Vol. 1, Issue 13, Part J (2015)

Abstract
Flooring is an important part of the building to ensure foot comfort and it is influenced by the choice made by the users. This study was taken up on 100 residential dwellings in Hyderabad city to investigate the material preferred by the consumers for use in the residential building in different income groups covering 50 of each independent houses and apartments built and occupied in the last ten years. Flooring materials in vogue in urban homes were Vitrified tiles, Marble, Mosaic tiles, Granite, Stone, Ceramic Tiles and Terrazzo. The most preferred flooring material irrespective of the income group for most of the rooms was Vitrified Tiles. It was found that majority of the upper income group choose marble, mosaic and granite flooring. Consumers preference to flooring materials were focused on durability (93%), availability of material in different colors and designs (91%) visual appeal to eye (84%) and ease of maintenance(73%), while the crucial factors like slip and stain resistance and abrasion resistant were paid less attention in the material selection. Majority of the consumers preferred light colors, smooth textures and even patterns for the flooring. The results revealed that aesthetic and functional quality of the material played an important role in the selection process of the flooring material.