How to Prepare for New Flooring, Avoid Delays, and Understand Hidden Costs
When you’re planning a new floor installation, whether hardwood, vinyl plank, laminate, or tile, the most important step happens before your new floor ever touches the ground. It’s called floor prep, and it’s the difference between a flawless finish and an expensive headache.
At FlooringStuff.com, we see it all the time: beautiful new floors delayed or ruined because floor prep was skipped, mistimed, or underestimated. This guide walks you through everything you need to know; from when to schedule prep, to what materials are used, to how different subfloors require different prep methods.
Why Floor Prep Matters
Every flooring product, from budget LVP to premium engineered wood, needs a flat, clean, dry, and stable surface underneath. Without it:
Boards may not lock properly and joints can fail over time.
Tile grout can crack resulting in popping tiles or grout lines needing refilling.
Adhesives may fail or bubble because they can’t adhere properly to the subfloor. Making sure the area is nice and clean is critical.
Your flooring warranty goes right out the window if you do not do your floor prep correctly. This step is critical in ensuring you’re safe guarded in the future if any problems arise.
Good prep ensures your floor performs as designed and keeps your warranty valid. Think of it like a painting, no matter how nice the paint is, it won’t look good on a dirty stained canvas, your flooring is the same way.
The Right Time to Schedule Floor Prep
Timing is everything. If you’re doing a remodel, here’s the correct order of events:
Demo: Remove all old flooring, adhesives, and baseboards.
Floor Prep: Repair, level, clean, and test the subfloor.
Cabinets and Other Trades: Let other work happen without damaging prepped surfaces.
Floor Installation: Once all heavy trades are done, the flooring team comes in last.
If you’re remodeling a kitchen, do floor prep right after demo and before the new cabinets. Waiting until right before installation can delay your project if your slab needs grinding, leveling, or drying time! Self levelers can generally only handle 3/4″ and inch per go, so you need to factor in the time to let the first layer cure, be primed to properly accept a second layer and for that additional layer to also cure.
These can be problems that we are not aware of beforehand becuase we can’t see underneath your current floors, so understand your salesman may come ask for more than anticipated in the beginning. Just ask for an explanation of the charges if you feel skeptical. All stores bill this different so make sure you understand exactly what you are paying for.
Common Types of Subfloors (and How They Affect Prep)
Concrete Slab Subfloors
Concrete is common in Arizona, Nevada, and the Southwest — durable, but rarely perfectly level.
Typical prep steps:
Grinding: Removes old glue, paint, or coatings so new adhesives bond properly.
Crack Repair: Filling cracks with epoxy or patching compound.
Self-Leveling Compound: Poured to smooth out dips or humps in the slab.
Moisture Testing: Using calcium chloride or RH probes to ensure moisture levels meet manufacturer specs.
Moisture Barrier: If readings are high, apply an epoxy sealer or roll-on barrier.
Materials used:
Concrete grinders, HEPA vacuums, patch compounds, moisture sealers, and self-leveling products like Ardex, Mapei, or Schönox.
Wood Subfloors
Usually found in older homes or second floors. Wood moves with humidity and needs extra stability.
Typical prep steps:
Tighten or Replace Fasteners: Secure squeaky or loose boards.
Replace Damaged Plywood: Any soft or rotted spots must go.
Leveling: Use feather-finish compounds for minor dips.
Underlayment: Add plywood, cork, or foam underlay for sound and smoothness.
Sanding: Evens out seams or high spots.
Materials used:
Deck screws, wood patch, plywood underlayment, felt paper, or vapor barrier underlayment.
Prep Methods by Flooring Type
| Flooring Type | Ideal Subfloor Condition | Typical Prep Work | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP / LVT) | Smooth, flat, clean | Patch, skim coat, vacuum | Moisture must be within spec for glue-down |
| Engineered Hardwood | Flat and dry | Grind, moisture barrier, skim coat | Avoid soft or hollow areas |
| Solid Hardwood | Structurally sound wood | Screw down, sand seams, moisture barrier | Must meet humidity requirements |
| Tile / Stone | Flat and firm (not necessarily level) | Patch, grind, clean | Texture helps thinset bond |
| Laminate | Smooth and level | Patch, underlayment | Floating floors need even surface |
| Carpet | Clean and dry | Minimal prep, tack strips reinstalled | Fastest, but still needs solid base |
Hidden Floor Prep Costs (and Why They Happen)
No one likes surprises, but subfloors hide all kinds of them. Once old flooring comes up, you might find:
Uneven slabs that require grinding or self-leveling
Residue from old adhesives or thinset
Moisture readings too high for glue-down products
Cracked or crumbling areas needing patching
Each of these issues adds labor, materials, and drying time, it’s not “extra billing,” it’s necessary correction to make the floor last.
Ask your installer if they include basic floor prep in their bid, and what’s considered additional prep. Every company defines this differently.
Key Takeaways
A freshly prepped surface is delicate. If other trades painters, plumbers, cabinet installers etc. walk across it before it’s cured, get debris and residues and overspray baseboard paints. These can force a re-clean or re-prep charge, which you should not be responsible for, yet it’s your responsibility to pay for it, so after each trade take photos and document any errors you think may have happened. If another trade did mess up something, see if you can NOT act as a liaison and have that portion billed directly from the flooring store to the trade that is responsible for it.
Floor prep sneaks in between demo and installation and is absolutely vital to your flooring lifespan.
Different subfloors = different prep methods and also different costs.
Hidden costs are normal when unforeseen issues arise, we as flooring professionals can’t see underneath your current flooring.
Clean and protect prepped floors to avoid re-cleaning charges.
Ask your installer what’s included in “standard prep” vs. additional services.
A little planning now can save you hundreds later, and keep your project on schedule!