Question Regarding Wood Floors and New Construction (hardwood floors, engineered, laminate)
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Does anyone know the answer to this question: when a new house is built is the subfloor built differently or at a different level for a room that will have carpet vs. a room that is going to have a wood floor installed? For instance, if you were going to buy a new home that is already constructed, but wanted a wood floor in the master bedroom (for allergy reasons) and the home already had carpet would there be any aesthetic compromise if you installed the wood floor after purchasing it (i.e. would the new floor be flush w/the floor in the halls or would there be a slight incline/decline, vs. if you had the builder build you a new house w/wood floors). Also, does anyone know if a builder would put a wood floor in a master b.r. prior to closing on a home that they'd already completed, but had originally used carpet...as an incentive?
Hey I'm no construction expert but I think the sub-floor would have to be the same with or w/o the carpet. If the wood floors are done correctly, they should be able to be easily installed after the fact and look great. The only problems you may run into is with wood floors on a slab, that seems to be a little trickier. I know that we didn't upgrade our carpet because we knew we'd want hardwood or laminate floors installed later. So far, we only got to the living room but they turned out great. I also found that you really have to comparison shop for prices as some builders will charge a reasonable amount whereas others charge crazy high prices. I personally had no reservation in having my builder put the carpet down and to install the floors later ourselves. FWIW Lumber Liquidators has great prices but I'm not sure of the quality of their flooring but they seem pretty standard.
Our son had his house built with carpet in most rooms, but with synthetic wood in the kitchen and down the hallways. The installers gave him a choice of having them add 1/4" plywood under the wood to level the floor out, or putting a rounded strip of edging where the carpet meets the wood. He went with the edging and it is working fine. They also used large tile in the entry and the installers used the same edging where the tile met the wood.
I'm with you....no carpet in the master bedroom in the next house!
I'm not a construction expert either, but when my husband and I replaced the carpet with hardwood throughout our first floor, the subfloor needed to be changed. There was fiberboard? underneath the carpet, not plywood which the flooring manufacturer recommended. We didn't have any problems with floor height, just had to get the correct thickness of plywood.
When we bought our house, the builders had already put in the hardwoods, and had slated certain rooms for carpet (but the carpet hadn't been installed yet). They used the exact same subfloor for the carpet rooms that they had used for the hardwood areas. So when we asked to extend the hardwood into the bedrooms, it was no problem at all (we still had to pay for it, but every builder is different). Even if he had already put the carpet in, it would have been fine since the subfloor was all even to begin with.
So, based on the previous posts, I guess it just depends on the builder.
Far from a construction expert here as well...but the existing sub-floors must be level, whether you have carpet or hard woods, tile, etc...I can't imagine all the rooms not being level... you may have to some type of transition from say carpet to hardwood, like if your master bedroom has hardwood and the hall has carpet, I am sure you can put a nice wood saddle of some sort to make the transition from the room to the hall and make it look nice...
I am building a house and decided since the house in on a slab do the hardwood floors now...didn't want to do it after the fact and run into problems...I have the living area, dining, kitchen, half bath and foyer having real hardwoods installed, the only room on the lower level that won't be hardwood is the laundry room, I will do the upstairs eventually, perhaps a room at a time...but since the house is on a slab, I figured let the builder do it now in the rough stages...and it will be on them if I encounter any problems with the install...which I pray I won't...I am nervous because it's on a slab...but from what I read on this board and online, if installed correctly, slab installs should be problem free...let's pray...
I am building a house and decided since the house in on a slab do the hardwood floors now...didn't want to do it after the fact and run into problems...I have the living area, dining, kitchen, half bath and foyer having real hardwoods installed, the only room on the lower level that won't be hardwood is the laundry room, I will do the upstairs eventually, perhaps a room at a time...but since the house is on a slab, I figured let the builder do it now in the rough stages...and it will be on them if I encounter any problems with the install...which I pray I won't...I am nervous because it's on a slab...but from what I read on this board and online, if installed correctly, slab installs should be problem free...let's pray...
Nynraleigh,
I am curious, what exactly do you mean when you say you are getting "Real" hardwoods installed on your slab. By "Real" do you mean solid hardwood? I was under the impression that you could have hardwoods on a slab, but that they would need to be engineered hardoowds, not solid hardwood. By engineered I am not talking about a laminate or pergo, engineered is still real wood, just not solid hardwood. Are you having Solid hardwood glued down to your slab. If so, I am curious if you know what brand it is, perhaps it is something new.
I am curious, what exactly do you mean when you say you are getting "Real" hardwoods installed on your slab. By "Real" do you mean solid hardwood? I was under the impression that you could have hardwoods on a slab, but that they would need to be engineered hardoowds, not solid hardwood. By engineered I am not talking about a laminate or pergo, engineered is still real wood, just not solid hardwood. Are you having Solid hardwood glued down to your slab. If so, I am curious if you know what brand it is, perhaps it is something new.
Perhaps I quoted incorrectly...they are not laminate or pergo...The builder is installing Bruce Hardwood flooring...is that considered engineered? My contract as well as my warranty information states "Bruce Hardwood Flooring" I know they are not laminate or pergo, if it were, I would have opted out...didn't want that...
Perhaps I quoted incorrectly...they are not laminate or pergo...The builder is installing Bruce Hardwood flooring...is that considered engineered? My contract as well as my warranty information states "Bruce Hardwood Flooring" I know they are not laminate or pergo, if it were, I would have opted out...didn't want that...
I beleive Bruce makes both solid hardwood and engineered hardwood products. Both are fine prodcuts from what I understand. I just wonder which your type your builder is using to install on the slab. Just curious that's all.
Engineered Hardwood Floor
Solid Hardwood Floor
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