Who to install laminate flooring?

[maxinemovies]

Our manufactured home will be built soon and we've decided not to get carpet in it at all. Instead, I've been shopping around on the web (thanks to you guys for info and some great links) for laminate flooring.

When we decide which to get and have it shipped, neither of us will be able to install it. Physical limitations and stuff. So who should we get ? Our contractor has said he doesn't do that. Does it have to be someone special or can we hire the local handyman? (That assumes that he's done it before and has references.)

Thanks again,

Maxi

Email addy upon request.

[Dave jackson]

[m Ransley]

You want more than a handyman, contact flooring instalers, tile, wood, laminate, etc , .

[Edwin Pawlowski]

A handyman type can do it. For the best installation, you would want an experienced floor guy. Problem is, some will not install and take responsibility for material they are not supplying. It often bites you in the ass when you do that.

[Joseph Meehan]

I would look to a floor professional and I would not order the materials myself. Let the professional provide the work and the materials. If you order your own materials and anything goes wrong, I can assure you that it will always be the fault of the other guy.

Don't assume that you will save money ordering it yourself. The professional has access to materials at prices you don't and they price the job in total. If they don't make the profit on the materials, it will be added to the labor. They have to make a living one way or another.

The floor professional will have the experience and tools to do the job well and in less time than anyone else.

[oreo123]

The thing to remember is... the baseboard moldings should be removed. The floor will have a small gap of maybe 3/8 inch from wall for expansion. The moldings cover it. Any carpenter should be able to install it. Or a flooring person.

[Chet Hayes]

Sounds like good advice to me. In most areas, there are plenty of local flooring stores. Also, HD, Loews, etc all supply and install it. I would check with people you know, see who they used, get some quotes and do it all from one source.

Depending on the size of the area and your budget, I would also consider the real wood engineered materials, as they add more value to the home and you will have real wood floors.

[maxinemovies]

But Lowes and HD run over $3 sq ft, not including installation. The online places run less than $1 sq ft. I sent away for samples and it looks good at 8mm and 8.2mm. One of the places is within reasonable driving distance and allows pickup so we'd save on shipping, too.

I haven't checked with local flooring places yet. That will be my next stop.

Our budget is really tight and we need to do the whole house, not including kitchen, bathrooms, utility room. The house is total around

1700 sq ft. We'd like to have quality product and proper installation but really need to watch every penny so I'm trying to find out if there's some way we can do all that. Thanks for all your help so far. Any more advice is appreciated.

Maxi

Email addy upon request.

[Chet Hayes]

I doubt you're comparing equivalent products. I seriously doubt you can get a good laminate product for under $1/ft. Samples looking good and having a finished application that looks close to real wood and lasts are two different things. Unless you can subject those samples to years of foot traffic in typical conditions, you have now way of knowing how durable they are. It costs more to manufacture a product with a durable finish, tight tolerances so it fits well without joints being visible, holds up to changing humidity/temp, etc. Which is why products like Pergo have a 20 or so year warranty. I'd ask flooring stores and the installer you plan to use what they know about the product you're looking at.

Our budget is really tight and we need to do the whole house, not

[RE Quick Transit]

OK, you want quality and want to pay $1 a foot. You won't get both. If you look at the better laminates and engineered wood, you get better appearance, stronger material, more patterns in a box so it looks more natural. The buck stuff may be OK in a spare bedroom, but it certainly will not be very impressive in the living room.

Remember when panelling became popular back in the '60s and everyone wanted it? You could buy some really nice wood panels, but soon, the phot printed vinyl stuff came to market at low prices. Maybe from 1,000 yards it looked OK, but close up it looked like you covered the wall with sheets of printed plastic.

Your house, your money, your taste so suite yourself. People did buy the Yugo also.