Searching for laminate flooring installation near you turns up plenty of names. Picking the right one comes down to a clear written estimate, straight answers to a few technical questions and the absence of the classic red flags.
We’re a family-owned installer based in Glenview, so this guide is written with North Shore homes in mind. The checklists work anywhere, though.
What a Good Laminate Estimate Includes
A good estimate reads like a plan for your floor, not a single number. Look for these items in writing.
- The product, with brand, line, color and square footage, including a waste allowance for cuts
- Removal and disposal of the old floor, if it’s coming out
- Floor prep, such as flattening low spots and testing for moisture
- Underlayment or a vapor barrier, if the product needs one
- Trim, quarter round and transition strips at doorways
- Perimeter sealing, if the floor is a waterproof line that requires it
- Moving furniture, cleanup and hauling debris away
- A start date, an estimated finish date and the payment schedule
If two quotes look far apart, check whether the cheaper one leaves out prep or trim. Our laminate installation cost guide shows typical national ranges for each of these pieces.
What Illinois Law Requires
Illinois’s Home Repair and Remodeling Act sets ground rules for home repair and remodeling contracts. For work over $1,000, the contractor must give you a written contract or work order before starting.
That document has to state the total cost, with parts and materials listed in reasonable detail, any charge for the estimate, and the business name and address. The contractor also has to give you the state’s home repair consumer rights pamphlet before you sign, and on jobs over $1,000 you both sign an acknowledgment form.
The Illinois Attorney General adds that the contract should list the contractor’s full name, address and phone number, a description of the work, start and estimated completion dates, and the payment schedule, including the down payment. If you sign a contract at home, you generally have three business days to cancel it.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
A good installer answers these without hesitating.
- Can I see current certificates of insurance for liability and workers’ compensation?
- Who will actually do the work, and will any subcontractors be involved?
- How will you check the subfloor for flatness and moisture?
- Which manufacturer’s installation guide will you follow for this product?
- How will you handle doorways, long runs and the expansion space at the walls?
- What does your workmanship guarantee cover, and how is it different from the manufacturer’s warranty?
- Can you share references from similar jobs?
The technical questions matter because laminate warranties depend on the answers. Pergo’s Outlast+ warranty, for example, requires moisture testing and a sealed perimeter. Shaw’s installation guide calls for transition strips in doorways 36 inches wide or less and an expansion break once a floor runs 45 feet.
Red Flags to Walk Away From
The Illinois Attorney General lists several warning signs on home repair jobs, and a few laminate-specific ones belong on the list too.
- Demanding cash, or full payment before the job is done
- High-pressure sales tactics or a price that seems too good to be true
- Door-to-door pitches from someone with no local connection
- A business that lists only a phone number or a post office box
- Asking for a check made out to a third party
- Refusing to show proof of insurance or references
- Skipping moisture testing on a concrete slab or a basement floor
- Leaving no expansion gap, or nailing trim down into the floor
- Adding a second pad under planks that already have one attached, which can void the warranty
The North Shore Angle
Homes around here bring a few specific things to watch for.
- Seasonal humidity. Chicago-area homes swing from dry, heated air in winter to humid summers. Shaw, for one, wants rooms held between 35% and 65% relative humidity, with the HVAC running for a week before the install.
- Basements. Concrete needs a vapor barrier under laminate, and warranties exclude standing water. Some makers also bar rooms with a floor drain or a sump pump.
- Condos. Many associations set rules for hard floors and underlayment to limit noise for the neighbors below. Get your building’s rules before you pick a product.
- Older subfloors. Floors that have shifted over the years may need flattening before laminate can go down, and that work should show up in the estimate.
Getting Ready for Install Day
Once you’ve hired someone, a little prep keeps the job on schedule.
- Confirm who moves the furniture and who removes the old floor, so nothing is left to the last minute.
- Clear closets and floors of small items, and take fragile things off shelves near the work.
- Keep the heat or air conditioning running at normal settings, so the rooms are at everyday living conditions when the crew arrives.
- Ask whether the cartons need to sit in the house first, and where they should go.
- Plan for kids and pets, since installers will be cutting planks and moving in and out.
- Walk the finished floor with the installer and check transitions, trim and any doors that need adjusting.
How Quality Installs Approaches It
Quality Installs was founded in 2004 by Bob Leibrandt, who still runs the company from our office on Waukegan Road. Our team brings more than 100 years of combined installer experience, and we’ve completed more than 10,000 projects.
Every installer is licensed, bonded and insured, and we carry the maximum general liability and workers’ compensation coverage. We offer free estimates and personalized consultations, and every installation comes with a one-year guarantee.
We serve North and Northwest Cook County and North and Northeast Lake County, including Wilmette, Northbrook, Highland Park and Lake Forest. Learn more about our flooring installers in Glenview, or see how a laminate job runs on our laminate flooring installation page.
Still deciding on the floor itself? Our honest guide to whether laminate is right for you covers the tradeoffs.