Are you considering getting laminate flooring in your home? If so, shoot me a message. I can install it for you alot cheaper that Lowes or Home Depot. -Joel

2/12/2007 5:57:17 PM

...my question is who can't install their own laminate...

2/12/2007 6:10:31 PM

Are you covered for at least 2,000,000.00 in general liability insurance, do you have Workman's compensation insurance, are you licensed and bonded in the state of NC to install laminate flooring. Do you install laminate to the standards set forth by the NALFA

[Edited on February 12, 2007 at 6:21 PM. Reason : .]

2/12/2007 6:20:14 PM

Quote :

"Are you covered for at least 2,000,000.00 in general liability insurance, do you have Workman's compensation insurance, are you licensed and bonded in the state of NC to install laminate flooring. Do you install laminate to the standards set forth by the NALFA"

Yes....All that good stuff.

Quote :

"...my question is who can't install their own laminate..."

Most people dont have the necessary tools. IE. Miter saw, table saw, door jam saw, jig saw, tapping blocks, pull bars, etc.

2/12/2007 6:25:49 PM

i was actually just fucking around, but good for you.
get that money playa

2/12/2007 6:27:38 PM

^^They don't?

Thank goodness I don't live in a tool deprived world.

[Edited on February 12, 2007 at 6:32 PM. Reason : lack of a carit]

2/12/2007 6:32:33 PM

Yeah I am gonna need some done in my upstairs bathroom. But Im not interested unless you are a genuine licensed installer. Youll need to post more information.

To clarify, I am not interested if you are doing this as side work.

2/12/2007 6:46:46 PM

There is licensing associated with installing laminates?

2/12/2007 6:53:06 PM

short answer, yes


Do you do carpet?

would be about 1500SF, we will prep the floor ... pull out old flooring, old tackstrips, etc. ... you install any underlayments, padding, carpet, and if needed quarter rounds - possibly also some baseboard in the hallway since we're having trouble with it

2/12/2007 9:37:43 PM

oh for christ's sake - i can understand a homeowner wanting a licensed/bonded/insured guy to come in and install it, but seriously,

Quote :

"There is licensing associated with installing laminates? yes"

that's fuckin bullshit, if there really is. flooring in general is easy as shit. wtf are they gonna license next, ductwork? give me a fuckin break

2/12/2007 10:21:01 PM

^My granny is 83 and still climbs up that ladder and cleans out her own ducts and drains.

2/12/2007 10:30:48 PM

I need a licensed person to wash my dishes. PM with prices.

2/12/2007 10:30:50 PM

are people still installing laminate as opposed to something with a better resale value?

2/12/2007 10:31:53 PM

it goes nice with all the wood panelling im putting in.

2/12/2007 10:43:44 PM

Quote :

"that's fuckin bullshit, if there really is. flooring in general is easy as shit. wtf are they gonna license next, ductwork? give me a fuckin break"

once you get a little older and step into the real world general licensing laws will make more sense.
Just cause shit is easy doesnt mean every jackleg out there should be allowed to get paid doing it

2/12/2007 10:43:56 PM

brazillian cherry hardwood.

2/13/2007 3:18:38 PM

I need a certified installer for real hardwoods in my new living room


not any laminate crap

2/13/2007 3:23:22 PM

Tile and Stone FTW

hardwoods suck and i have them

2/13/2007 3:28:16 PM

I would never buy hardwoods if I had or ever planned on having a dog. Their nails are murder on wood floors over time.

For pets, tile & laminate FTW

2/13/2007 3:36:12 PM

Quote :

"Yeah I am gonna need some done in my upstairs bathroom."

don't put laminate in your bathroom. however, if you do decide to get some in other rooms of your house, you can do it yourself. i did my living room, office, and hallway myself. bought it from lumber liquidators. cost me around $800.

Quote :

"not any laminate crap"

i don't think it's crap if you spend the time making sure the sub-floor is perfectly level. if there are any imperfections in it, then the shit will pop and crack and appear cheap.

Quote :

"I would never buy hardwoods if I had or ever planned on having a dog."

right on. i had hardwoods in my entrance foyer until i installed laminate through-out. the hardwoods were ate up from the wild ass dog. the laminates do not have a scratch on them.

2/13/2007 5:12:21 PM

Quote :

"once you get a little older and step into the real world general licensing laws will make more sense. Just cause shit is easy doesnt mean every jackleg out there should be allowed to get paid doing it"

hello nanny-state and barrier to entry

2/13/2007 5:28:38 PM

Exactly

Laminate should fall under handyman type shit, and probably could if you partition the work enough.

Licensing is important for work that is potentially dangerous, very expensive, or critical to the function of the house. For shit like painting, laminate, etc. licensing is just a scam.

2/13/2007 5:37:03 PM

Quote :

"Licensing is important for work that is potentially dangerous, very expensive, or critical to the function of the house."

absolutely. i'm not saying that electricians or architects shouldn't be licensed... but seriously guys, who the hell cares if someone does a crap job installing laminate that's your problem as the homeowner - you get what you pay for

2/13/2007 6:13:21 PM

Quote :

"I would never buy hardwoods if I had or ever planned on having a dog. Their nails are murder on wood floors over time. For pets, tile & laminate FTW"

I learned this the hard way.

2/13/2007 6:28:23 PM

c-l-a-s-s-i-f-i-e-d-s

2/13/2007 6:37:29 PM

b-u-y-a-n-a-d

2/13/2007 7:31:10 PM

Try Stock Interiors or Creative Touch Interiors

2/13/2007 7:47:03 PM

Heres some photos of the job I did yesterday....

