Three flooring quotes, one floor: how to tell which one is real

Here's a situation I see every month. A homeowner gets three quotes for the same 1,000 square feet of LVP. Two are close. One is thousands lower. They call me and ask: "Is the cheap one a scam, or are you two just expensive?"

Usually it's neither. The cheap quote is just shorter. It leaves things out, and those things show up later, on install day, when your furniture is already in the garage.

What cheap quotes usually leave out

• Removing the old floor. Tearing out carpet or tile and hauling it away is real labor and real dump fees.
• Subfloor prep and leveling. This is the big one. Most Florida slabs need some leveling for a click floor to stay tight. If it's not on the quote, it becomes a "we found something" charge.
• Baseboards, quarter round and transitions. The floor isn't finished without them.
• Insurance. If someone gets hurt in your home, you want to know the contractor is covered.
• A warranty in writing. "We stand behind our work" isn't a warranty.

The cheapest quote isn't always cheaper. Sometimes it's just shorter.

The 5 questions to ask every contractor

1. Is removal and haul-away of my old floor included?
2. If my subfloor needs leveling, what does it cost, and is it on this quote?
3. Are baseboards, quarter round and transitions in this price?
4. Can I see your certificate of insurance?
5. If something goes wrong in a year, who do I call, and is that in writing?

If a contractor can't answer all five clearly, you don't have a quote. You have a guess.

Compare line by line, not bottom line

Put the quotes side by side and check each one for the same items: square footage, plank (brand, thickness, wear layer), removal, prep, trim, and warranty. Once you add back what the cheap one left out, the gap usually shrinks or disappears.

Also check the square footage. If one contractor measured 900 and another 1,050, someone is guessing. A real quote comes from a real in-home measure.

How we quote

We measure every room in person, check how flat your floor is, and write down the prep your home needs. Then it goes on an itemized written quote. Disposal, haul-away and standard subfloor prep identified at the measure are included, and the price doesn't change on install day. That's our no surprise charges promise. Every job also comes with a written workmanship warranty.

Want to see the real numbers first? Our LVP packages are $4.99, $5.99 and $7.99 per square foot, supplied and installed. See them on the homepage.