When everything goes according to plan, you prepare for the inconvenience, get the work completed and move back into your home.
When it doesn't, that inexpensive estimate can become very expensive.
This floor contractor checklist isn't about convincing you to hire the most expensive company. It's about knowing what you're buying before price becomes the deciding factor.
Floor Contractor Checklist: Contractor or Handyman?
Start with the most basic question: Is the person you're considering actually a licensed flooring contractor?
In California, hardwood flooring work falls under the C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering Contractor classification. An unlicensed person offering flooring services isn't a licensed flooring contractor.
For a small household repair, hiring a handyman may make perfect sense. But would you hire a handyman to plumb an entire new home under construction simply because the price was lower?
Hardwood flooring deserves similar consideration.
Sanding, staining, repairs and installation require specialized equipment and experience. Mistakes can damage flooring that may be expensive, difficult or sometimes impossible to replace with an exact match.
Before hiring anyone, verify the contractor's license and ask about liability insurance, bonding and workers' compensation coverage.
These aren't just boxes on a checklist. They become much more important when something doesn't go according to plan.
How Much Time Do You Have for a Do-Over?
Price matters. We understand that.
But consider something that rarely appears on a flooring estimate: the cost of doing the project twice.
Having hardwood floors refinished can temporarily turn your household upside down. Furniture has to be removed, rooms must be cleared and portions of the home may be inaccessible. Depending on the size of the project and finish system, a typical job may require three to five days before life begins returning to normal.
That's manageable when everything goes according to plan.
But what happens when it doesn't?
If the person doing the work cannot correct the problem, you're essentially starting over. You have to find another flooring contractor, schedule another estimate, go through the vetting process again and then work around that contractor's schedule.
A reputable flooring contractor may already have projects scheduled and may not be able to start immediately.
Your five-day project can suddenly become a two- or three-week ordeal.
And now the meter is running.
If you're staying in a hotel, that's another week or two of hotel bills. Without access to your kitchen, you may be eating out every day. Add disrupted work and family schedules, accommodations for pets, living out of suitcases and simply being away from the comfort of your own home.
That inexpensive flooring bid just got very expensive—and we haven't even included the cost of correcting the floor.
This isn't an argument for automatically hiring the highest bidder. It's an argument for looking beyond the price at the bottom of the estimate.
Ask Why One Bid Is So Much Cheaper
When several qualified contractors are reasonably close in price, that's normal.
When one estimate is dramatically lower, however, it's reasonable to ask why.
An established flooring company has expenses that are part of operating a legitimate business: licensing, insurance, bonding, employees, professional equipment, quality materials, vehicles and the cost of standing behind completed work.
Those expenses don't disappear simply because someone offers you a lower price.
Sometimes a very low estimate is simply an attempt to secure work. That doesn't automatically mean the person will do a poor job, but it should encourage you to ask more questions before signing.
- How long have they been in business?
- Are they properly licensed, bonded and insured?
- What products will they use?
- What exactly is included in the estimate?
- What happens if something goes wrong?
- What warranty are they willing to put in writing?
- Will someone answer the phone after the job is finished?
A low price isn't necessarily a problem.
A low price without good answers should be.
Compare the Work, Not Just the Total
A professional estimate should tell you what you're purchasing.
That doesn't mean every individual operation necessarily needs its own separate price. At National Floors, for example, refinishing is commonly priced by square footage, while repairs may be based on labor plus materials. Additional work such as trim, baseboards, stairs or upgraded finish systems may also be included in the proposal.
What's important is that the scope of work is clear.
Before accepting an estimate, make sure you understand:
- Which rooms, closets, stairs and transitions are included
- What repairs are included or excluded
- How existing damage will be handled
- What sanding and preparation are being performed
- Whether stain is included
- What finish system and sheen will be used
- How many finish coats will be applied
- Whether baseboards, shoe molding or transitions are included
- How additional work or unexpected repairs will be approved
A single price at the bottom of a proposal isn't necessarily a problem if the work above it is clearly described.
The problem is a proposal that gives you very little information about what you're actually receiving.
Make Sure the Floor Is Properly Evaluated
Before discussing stain colors and finish sheen, the contractor should determine what kind of floor you have and what condition it is in.
Solid hardwood can generally be refinished multiple times provided enough usable wood remains. Engineered flooring requires more caution because the thickness of the wear layer determines whether sanding is possible.
Damage also needs to be evaluated before sanding begins.
Pet stains, black water damage, loose boards, termite damage, gaps, cupping and crowning aren't automatically corrected by running a sanding machine across the floor.
Some areas may require board replacement or other repairs before refinishing begins.
