A few years ago, buying a floor meant a Saturday in a retail park. Today a large share of UK flooring is bought online and delivered on a pallet to the door. Prices are often lower and the choice is far wider. But a floor is heavy, hard to return and expected to last for decades, so it pays to slow down before you order.

Use this checklist. It takes about twenty minutes and can save you a great deal more than that.

1. Order samples first, every time

No screen shows colour accurately. Phones tend to make floors look warmer, and laptops often make them look greyer. A sample in your hand also tells you things a photo cannot: the texture, the thickness and how the surface catches the light.

Order a few shades either side of the one you think you want. Lay them on the floor of the actual room and look at them over a couple of days.

2. Check how the floor is priced

This catches people out more than anything else. Some retailers show a price per square metre. Others show a price per pack. A pack might cover 2.2 square metres or 3.7, so two prices that look similar can be very different.

Before you compare two shops, work both back to the price per square metre, including VAT and delivery.

3. Measure, then add for cutting

Measure the length and width of each room at the widest points and multiply them. Add the rooms together. Then add extra for cuts and mistakes: around 5 to 10% for straight planks, and more for herringbone.

Round up to full packs. You cannot buy half a pack, and a spare box in the loft is useful if a board is ever damaged.

4. Order it all in one go

Flooring is made in batches, and the shade can vary slightly between them. If you run short and order more a month later, the new packs may not match exactly. One order, one batch, one delivery.

5. Read the delivery details

Ask or check three things.

How does it arrive? Larger orders come on a pallet with a tail-lift lorry. The driver will normally leave it at the kerb or on the drive, not carry it into the house.
How heavy is it? A single pack of flooring can weigh 15 to 25 kg. Have someone ready to help you carry it in.
Is delivery included? Some retailers show a low price and add a large pallet charge at the checkout. Others include delivery in the price.

6. Let the floor settle before fitting

Most floors need to sit flat in the room, in their boxes, for at least 24 to 48 hours before they are laid. This lets them adjust to the temperature of the house. Book your fitter for a few days after the delivery date, not the same morning.

7. Check every pack on arrival

Open the delivery and check the product name, the colour and the batch number on every pack before anything is fitted. Look for crushed corners. If something is wrong, tell the retailer at once and take photos. Once a floor has been laid, it is very hard to make a claim about how it looked.

8. Know the returns policy

Under UK distance selling rules you normally have 14 days to change your mind on goods bought online, and many retailers offer longer. But check the small print for flooring in particular. Look for who pays the return carriage, whether opened packs can be returned, and whether any handling charge is taken off your refund. Pallet returns are not cheap, so this matters.

9. Look for the things you will also need

A floor is rarely the whole order. Depending on the type, you may need adhesive, underlay, levelling compound, door bars and trims. Buying them with the floor usually saves a second delivery charge and makes sure the adhesive is the one the manufacturer recommends.

10. Buy from someone you can ring

Finally, check there is a real business behind the website. Look for a UK phone number that is answered, independent reviews, and clear product specifications rather than vague sales copy. A good online retailer will happily talk you through the right product for your subfloor before you spend anything. UK specialists such as Flooring Monster publish full specifications for each floor and will send samples before you commit, which is the standard you should expect from anyone you buy from.

Buying a floor online is safe, simple and often cheaper than the high street. It just rewards the buyer who checks first and clicks second.

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