HROT flooring experts

[Tenacious E]

We are looking to replace our current flooring which is currently a mish mash of traditional square tile and engineered wood. Tile floors in kitchen/entryway hall/etc are of one height, the engineered wood in our living room and dining room are of another, and then the flooring in our sunroom is of yet a third height. I understand removing the tile in the kitchen/entryway hall/etc will be a bitch and I will gladly pay for someone else to do it. We are opting for tile cut into plank form that is meant to look like wood to run throughout these currently mismatched areas and we will need to make sure everything is level. There are a lot of options out there and frankly I don't know where to begin. Is this something you'd go through Home Depot or Lowes for, or some other flooring company? TIA for any wisdom.

Edited to add we are also either having all of our trim, mantle, bookshelves, crown molding, etc either painted white or replaced with white. Should we do that first before the flooring or does it matter? Also, if anyone has a recommendation for an outfit/company in the DSM area for this please let me know.

 

[Tenacious E]

We are looking to replace our current flooring which is currently a mish mash of traditional square tile and engineered wood. Tile floors in kitchen/entryway hall/etc are of one height, the engineered wood in our living room and dining room are of another, and then the flooring in our sunroom is of yet a third height. I understand removing the tile in the kitchen/entryway hall/etc will be a bitch and I will gladly pay for someone else to do it. We are opting for tile cut into plank form that is meant to look like wood to run throughout these currently mismatched areas and we will need to make sure everything is level. There are a lot of options out there and frankly I don't know where to begin. Is this something you'd go through Home Depot or Lowes for, or some other flooring company? TIA for any wisdom.

Edited to add we are also either having all of our trim, mantle, bookshelves, crown molding, etc either painted white or replaced with white. Should we do that first before the flooring or does it matter? Also, if anyone has a recommendation for an outfit/company in the DSM area for this please let me know.

bumping to keep on the first page. HROT has experts in everything. No flooring/tile gurus?

 

[WhiteSoxClone]

I can't offer you help on how to find a contractor in DSM. I think you could use one of the big box stores, but I'm not positive. We had carpet installed from Home Depot and were happy with the result, but tile is an altogether different beast. I'd probably ask for recommendations for an installer from friends before going the big box route.

I would not paint your trim until the project is done. Your baseboards may need to be temporarily removed, but even if they don't they will likely get marked up.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

We tried the wood style tile. Loved the look. Turned out we had a hump in the floor of our kitchen/dining area - a fairly large open area - that couldn't be leveled enough to make it work. They didn't figure that out until AFTER they installed it, of course. The company sent their best tile guy in to look at the job after it was done and we complained and he said, "Don't tell them I told you, but you have them over a barrel." They had to come in and rip it all out. We ended up going with a high end waterproof wood-look vinyl plank and, so far, we're very happy with the result.

And paint the trim after.

 

[Tenacious E]

We tried the wood style tile. Loved the look. Turned out we had a hump in the floor of our kitchen/dining area - a fairly large open area - that couldn't be leveled enough to make it work. They didn't figure that out until AFTER they installed it, of course. The company sent their best tile guy in to look at the job after it was done and we complained and he said, "Don't tell them I told you, but you have them over a barrel." They had to come in and rip it all out. We ended up going with a high end waterproof wood-look vinyl plank and, so far, we're very happy with the result.

And paint the trim after.

Hmmm thank you. Do you have an old house? Curious as to why you would have such a non-workable hump...

 

[NoleATL]

With all the different levels, maybe you should work to get it leveled first and then decide on the product. Some products are more forgiving than others.

 

[NoleATL]

why you would have such a non-workable hump...

I've never found a hump to be unworkable. Even OP's mom's hump.

 

[Rifler]

With all the different levels, maybe you should work to get it leveled first and then decide on the product. Some products are more forgiving than others.

This is key,... particularly if you are working with large ceramic, porcelain or stone tiles....

 

[tarheelbybirth]

Hmmm thank you. Do you have an old house? Curious as to why you would have such a non-workable hump...