A knowledgeable flooring contractor should be able to explain what can be saved, what needs repair and what cannot reasonably be corrected.
Moisture Problems Need an Answer Before Sanding
Wood responds to moisture.
If a floor is cupping, crowning or showing other signs of moisture-related movement, the source should be investigated before refinishing begins.
Sanding a moisture-damaged floor without addressing the underlying problem can create additional problems later.
The same principle applies to new installations. The contractor should understand the flooring product, subfloor and environmental conditions before deciding how the material should be installed.
Concrete slabs deserve particular attention because moisture conditions can affect both the flooring and adhesive system.
A flooring contractor may identify evidence of a plumbing leak, drainage problem or excessive moisture without being the trade responsible for correcting the source. What's important is recognizing the problem before covering it with a new floor or sanding away the evidence.
Understand How Your Floors Will Be Sanded and Finished
Professional hardwood floor sanding and finishing is a process, not a single pass with a sanding machine.
The floor is progressively sanded to remove the existing finish, flatten appropriate imperfections and prepare the wood for stain or finish. Improper sanding can leave chatter, waves, edger marks, scratches and other defects that become even more noticeable after stain and finish are applied.
Dust containment should also be discussed. No sanding process can promise that absolutely no dust will exist, but professional equipment and proper containment can dramatically reduce it.
If you're staining the floor, samples should be applied to the actual wood whenever possible. Species, age, grain and previous exposure all influence how a stain will appear.
The finish system matters too.
Waterborne and oil-based finishes have different characteristics, appearance and drying times. There are also significant differences between individual products within those categories.
Ask what is being used and why.
Know When You Can Have Your House Back
A start date isn't enough.
Ask for a realistic idea of how long the project should take and when you can walk on the floor, replace furniture and return to normal use.
Dry and fully cured are not the same thing.
If new unfinished hardwood is being installed, acclimation may also be required before installation begins. Site conditions, flooring species and moisture readings help determine when the material is ready.
The important point is planning.
If you know a project will disrupt your home for several days, you can prepare for it. It's the unexpected additional week—or two—that becomes difficult and expensive.
Ask About the Warranty Before You Need It
A warranty is easy to overlook when you're excited about getting new or refinished floors.
It's much more important after something goes wrong.
Ask what workmanship warranty is provided and, just as importantly, what it actually covers.
National Floors provides a Two-Year workmanship Warranty covering qualifying installation and refinishing workmanship. The purpose isn't to suggest that wood will never scratch, move or react to its environment. It's to put our responsibility for our workmanship in writing.
A prospective contractor should be willing to explain their warranty just as clearly.
How Long Has the Company Been Around?
Experience isn't measured only by whether someone knows how to operate a floor sander.
Years in business matter because flooring contractors encounter unusual situations that aren't covered by an instruction manual: older floors, previous repairs, unusual stains, moisture damage, additions that need to blend into existing flooring and materials that behave differently than expected.
Experience teaches a contractor when to proceed—and sometimes when not to proceed.
Longevity also tells you something else.
A company that has been serving homeowners for years has a reputation to protect. They expect to be there tomorrow, next year and after your warranty expires.
That matters when you're trusting someone with an expensive part of your home.
Don't Pay a Deposit Just Because Someone Asks
Payment terms deserve consideration along with price.
National Floors does not require a deposit for our standard residential flooring projects. We complete the agreed work and payment is due according to the terms of the proposal.
That's our policy because we believe the homeowner shouldn't have to finance our business before we've performed the work.
Other legitimate contractors may structure payments differently, particularly on large projects involving substantial material purchases. A deposit alone doesn't make a contractor questionable.
But you should understand exactly what you're paying, when you're paying it and what protection you have before handing over money.
The Cheapest Estimate Isn't Always the Least Expensive
There's nothing wrong with wanting a competitive price.
There is something wrong with assuming price tells the entire story.
Before choosing a flooring contractor, compare the license, insurance, experience, written scope, materials, warranty and reputation along with the price.
Then ask yourself one final question:
If something goes wrong, who do I want standing behind this floor?
National Floors is a California C-15 licensed flooring contractor specializing in hardwood floor installation, repair, sanding, staining and refinishing throughout the Bay Area. We provide detailed written proposals, require no deposit on our standard residential projects and back qualifying workmanship with a two-year warranty.
If you're comparing flooring estimates, we're happy to give you another one.
A free in-home assessment gives us an opportunity to inspect the floor, discuss your options and provide a clear proposal.
You don't have to choose National Floors.
But before you choose anyone, make sure you're comparing more than the price.
