Two hardwood installation quotes can both say “Install 2,000 sq. ft. of hardwood flooring” and still include very different work.

Does the price include floor preparation? Moisture testing? Moisture mitigation if needed? Furniture moving? Demo? Baseboards and transitions? What happens if additional prep is discovered? And who is responsible if there's a problem after installation?

The number at the bottom doesn't tell you any of that.

That's why I tell homeowners: get your quotes. Just compare what's actually included and not only the price.

These homeowners spent approximately $35,000 on beautiful new hardwood floors.

Two years later, moisture-related problems began appearing throughout the home. Yup, that's my hand there, pointing out those rash-like spots appearing across the floor. The problem isn't on top of the hardwood. It's coming from underneath it.

Now approximately 2,600 sq. ft. of hardwood has to come out, the underlying moisture condition needs to be properly addressed, and the floors replaced.

Original installation: ~$35,000
Replacement project: ~$52,000

Total invested: ~$87,000

They didn't plan on buying their hardwood floors twice.

But that's exactly what happened.

You know what's cheaper than fixing a moisture problem underneath thousands of square feet of hardwood? Finding it before the hardwood goes down.

This is one of those questions nobody thinks much about when their new hardwood floor looks beautiful.

But it's worth asking before you hire anyone.

If there's a problem six months or two years later, who do you call? Who determines whether it's the flooring, the installation or something else? What exactly does the workmanship warranty cover? And most importantly, will the company that installed your floor actually be there to deal with it?

We stand behind our hardwood flooring installation before, during and after the job.

Before choosing any contractor, ask them:

“If I have a problem with this floor two years from now, what happens next?”

Their answer matters.

You don't need to become a flooring expert before hiring one. That's what you're paying us for.

But before thousands of dollars of hardwood gets permanently installed in your home, I'd want answers to these:

1. Was the slab professionally moisture tested?
2. Does the subfloor need preparation before installation?
3. If elevated moisture is found, how will it be addressed?
4. What does this specific hardwood require for acclimation and jobsite conditions?

These aren't the exciting parts of buying hardwood. Nobody invites their friends over to admire their moisture readings. 😂

But they're the things that can determine how that beautiful floor performs years after we've left your house.

Ask us. Ask every contractor you're considering. A good flooring professional should be comfortable answering all four.

What shouldn't happen is you suddenly discovering that something you reasonably thought was included... wasn't.

That's why our proposals clearly spell out what's included, what's not, and how any unexpected work will be handled.

If something changes, then we explain it and price it. You approve it before we proceed.

No mystery charges at the end. No awkward conversation about an invoice you weren't expecting or financial jump scares.

Before comparing quotes, don't just compare the totals. Compare what's actually included in them.

Choosing hardwood from a sample is useful, but remember: you're about to install hundreds; sometimes thousands of square feet of a natural product.

Color, grain and character can vary from board to board. And if we're trying to match hardwood that's already in your home, expectations need to be discussed before anything gets installed.

We'll talk through what you can realistically expect from the product you've selected and, where we're matching existing flooring, what can and can't reasonably be matched.

Because:

“That's not what I thought it was going to look like” is a conversation we'd much rather have before 2,000 sq. ft. is installed.

We stand behind our hardwood installation for a full two years.

Continuous Work

We don't disappear halfway through your project to start another one. Once we're underway, we keep your project moving so you can get your home back.

We use only products approved for your hardwood flooring, so you don't end up fighting over a warranty later.

I've spent 25+ years doing this, and I'd rather help you understand what you're buying than hit you with another sales pitch.

No pressure. No gimmicks. And no stock photo of a woman lying on a hardwood floor with a golden retriever for reasons nobody understands. 😂

Just tell us a little about your project and we'll take it from there.