It's an older house and the hump was in the middle of the floor. They couldn't sand the hump enough to level it (without ending up in the basement) and if they tried to use leveling compound it would have raised the floor across the room above the back door threshold. The original installer made it work by cutting two tiles in the middle. Looked fine when he showed my the fit between the two pieces laid out. Then he installed them and it looked like a fault line in the floor. So there was that and the fact that his grout lines went from 1/8" to well over 1/4" - sometimes side-by-side. I brought a dial caliper home from work and took pictures for posterity. It was truly a nightmare.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

We put LVT in our kitchen hallways and two bathrooms and we've never regretted the decision. It looks like marble/stone tile but very easy to maintain and clean, it takes a beating without distress and it's warm on my tootsies in the morning. I'm now thinking about doing my entire basement with the stuff.

 

[tarheelbybirth]

This is key,... particularly if you are working with large ceramic, porcelain or stone tiles....

This. It was the length of the tiles that was the problem...they were 3' x 6". We could have gone with smaller 12x12 or 15x15 square tiles and been fine but we were doing the kitchen/dining are, living room, laundry room, main hallway, and guest bath all at the same time and didn't want that square tile everywhere and didn't want the transition from the square tile to a wood-look tile

 

[CarolinaHawkeye]

Green Family Flooring
1901 Beaver Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310

Phone: (515) 255-2600

I don't have personal experience with these people, but friends did and they were more than pleased with what they did to their home in Beaverdale.
I would give you my own personal experience from when I replaced a bathroom floor many years ago, but that experience is why I would hire it done today.

 

[Rifler]

This. It was the length of the tiles that was the problem...they were 3' x 6". We could have gone with smaller 12x12 or 15x15 square tiles and been fine but we were doing the kitchen/dining are, living room, laundry room, main hallway, and guest bath all at the same time and didn't want that square tile everywhere and didn't want the transition from the square tile to a wood-look tile

Certainly,... The other issue to consider with large tile like this is the stiffness of your existing flooring system,... Large tile are more susceptible to cracking as a result of any deflection of the substrate...

 

[WisestIowan]

 

[artradley]

Certainly,... The other issue to consider with large tile like this is the stiffness of your existing flooring system,... Large tile are more susceptible to cracking as a result of any deflection of the substrate...

This is very important to note. They do make tile that is more flexible, but when we considered the same notion as op we got a little gun-shy and stuck with hardwood.

 

[funksouljon]

Sounds like you are not doing it yourself. I would look for several local companies and have them estimate. The good ones will be able to provide a list of references that will talk about their experience. They should be willing to give you an idea of what they need to do to level it out before floor install. Trim after flooring.

I wouldn't go through HD/LOwes because all they do is hire a local company to do the work. HOWEVER, they do a pretty good job of taking ownership of all the materials and labor. You don't have to mess with the actual installers.

 

[Tenacious E]

Sounds like you are not doing it yourself. I would look for several local companies and have them estimate. The good ones will be able to provide a list of references that will talk about their experience. They should be willing to give you an idea of what they need to do to level it out before floor install. Trim after flooring.

I wouldn't go through HD/LOwes because all they do is hire a local company to do the work. HOWEVER, they do a pretty good job of taking ownership of all the materials and labor. You don't have to mess with the actual installers.

I just got a reference from a trusted contractor who has done work at our house. Didn't think to do that before I made the OP. Thanks to all for the advice.

 

[funksouljon]

I just got a reference from a trusted contractor who has done work at our house. Didn't think to do that before I made the OP. Thanks to all for the advice.

Good luck. I personally find laying hardwood to be very satisfying. Also very rewarding once you are done, step back and can see the finished product everywhere. Start with a plan and it goes down easy in my experience.

 

[Run&Blade]

We went floorless a couple years ago. Best move we ever made.

Less is more.

 

[Tenacious E]

Good luck. I personally find laying hardwood to be very satisfying. Also very rewarding once you are done, step back and can see the finished product everywhere. Start with a plan and it goes down easy in my experience.

I could see how that would be so. Unfortunately, below sums up what happens when I undertake home improvement projects:

 

[tarheelbybirth]

This is very important to note. They do make tile that is more flexible, but when we considered the same notion as op we got a little gun-shy and stuck with hardwood.

Yep...that was the other issue the original installer never mentioned when he was specing the job. Our kitchen/dining and living room are a large open area. The guy who inspected his work said he would have advised against tile from the jump. He said the flex in the floor was probably great enough to eventually crack the grout. Wish he had been our guy the whole time.

