How to Prepare Your Home for a Flooring Installation

Most of the preparation for new flooring is decisions, not heavy lifting: what is included in the quote, how the old floor comes out, and what conditions the house should be in. Get those settled early and install day is mostly staying out of the way.

Know the steps before they start

Our FAQ lays out a six-step process: initial consultation, in-home estimate and product selection, subfloor prep and repairs, flooring installation, trim, transitions and detail work, and a final walkthrough with a care guide. Knowing the order helps you plan, because the decisions you control, the product and the scope, come first.

Settle what the quote includes

Ask for the scope in writing before the work is scheduled. The items worth confirming are removal and disposal of the old floor, subfloor repairs, trim and transitions, and any stairs. In our case, the FAQ says removal and disposal of existing flooring is included in the project quote, so there are no surprise fees. Whoever you hire, ask the same question and get the answer on paper.

Keep the house at normal living conditions

Wood flooring needs time to adjust to your home before it is installed. Matt Thrane writes in Hardwood Floors magazine that the building owner should maintain normal living conditions during acclimation, and he reports that the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) recommends 60 to 80 degrees and 30 to 50 percent relative humidity. In winter that usually means keeping the heat on as normal and not letting the house get unusually cold or dry. Our FAQ notes that hardwood installations typically take 2 to 4 days including acclimation, while most LVP or laminate installations take 1 to 2 days.

Clear the work area

• Move small items, rugs, wall hangings and anything breakable out of the rooms being done.
• Ask your installer which furniture they move and which you should clear yourself. Heavy items such as pianos, large bookcases and aquariums are worth raising in advance.
• Clear a path from the entry to the rooms so materials can come in without obstacles.
• Take photos of the existing floor and nearby walls so you and the installer agree on the starting condition.

Plan for pets, children and noise

Cutting and fitting flooring is noisy, and doors will be open. Plan a place for pets and, if you work from home, a quiet room that is not being done that day. Ask what day-to-day access you will have to bathrooms and the kitchen if those floors are being replaced.

Expect the subfloor to be checked

A new floor is only as good as what is under it. Roger Barker writes in Hardwood Floors magazine that subfloors should be tested for moisture, and that over a crawl space or unfinished basement the temperature, relative humidity and moisture levels below and above the subfloor should be checked and recorded. This is the third step in our process, subfloor prep and repairs. Uneven spots, damaged areas and moisture issues are far easier to fix before the new floor goes down. If you already know of a squeaky area, a soft spot or a past leak, tell the installer at the estimate.

On install day and afterward

Be reachable by phone, and decide in advance who can approve small decisions, such as where a transition falls between rooms. At the final walkthrough, check the work room by room and ask for the care guide. For ongoing upkeep, our care and maintenance guide covers hardwood, LVP and laminate.

Illustrious Flooring offers free estimates. Call (262) 683-5301, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, or send the project details through our contact page.

Sources

• Acclimation: Environmental Conditions Before, During, and After the Installation - Matt Thrane, Hardwood Floors magazine, October 9, 2023 (page updated March 6, 2026).
• Subfloor Focus: Minimizing Moisture - Roger Barker, Hardwood Floors magazine, January 30, 2017.