on the list isn't ever fun. But, please try to remember that each of the decisions we make at Steller (including this one!) are designed to make your flooring project as easy and rewarding as possible.
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