With the holidays approaching and homeowners preparing to welcome family and friends, business is booming for Alejandro Vasquez Arenas and his wife, Natalia, of AVA Hardwood Flooring. For the husband-and-wife team, transforming a home from the ground up is about more than installing beautiful floors. It’s a craft built around attention to detail, old-school workmanship, and a personal approach to every project.
That commitment was put to the test just last month, when Arenas spent seven straight days on one project, working against the clock to bring a homeowner’s vision to life without sacrificing craftsmanship or customer service.
“Our number one concern as business owners is customer service,” Natalia said.
While she minds the phones, he minds the homes, overseeing each project on-site and making sure the details live up to their standards.
“We are a one-stop shop,” Natalia said. “From the estimate to the cleanup, we’re there every step of the way.”
And when it comes to hardwood, the right floor can completely transform a space, adding warmth, character, and a personal touch. But the appeal goes beyond aesthetics.
Not all hardwoods are created equal. Durability depends largely on the species, with oak, maple, and hickory generally offering more hardness than walnut, cherry, or birch. The way the wood is cut and finished can also play a role in how it holds up over time.
As a natural material, hardwood responds to its environment, with light affecting its appearance and humidity causing it to expand and contract over time.
“Wood moves,” she explained. “It actually expands and retracts.”
As a long-term investment, a flooring upgrade or even a refresh such as professional sanding can add value to an existing home and boost its marketability on the real estate scene.
That is where AVA comes in, delivering quality results while working around each homeowner’s needs.
That flexibility can mean helping prepare a space before work begins or simply being available to answer questions as a project unfolds.
“We have a lot of older customers and long-time homeowners who may ask us to remove all the furniture, and others who prefer to prepare the space themselves,” she said.
At the heart of every project is customer service, and it starts with an actual phone call. No bots, no call centers. Just Natalia on the other end, drawing on her background in social work to make every customer feel heard and taken care of.
“My job is problem solving and communication,” she said.
What further distinguishes this home-based business is free in-person estimates and years of hands-on craftsmanship.
“We’ll match every stain and mix it by hand,” she added.
In most cases, hardwood can be installed over existing flooring unless rot or decay is discovered underneath.
Style is just as important, with white oak, custom wood designs, and wider planks among the looks AVA sees homeowners requesting most. Variable-width installations are also in demand, creating a more historic feel while embracing the wood’s natural character, including knots and other imperfections.
For the past 10 years, AVA Hardwood Flooring has taken on everything from new installations and refinishing to repairs and restorations, working closely with customers to understand the look, needs, and functionality of each space.
AVA’s work spans both residential and commercial properties, with memorable projects ranging from a local church to the restoration of a 110-year-old porch using mahogany wood.
“That was a week’s worth of sourcing the wood and another week’s worth of physical labor, but the customer could not have been happier,” Natalia recalled with a smile.
It’s that kind of attention to detail that defines their approach to every project. For Alejandro and Natalia, every project comes back to the same foundation: quality craftsmanship, personal service, and creating something their customers will enjoy for years to come. Because to them, a beautiful floor is only part of a job well done.
“From the estimate to the cleanup, we’re there every step of the way.”