 

[Tenacious E]

Yep...that was the other issue the original installer never mentioned when he was specing the job. Our kitchen/dining and living room are a large open area. The guy who inspected his work said he would have advised against tile from the jump. He said the flex in the floor was probably great enough to eventually crack the grout. Wish he had been our guy the whole time.

We already have tile in the kitchen area with cracked grout. I figured it was because my son dribbled a basketball too much on it and rode a hover board all over it. I wonder if our house has a similar problem...

 

[BigDelHawk]

I can't offer you help on how to find a contractor in DSM. I think you could use one of the big box stores, but I'm not positive. We had carpet installed from Home Depot and were happy with the result, but tile is an altogether different beast. I'd probably ask for recommendations for an installer from friends before going the big box route.

I would not paint your trim until the project is done. Your baseboards may need to be temporarily removed, but even if they don't they will likely get marked up.

Sooooo, Big box stores have very high costs per square foot of show room. They also have people who are independent contractors who install the product. They conduct reverse auctions to determine who gets what when it is time to install what job. So you have the crew owner, looking at drawings or layouts saying I can do that job for X dollars, competing against each other. Kindo of like "What's That Song".

Thing is, that guy might be an OK carpet guy, but sucks at tile.

Then, if there is a problem with the product or the installation. The installer may end up pointing at the Big Box Store, for not seeing a potential issue and putting it in the bid, so they half-assed it. Or, they might point at substandard product from the manufacturer. Or even the adhesive/mortar/mastic manufacturer (this happens often). So you have the manufacturer of the actual product, who might be pointing fingers at the installer or the glue manufacturer, or the subfloor manufacturer who may all be pointing at the Big Box Store. One big orgy of people pointing fingers at one another. Everyone was having a great time until the girl got pregnant, and it is now the other guys' fault.

Go with a small ma and pa store that has its own installers that actually work for them. You will get a better product in the end. If they have a problem, they take care of it, period.

How do I know this stuff? My family has owned a flooring store for 70 years. Plus I worked for a manufacturer in the industry for a while.

 

[BigDelHawk]

We already have tile in the kitchen area with cracked grout. I figured it was because my son dribbled a basketball too much on it and rode a hover board all over it. I wonder if our house has a similar problem...

It is hard to get flex out of a floor, but it can be done. Bracing underneath, Cement board, underlayment, Schluter systems and so forth. However, keep in mind, it usually adds height to your floor, and unless you pull your cabinets to have them install under them, your appliances will be at different heights, and you may not have enough adjustment in the feet to make them flush with the counter, or fit into an existing hole.

That said, I am not a huge fan of the thicker vinyl tile that you grout. My two girls destroyed ours. A kernel of popcorn caught under a chair foot scratches the hell out of it for example.

IMHO, Slate is the best for a Kitchen and Hallway, although can be tough to clean.

Hardwood for living areas with rugs.

 

[Tenacious E]

Sooooo, Big box stores have very high costs per square foot of show room. They also have people who are independent contractors who install the product. They conduct reverse auctions to determine who gets what when it is time to install what job. So you have the crew owner, looking at drawings or layouts saying I can do that job for X dollars, competing against each other. Kindo of like "What's That Song".

Thing is, that guy might be an OK carpet guy, but sucks at tile.

Then, if there is a problem with the product or the installation. The installer may end up pointing at the Big Box Store, for not seeing a potential issue and putting it in the bid, so they half-assed it. Or, they might point at substandard product from the manufacturer. Or even the adhesive/mortar/mastic manufacturer (this happens often). So you have the manufacturer of the actual product, who might be pointing fingers at the installer or the glue manufacturer, or the subfloor manufacturer who may all be pointing at the Big Box Store. One big orgy of people pointing fingers at one another. Everyone was having a great time until the girl got pregnant, and it is now the other guys' fault.

Go with a small ma and pa store that has its own installers that actually work for them. You will get a better product in the end. If they have a problem, they take care of it, period.

How do I know this stuff? My family has owned a flooring store for 70 years. Plus I worked for a manufacturer in the industry for a while.