First I rip up all the old carpet and quarter round.





Then I pull up all the old carpet padding and tack strip.



After the floor has been scraped totally clean, I put down the moisture barrier.



Now I can start to lay the laminate.









In the kitchen...



Once the entire floor is layed I cut the quarter round and shoot it down. Clean up....

Then "Hallelujah Hollaback."

[Edited on February 16, 2007 at 12:10 PM. Reason : .]

2/16/2007 12:08:39 PM

Hallelujah Hollaback!

2/16/2007 1:13:10 PM

TragicNature - I might be giving you a call. We are putting some laminate flooring in our living room. I have actually done it before, however with working at IBM, playing in a band, and saving the rest of the time to play with my 4 year old I just don't have the time. I will PM you when we are ready !!

2/16/2007 5:18:37 PM

You work in the park?

2/16/2007 6:15:03 PM

^Yes I have an office in the park, however I work from home also....bldg 501. Do you work at IBM ?

2/16/2007 6:23:05 PM

yeah, 500

2/16/2007 6:23:30 PM

^^^^Right on man. Hope to hear from you soon. -Joel

2/17/2007 4:21:00 PM

how much does putting in laminate floors usually cost? Laminate included?
and what about stairs? Are they harder to do? I was thinking about it, but probably won't because a) I'm broke, and b) I have 3 floors so figuring out which ones to do would be a bitch, and if I did all of them, the stairs would probably cost lots o $$

2/17/2007 5:30:20 PM

Lamnate flooring at Lowes/Home Depot generally runs from 40-55$ a box. Thats for anywhere from 15-25 square feet. But theres also lumber liquidation warehouses that sell it for 1.00$ a square. You can find deals if you look. Lowes pays me 2.25 a square to install and thats AFTER they take their cut. I have no idea exactly what their cut is. Bottom line is that installing laminate flooring in your home is EXPENSIVE. The job pictured above was 700 square feet for a bathroom, hall, living room, and kitchen. It took 40 boxes of laminate that cost 50$ per box. Thats 2000$ for the materials alone. Then at least 1575$ for the installation. So about 4000$ for the job pictured above.

I wouldn't recommend doing laminate on your stairs for several reasons. First the existing treads have to be cut flush with the riser below. Most treads overhang the riser by about 1.0-1.5 inches. So you actually lose some floor space. Generally, they are also a pain in the ass, so whoever installs your laminte is gonna charge more than they usually would.



With that said, EVERY JOB IS DIFFERENT. So the best way to know is to have someone come out and take a look at it. Thats where I come in.

[Edited on February 17, 2007 at 9:33 PM. Reason : ..]

2/17/2007 9:26:13 PM

Quote :

"Thank goodness I don't live in a tool deprived world"

2/19/2007 12:12:10 PM

How much are you goin to charge us per square? I've done it before, but depending on your price you could be a convience.

2/19/2007 4:37:04 PM

Quote :

"I wouldn't recommend doing laminate on your stairs for several reasons. First the existing treads have to be cut flush with the riser below. Most treads overhang the riser by about 1.0-1.5 inches. So you actually lose some floor space. Generally, they are also a pain in the ass, so whoever installs your laminte is gonna charge more than they usually would. "

i was under the assumption that you have to cut the tread flush, but a new nose piece is usually installed...



[Edited on February 19, 2007 at 4:48 PM. Reason : i would think an experienced installer would know that...]

2/19/2007 4:48:28 PM

so in general, do you think laminate (or equivalent) flooring increases the value of a house by the amount it costs to buy and install?

my dad is in construction, and he says that laminate is basically the same, value wise, as new carpet. In that yeah, it looks nice, and you'll probably be happy with it, but don't look to it create a positive ROI for your resale. If you want to increase the value of your home, you'd have to go with real hardwood, which is more expensive, harder to install, and has a whole other set of problems from laminates.

2/19/2007 5:00:31 PM

^ true, but most ppl run into the decision when redoing their flooring.. its not like someone is going to rip out brand new carpet and put in laminate...

lots of ppl like the look better than carpet and its easier to install yourself.. it seems to be geared toward the do-it-yourselfer that wants the look of hardwood without the downside.

2/19/2007 5:27:09 PM

Quote :

"my dad is in construction, and he says that laminate is basically the same, value wise, as new carpet. In that yeah, it looks nice, and you'll probably be happy with it, but don't look to it create a positive ROI for your resale."

It may not increase your home's value, but it may increase your home's appeal thus making it easier to sell when the time comes. I'd take laminate over carpet any day. It won't stain, it is extremely durable, and you get the health benefits (not trapping dirt, dust, mold spores, etc.)

2/19/2007 5:35:12 PM

got some PLAM we need provided and installed in a bank we're going

you got people in Charlotte?

2/19/2007 5:45:22 PM

I'm surprised you didn't put any deadening material under your laminate. Products like SilentWalk are usually pretty standard for laminate floors.

2/19/2007 9:38:28 PM

A new nose piece is installed....and yes it looks the same. Basically when you cut the treads youre forever altering the actual stairs. I should have been more clear. Also is 40$ per stair. Ouch!

Quote :

"I'm surprised you didn't put any deadening material under your laminate. Products like SilentWalk are usually pretty standard for laminate floors. "

Its build in w/ the PERGO laminates.

3/1/2007 3:51:16 PM

don't you just hate the weekend warriors that THINK they know something

3/1/2007 5:56:58 PM

haha, hell yeah. especially the ones who don't even undercut the door jambs.

3/2/2007 9:12:40 AM