The real cost is the life cycle cost of installing a new or replacement flooring material, according to an article from Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website.

Of course, it includes the original cost of whatever flooring material is being used, plus the costs associated with installing it, including the floor preparation. The real cost also includes the maintenance of the flooring once put into use. 

The investment in flooring and installation is a long-term commitment. Cutting corners in either materials or installation will cost more in the long run.

These are all real costs but, when it comes to floor coverings, the real cost is also affected by whether or not the flooring selected actually performs as you expect it to. That means certain wild cards should be taken into consideration. These wild cards are risks that could cause the flooring and installation to fail and the subsequent costs involved when this happens. 

These wild card costs come into play if you need to replace the floor covering prematurely because it fails. The wild card costs could include the price of materials and installation for the replacement, the disruption to business operations, the time and money involved if litigation arises, and the hours you and your team have to spend dealing with the situation. 

Read the article.