Flat
A 10 ft straightedge across each room. Click-together plank and laminate usually need the floor within about 3/16 in. over 10 ft; large tile needs it flatter, about 1/8 in.
Before we install
Moisture, subfloors and acclimation
Almost every floor failure we're called to fix started underneath: a damp slab, a dip in the subfloor, or boards that went down the day they arrived. Here is exactly what we check, what it can cost, and when we'll refuse to install.
01 Moisture
Kingston has humid summers, dry heated winters, and plenty of basements on clay and limestone. Wood moves with that, adhesives let go, and damp slabs grow mould under carpet and vinyl.
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Wood subfloors and wood flooring
How we check: A pin or pinless meter in several spots per room, on the subfloor and on boards from different boxes.
What passes: The gap between subfloor and boards must be inside the maker's limit, often 2 to 4 points.
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Concrete slabs (basements, slab-on-grade)
How we check: A meter reading at the measure. If it reads high, an in-slab relative humidity test that takes 24 hours or more.
What passes: Each product and adhesive publishes its own limit. We write the reading and the limit on your quote.
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Around toilets, tubs and doors
How we check: A probe and a hand on the floor: soft, stained or springy plywood gets opened up.
What passes: Rotten or delaminated subfloor is replaced before anything goes on top of it.
Your part, year-round Wood floors are happiest at 35% to 55% indoor humidity. In a Kingston winter that usually means a humidifier; in August, air conditioning or a dehumidifier in the basement.
02 Subfloor: flat, stiff, sound
The new floor takes the shape of whatever is under it. We check three things in every room, and price the fixes as separate lines.
Stiff
Tile and stone crack on floors that bounce. Over wood joists we check the deflection and add plywood or blocking where it's needed.
Sound and quiet
Loose subfloor gets screwed down, squeaks get fixed, and soft spots get cut out and replaced. It's far easier now than after the new floor is down.
What levelling usually costs
| Floor condition | Per sq ft | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Feels flat | No charge | Nothing beyond a sweep and a vacuum. |
| Some dips or soft spots | $0.75–$1.75 | Patching, grinding, screws |
| Needs a levelling pour | $3–$5 | Self-levelling compound over a large area |
03 Acclimation
Flooring arrives at the temperature and humidity of a warehouse or a truck. It needs time in your home first, so it doesn't shrink or swell after it's locked down. We follow each maker's instructions; these are typical.
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Hardwood
3 to 7 days
Boxes opened and stacked with spacers in the rooms they're going into, heat or air running.
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Luxury vinyl plank
24 to 48 hours
Boxes flat, unopened, at normal room temperature. Longer after a cold delivery.
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Laminate
48 hours
Boxes flat in the room, unopened unless the maker says otherwise.
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Carpet
A few hours
Unrolled in a warm room to relax before stretching; house above 18°C (65°F).
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Tile
None for the tile
The room stays above 10°C (50°F) while thin-set and grout cure.
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Refinishing
None for the floor
Finish needs 18 to 24°C, windows closed, and weeks to fully cure.
04
When we say no
Refusing a job costs us a day. Installing over a problem costs you the floor. We'd rather lose the day.
- 01 A slab that tests wet: we stop, explain the reading, and reschedule after the cause is fixed. You pay only for work already done.
- 02 Solid hardwood below grade or straight onto concrete: we'll offer engineered plank or vinyl instead.
- 03 New floors over a floor that bounces, without stiffening it first.
- 04 Skipping acclimation to hit a date. Many makers void their warranty when it's skipped, and so would we.
Free within 45 km of Kingston
We'll read your floor at the free measure
Moisture readings, a straightedge in every room, and a look at the subfloor wherever we can see it. The results go on your written quote, next to the price.
Rather talk it through? Call (613) 555-0146. Priya answers weekdays, 8 to 5.