If this sounds familiar
"$17,000 became $30,000 halfway through." A change order showed up mid-install. If extra prep might be needed, it should be priced before work starts.
"They charged for 20% more floor than we have." Waste is real, but it should be on the quote as its own number, not buried in the square footage.
"The tiles started popping." Tile set tight on a slab with no room to move can tent up years later. In Florida's humidity, that's a known problem.
What people worry about most, and what to do
"Flooring install cost $3000 more than what we were quoted"
Ask for a quote that lists actual square footage, the waste percentage, old-floor removal, slab prep and leveling, furniture moving, baseboards and transitions. Ask which of those are extra. If something comes up, like an uneven slab needing more thinset, it should be priced and approved before they keep going.
Call (786) 627-5048"I hate it"
People regret floors that looked right as a sample and wrong across a whole house: LVP that scratched under the chairs, cheap laminate that wasn't waterproof, large tile that felt cold and showed every mark. See a big piece of the actual product in your own light, and think about how the floor will be cleaned.
Call (786) 627-5048"He said he would come look at it and fix it. He never got back to me."
Get the labor warranty in writing as well as the product warranty. One flooring forum reply said reputable installers warranty their installation work for at least a year. Keep a final payment until the floor is right.
Call (786) 627-5048What to hold any flooring installer to
- A quote that spells out square footage, waste, removal, leveling, baseboards and transitions.
- A labor warranty in writing.
- Moisture testing and slab prep explained before the job.
- Expansion gaps at walls and transitions on tile.
- Cleanup and debris removal included.
- A reasonable deposit, with the balance due at completion.
What moves the price of a floor
- Material. Porcelain tile, LVP, laminate and wood price differently, and so does their installation.
- Removal. Pulling up old tile is much more work than carpet. Old terrazzo is sometimes worth keeping.
- Slab prep. Leveling an uneven slab adds material and time.
- Tile size and pattern. Large-format tile needs a flatter floor; diagonal patterns waste more.
- Baseboards, transitions and moving furniture. Each can be extra unless the quote says otherwise.
- How waste is billed. On the actual area or on area plus waste. Ask.
Tile on a slab, in a humid climate
Most Miami houses sit on a concrete slab, and some older ones still have terrazzo under the carpet or tile. A Florida homeowner renovating a 1996 house found tiles "tented" and others that had "popped" after being "set directly on the concrete slab." One reply put it down to installers skipping "expansion gaps and/or joints." Ask how the installer will leave room for movement at walls and doorways, and whether they'll test the slab for moisture first.
Condo owners: ask your building what it requires under new flooring before you choose a product.
What happens after you call
- You call (786) 627-5048, press 1, then choose the room the floor starts in, then enter your ZIP code.
- We connect you with a remodeler who works in your part of Miami.
- They measure, check the slab and talk through materials.
- You get a written quote with every line item, and a schedule.
- Old floor out, slab prepped, new floor in, baseboards and transitions finished.
Other things people ask about
Rain during the job. Keep materials dry. Wet subfloor and thinset don't bond well.
Mess. "They also left all their rubbish outside the front of the house." Get debris removal in the contract.
Flooring across Miami, including Little Havana, Allapattah, Liberty City, Little Haiti, Brickell, Miami Beach, North Miami, Miami Shores and Princeton. See all service areas.
Questions people ask
Should we be paying installation on the 200 sqft actual area or on the 250 sqft of actual plus waste?
Ask before you sign, and make sure the quote shows both numbers. Many installers charge labor on the actual area and add waste only to material.
Does the quote cover removing the old floor, slab prep and leveling, moving furniture, baseboards and transitions?
It should say. If it doesn't, ask which are included and which are extra, in writing.
Will you do moisture testing on the concrete?
Ask. If the answer is "we'll see when we get there," one flooring forum calls that a red flag.
Why are my floor tiles popping up?
Often because tile was set tight with no expansion gaps, so it buckles when the slab and tile move. A remodeler can look at whether it can be reset or needs to come up.
Get every square foot on paper before the old floor comes up
Call (786) 627-5048 and we'll connect you with a remodeler who works in Miami. Press 1, then choose kitchen or bathroom and enter your ZIP code. Or get a written price online.