Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Rip out linoleum before laying hardwood?

Hi folks, I apologize if this has been asked a billion times, but I've only recently found this forum.

I've recently bought a house that I will take possession of in a few weeks. The kitchen has linoleum which is in good shape structurally, but it's awful to look at because the glue was defective and bled right through.

So, I want to do 2 things:

1) screw down any loose joists in the floor to reduce or eliminate creaking, and...
2) put in a hardwood floor.

I've been looking at two different flooring stores, similar pricing. But the one guy tells me that I should leave the linoleum on and put the screws and flooring on top of it, while the other guy says that I should rip up the linoleum so that I can see what's underneath it.

I don't really care about the small amount of extra money it will cost to rip out the linoleum, I just want to make sure I've got a good, solid hardwood floor with as few floor squeeks as possible.

So what should I do? Rip the linoleum out, or leave it in?

Thanks in advance!
Greg

Leaving the linoleum in place is good. Knowing what the sub floor material is also good, But.. ripping up the entire floor isn't necessary. Do you know that the lino isn't asbestos? A very important consideration. Check it out. I would "leave it in" but I would also know about the asbestos risk and the sub floor material and condition.

If you have 3/4" plywood beneath the vinyl, then the project is a go. If there is particle board beneath the vinyl, then it will not hold nails or cleats. Take care not to block your dishwasher in with the hardwood. Go to www.installingwoodfloors.com for installation info and tips.