I have a guy coming tomorrow for an estimate. What would you anticipate the labor/total cost to be on 1,000 sf of tile, including removal of about 500 sf of tile, and 500 sf of engineered wood flooring? The tile itself is $5/sf. I think maybe I was low balling the cost in my mind thinking what I could get it done for...

 

[joelbc1]

My chauffer does my flooring.

 

[BigDelHawk]

We tried the wood style tile. Loved the look. Turned out we had a hump in the floor of our kitchen/dining area - a fairly large open area - that couldn't be leveled enough to make it work. They didn't figure that out until AFTER they installed it, of course. The company sent their best tile guy in to look at the job after it was done and we complained and he said, "Don't tell them I told you, but you have them over a barrel." They had to come in and rip it all out. We ended up going with a high end waterproof wood-look vinyl plank and, so far, we're very happy with the result.

And paint the trim after.

A good installer will still try to fight that hump, as it will show in the floor. Most homeowners do not know when they are getting a really good job or not. I knew this woman in Chicago who had one of the big box stores install the carpet in her house. The entryway hallway had twelve seams in it. Looked like all hell.

 

[WisestIowan]

I have a guy coming tomorrow for an estimate. What would you anticipate the labor/total cost to be on 1,000 sf of tile, including removal of about 500 sf of tile, and 500 sf of engineered wood flooring? The tile itself is $5/sf. I think maybe I was low balling the cost in my mind thinking what I could get it done for...

I just paid ~$8.33/SF after Harvey to rip out 1,200 SF of tile and install 1,200 SF of engineered hardwood.

 

[Tenacious E]

I just paid ~$8.33/SF after Harvey to rip out 1,200 SF of tile and install 1,200 SF of engineered hardwood.

I was told taking out the tile is just as expensive for labor as putting it in. I was hoping to get it all done for under $10k. I guess it's looking more like $15k.

 

[BigDelHawk]

I was told taking out the tile is just as expensive for labor as putting it in. I was hoping to get it all done for under $10k. I guess it's looking more like $15k.

taking out tile just as expensive as installing? What? Very few floors you cannot take up in the quarter of the time it takes to install. You can hire any laborer for $15 an hour for demo. A good installer is going to cost you a lot per hour, but usually, they are very fast. $100 an hour for a two man crew of a journeyman and an apprentice is not out of the question.

BTW, I have seen lots of people hire joe handyman to install their floor because he is cheap per hour. A good installer will have that floor done properly (unless you hire a hack) in 1/3 of the time.

 

[WisestIowan]

I was told taking out the tile is just as expensive for labor as putting it in. I was hoping to get it all done for under $10k. I guess it's looking more like $15k.

I did it for $10,000 but it was convenient because I was re-doing my whole house after the flood. I assume it would be more expensive as a stand alone job.

 

[BigDelHawk]

I did it for $10,000 but it was convenient because I was re-doing my whole house after the flood. I assume it would be more expensive as a stand alone job.

Not to mention, after Katrina, there was a lot of gouging going on.

 

[WisestIowan]

Not to mention, after Katrina, there was a lot of gouging going on.

That's true. I made sure I knew my GC (he built a 2 car garage and mother-in-law suite for a friend of mine and did a really good job) and made sure to get multiple quotes.

 

[joelbc1]

Not to mention, after Katrina, there was a lot of gouging going on.

Not gouging, big Del.....simply market driven demand....capitalism at its best!

 

[Hawkman98]

I was told taking out the tile is just as expensive for labor as putting it in. I was hoping to get it all done for under $10k. I guess it's looking more like $15k.

I just demoed my bathroom for a complete remodel. The tile was easy to remove. Take a sledge hammer and take out your aggression out on the floor. Now removing two layers of plywood to get to the subfloor was a bitch. I thought I was saving a lot of money by demoing the whole bathroom, but when I asked him how much he would have charged me to do it he said $100. I regret not asking before I did it and just had him do everything. It wasn't worth my time and effort to save $100.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

We already have tile in the kitchen area with cracked grout. I figured it was because my son dribbled a basketball too much on it and rode a hover board all over it. I wonder if our house has a similar problem...

Many do, it is common for houses to "move" a little seasonally and as they age. Ceramic tile that is grouted will often develop cracks over time, particularly on an upper floor with a wood subfloor.