Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Labor Costs.....Need Advice Please Help!!!

I'm purchasing new Mohawk solid hardwood floors for my kitchen and family room. I'm getting an installation quote from the store of $3 per sq. ft. I have roughly 800 sq. ft of space so it would cost me roughly $2400 to have the wood floors installed. The floor would be installed over existing vinyl flooring, so they don't plan to remove it before installing the 3/4 solid wood floors.

Is this a fair installation fee per sq. ft or am I getting ripped off?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :confused:

If your going through a store, the actual installers are not getting that, I'll guaranty that. I bet they get ½ of that. $1.50 a sq.ft. is the going retail rate around here if you want to slave for someone else, selling your services.

For nail down I'm at $2.85, and I compete with illegal immigrants from Mexico, as they are slowly starting to come into the hardwood installation sector, from tile and carpet. There was a day $3.50 per sq.ft. was not unheard of around here, from retail, but they have done the same thing they have with carpet and tile. They took the craftsmanship out of the equasion, when they dictate the low pay the subcontractors are left with. Corners get cut during installation so they can get it in as fast as possible. It might look good when they leave, but not after that first year, as sometimes way before that first year is up.

Thanks Perry......

Does this mean that I should be asking the store whether they plan to nail or glue the hardwood floors down?

Is one better than the other?


Thanks for the insight...

JRod

It is not recommended to glue a ¾" solid. It is a fastener only product. So you better not be going over vinyl, that is glued to a concrete substrate! Stapleing through vinyl into a wood substrate is OK.