18 Questions to Ask a Flooring Contractor Before You Sign
A printable checklist of the 18 questions every homeowner should ask before hiring a flooring contractor — covering licensing, scope, warranty, payment terms, and red-flag answers to watch for.
The contractors who answer these 18 questions clearly, without hedging, are the ones worth hiring. Print this checklist, bring it to every quote meeting, and write down the answers so you can compare bids side by side.
How to use this checklist
- Ask every contractor the same questions. Different answers to the same prompt is how you spot who actually knows what they're doing.
- Write the answers down. Memory blurs after three quote meetings in a week.
- Watch the hesitation, not just the words. A pro answers most of these in one sentence.
License, insurance & business (Questions 1–4)
1. What's your CSLB license number?
Good answer: They give it without looking it up. In California, flooring work belongs under a C-15 (Flooring & Floor Covering) license — verify it for free at cslb.ca.gov.
2. Do you carry general liability and workers' comp insurance?
Good answer: Yes, with at least $1,000,000 in general liability, and workers' comp if they have employees. They'll send you a certificate before work begins.
3. How long have you been installing flooring, and where is your business based?
Good answer: A real business address (not just a cell number), 5+ years installing the exact product type you're buying, and a Google Business Profile you can pull up on the spot.
4. Where can I read reviews of your work?
Good answer: Google, Yelp, and either Angi or Houzz — with 20+ reviews that specifically mention flooring, not just "great handyman."
Experience with your specific floor (Questions 5–8)
5. How many jobs in this exact material have you done in the last 12 months?
Good answer: Specific number, not "a lot." Hardwood, LVP/SPC, and laminate each have different install techniques. You want a specialist, not a generalist.
6. Are you familiar with the brand I'm using?
Good answer: Yes, plus any quirks of that brand's locking system, expansion gap requirements, or underlayment compatibility.
7. Can I see photos of 5 recent jobs in this material?
Good answer: They pull up a phone album right there. Pay attention to edge cuts around vents, doorways, and stairs — that's where skill shows.
8. Can I call two homeowners you finished in the last 6 months?
Good answer: Two names and numbers within 24 hours. Then actually call them — ask if the job finished on time and if the floor still looks the same.
Scope & preparation (Questions 9–13)
9. Is removal and disposal of my existing floor included?
Good answer: A line item with a square-foot rate — or a clear "not included, here's what it adds." Vague "we'll deal with it" answers turn into change-order surprises.
10. How do you assess and price subfloor prep?
Good answer: They explain that they'll measure flatness (typically 3/16" over 10 ft for LVP), test moisture on concrete, and price self-leveler or plywood replacement as a separate line item — not bundled into install.
11. Will you remove and reinstall my baseboards, or use quarter-round?
Good answer: They walk you through both options, the cost difference, and recommend based on the look you want. No upcharge surprises after demo day.
12. How are transitions, stair nosing, and thresholds handled?
Good answer: Specific transition pieces named (T-mold, reducer, end cap), brand identified, and priced per piece in the quote.
13. Will you do a moisture test on my concrete subfloor before installing?
Good answer: Yes — calcium chloride or in-situ RH probe. Required by virtually every LVP and hardwood warranty. A "no" or "we don't need to" answer voids the manufacturer warranty.
Contract, payment & timeline (Questions 14–16)
14. Will I get an itemized written contract before work starts?
Good answer: Yes, with labor, materials (brand + SKU + thickness), removal, prep, baseboards, transitions, and disposal each broken out as separate lines.
15. What's the deposit and payment schedule?
Good answer: A deposit of 10–30%, a milestone payment partway through, and final payment on completion. Red flag: anything over 50% upfront, or full payment before the job is done.
16. What's the start date and substantial-completion date — in writing?
Good answer: Specific dates in the contract, plus a written policy on what happens if weather, material backorders, or hidden subfloor damage push the schedule. See how long a typical job takes.
Warranty & aftercare (Questions 17–18)
17. What labor warranty do you provide?
Good answer: A minimum of 1 year on workmanship, in writing, separate from the manufacturer's product warranty. Reputable installers offer 2 years; the best in the trade offer longer.
18. If a plank gaps, squeaks, or lifts within 6 months, what's your callback process?
Good answer: A clear answer: call within X days, they come out within Y, and they fix it at no charge if it's a workmanship issue. Hesitation here is the loudest red flag on this list.
Red-flag answers to watch for
- "I'll get you my license number later" — they should know it.
- "Cash only" or large cash discounts off the books.
- Deposit demands over 50% of the total.
- "We'll figure prep out when we get in there" — no scoped prep line.
- "My work speaks for itself" instead of a written warranty.
The printable 18-question checklist
Screenshot this for your next quote meeting:
- What's your CSLB license number?
- Do you carry general liability and workers' comp insurance?
- How long have you been installing flooring, and where is your business based?
- Where can I read reviews of your work?
- How many jobs in this exact material have you done in the last 12 months?
- Are you familiar with the brand I'm using?
- Can I see photos of 5 recent jobs in this material?
- Can I call two homeowners you finished in the last 6 months?
- Is removal and disposal of my existing floor included?
- How do you assess and price subfloor prep?
- Will you remove and reinstall my baseboards, or use quarter-round?
- How are transitions, stair nosing, and thresholds handled?
- Will you do a moisture test on my concrete subfloor before installing?
- Will I get an itemized written contract before work starts?
- What's the deposit and payment schedule?
- What's the start date and substantial-completion date — in writing?
- What labor warranty do you provide?
- If a plank gaps, squeaks, or lifts within 6 months, what's your callback process?
How TRU Installation answers these questions
We built our business so that homeowners don't have to dig for answers. Our C-15 license, insurance certificates, and a published rate sheet are public. The instant estimate calculator itemizes labor, removal, prep, baseboards, and stairs before you ever pick up the phone. Every contract includes a written 1-year workmanship warranty.
If you've used this checklist and want a quote you can actually compare line-by-line, book a measurement visit — we'll bring the answers in writing.
Related reading
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