Flooring · Nashville, TN
The Nashville homeowner's guide to flooring
What the work involves, what drives the price, what your options are, and what a bad job looks like — written so you can judge any flooring contractor in Middle Tennessee, including us.
Estimate request
Tell us about the job.
It comes straight through to us and we respond immediately.
Warning signs
How to know you need us
If you recognize any of these, it is worth having somebody look before it becomes a larger job.
- Carpet matted in the traffic lanes or showing seams
- Hardwood cupping, gapping in winter, or gray where the finish has worn through
- Tile that sounds hollow when tapped, or grout lines cracking in a line
- Vinyl peaking or gapping at the ends of long runs
- Soft or springy spots underfoot, which is a subfloor problem not a flooring one
- A floor covering that stops in the middle of an open plan for no reason
Your options
More than one right answer.
A flooring contractor who only ever recommends the most expensive option is not giving you advice. Here is the honest range.
Luxury vinyl plank
Waterproof, dimensionally stable and the practical answer for crawl-space homes, kitchens and houses with dogs.
Engineered hardwood
Real wood wear layer over a stable core. Handles Middle Tennessee humidity swings far better than solid over a crawl space.
Solid hardwood
Sandable many times over and the right answer where there is already original wood worth matching.
Refinish rather than replace
If the existing wood has thickness left, sanding and refinishing costs less than replacement and keeps the original floor.
What it costs
What actually drives the price.
We do not quote flooring over the phone, because an honest number needs somebody to look at the job. These are the things that move it.
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Subfloor condition
Flatness tolerances are unforgiving for hardwood and rigid vinyl. Levelling a wavy subfloor is real work and it is invisible when finished.
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Material
Carpet, luxury vinyl plank, engineered hardwood, solid hardwood and tile span a wide range, and installation cost varies as much as the material.
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Removal and disposal
Pulling glued-down vinyl or ceramic tile is far more labor than pulling carpet, and old adhesive can need mitigation.
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Layout and transitions
Stairs, thresholds, fireplace hearths and cased openings are priced individually because each one is hand work.
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Moisture control
Crawl-space homes and slabs may need a vapor barrier or a moisture test before anything is installed, and skipping it voids most warranties.
Every estimate is free, written and carries no obligation — including the parts we would find only after starting, which are priced up front rather than left open.
What happens
From your call to the finished job.
Measure and estimate
Measured on site, with subfloor and moisture checked before a price is given rather than after the old floor comes up.
Acclimation
Wood needs days in the house before it goes down. Skipping this is why floors gap in their first winter.
Removal and prep
Tear-out, leveling and moisture barrier. Usually the noisiest and dustiest phase.
Installation and trim
Install, then shoe molding and transitions, which is the detail that makes it look built-in rather than laid on.
Done badly
What goes wrong, and why it matters.
These are the shortcuts that make a quote look cheaper and cost you more later. Ask anyone you are considering about them.
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Installing over a subfloor that is out of flat
Every rigid floor telegraphs the deck beneath it. Levelling first is cheaper than replacing later.
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Skipping acclimation
Wood delivered and installed the same day will move once the house gets hold of it.
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No expansion gap
A floating floor needs room at the perimeter. Trapped against the wall it peaks in the middle of the room.
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Ignoring a moisture reading
A slab or crawl that tests wet will destroy the floor and void the warranty, and it costs nothing to check first.
Before you hire anyone
Six questions worth asking any flooring contractor.
Including us. If a contractor cannot answer these easily, that is the answer.
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Are you licensed for flooring and can I see the certificate?
A licensed and insured contractor will have this to hand and will not be irritated by the question.
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Is the estimate written, itemized and free?
A verbal number is not an estimate. Itemized means you can compare two quotes on the same basis.
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What happens if you find something once you start?
The honest answer names a rate and a process. The answer to worry about is that it never happens.
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Who is actually doing the work?
Employee crew or subcontractor is not a wrong answer either way, but you should know which, and who carries the insurance.
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What is the workmanship warranty, and is it in writing?
Materials carry a manufacturer warranty. Workmanship is the contractor, and it should be written down.
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Will you pull the permit?
For permitted work, a contractor who suggests skipping it is telling you something important about the rest of the job.
FAQ
Choosing a flooring contractor in Nashville
How do I choose a flooring contractor in Nashville?
Check the license and the insurance certificate, get the estimate in writing and itemized so you can compare quotes on the same basis, and ask what happens if something is found once work starts. A contractor who cannot answer those easily has told you what you need to know.
Should I get more than one quote for flooring?
Yes, and compare what is in them rather than the number at the bottom. The cheapest quote is often cheapest because it leaves something out, and on flooring the thing left out is usually the preparation that decides how long the work lasts.
Is the cheapest flooring quote usually a bad idea?
Not automatically — but an unusually low number is information. Ask specifically what is included, what grade of material is quoted, who is doing the work and what the workmanship warranty is. If all four answers are good, the low quote is a good quote.
Do I need a permit for flooring in Nashville?
It depends on the scope. Metro Nashville and the surrounding counties permit and inspect a good deal of this work, and a contractor suggesting you skip a required permit is telling you something about how they approach the rest of the job. We pull the permits our work requires.
How far in advance should I book flooring?
A few weeks where you can. Booking in the quiet season usually means better scheduling and sometimes better pricing than booking in the rush, and it gives you time to make the selections properly.
Free estimate
Need a flooring contractor in Nashville today?
Tell us what is going on and we will get you a free estimate from a local flooring contractor. No obligation, no pressure.