Flooring & Remodeling FAQ

In Orange County, permits are required for any structural work (removing or adding walls, room additions), electrical work beyond simple fixture swaps, plumbing relocation, HVAC changes, new decks or deck replacements, and window or door changes that alter the opening size. Cosmetic work like painting, flooring, and countertop replacement typically does not require a permit. Unpermitted work can cause problems during a home sale — buyers' inspectors flag it and some title companies require remediation. We handle all permit applications as part of our service. You never need to visit a permit office.

A 1,000 sq ft hardwood install takes 4–6 days including subfloor prep and hardwood acclimation. LVP runs faster — 1,000 sq ft is usually 2 days. Tile work depends on size: a backsplash is 1–2 days, a full bathroom shower is 4–6 days. Carpet installs run 1 day for a whole-home job. Material lead time is 1–3 weeks for in-stock products, 3–8 weeks for special-order. We give you an exact schedule before work begins.

Pricing per square foot installed: Carpet $3–$7 · Luxury Vinyl Plank $4–$8 · Hardwood $6–$14 · Tile $9–$15 · Natural Stone $14–$22 · Epoxy Garage $4–$9. The biggest cost drivers are material quality, subfloor condition (prep work), and how complex the layout is (lots of cuts, transitions, and stairs add labor). We provide complete written estimates so you know exactly what you're paying for.

Yes — almost always. Single-room flooring jobs are easy to live around: we seal the work zone with plastic, run dust-containment vacuums (especially for hardwood sanding), and you can use the rest of the home normally. Whole-home installs are typically staged room-by-room so you always have at least 2–3 livable rooms. The only exception is hardwood sanding, where the floor needs 24 hours of low-traffic cure time after the final coat.

Our written estimates break down: labor by trade (carpentry, tile, plumbing rough-in, electrical rough-in), materials with specific product specifications, permit fees if applicable, project timeline with key milestones, and payment schedule. We don't give verbal ballpark quotes — every estimate we produce is something you could take to another flooring contractor for a direct comparison. Carlos reviews every estimate before it goes out and walks through it with you personally. There is no charge for the estimate and no obligation to hire us.

Go to myfloridalicense.com and search by flooring contractor name or license number. Florida Certified Building Flooring Contractors (CBC prefix) can work statewide. Florida Registered Flooring Contractors (CGC, CRC prefixes) are county-limited. You want to see: Active status, the correct license category for the work being done, and no disciplinary actions. Also verify they carry both general liability insurance AND workers' compensation — ask for certificates of insurance naming you as a certificate holder. Premier's license is #FL-LIC-FL287 — look us up. Every legitimate flooring contractor in Florida should welcome this check.

New flooring is one of the highest-ROI home improvements. Replacing carpet with hardwood or LVP returns 70–80% of cost at resale and dramatically improves listing photos. Refinishing existing hardwood returns 100%+ in many cases — the cost is low relative to the value impact. In the Orlando market, buyers consistently rank flooring among the top 3 features they notice. Best ROI overall: refinish if you have hardwood, replace carpet with LVP if you don't.

We stop work immediately, photograph the issue, and call you before proceeding. In Florida homes, common surprises include: old aluminum wiring that needs remediation, hidden water damage behind shower walls, plumbing that doesn't meet current code, or asbestos-containing materials in homes built before 1980. None of these are deal-breakers — all are solvable. We provide a written change order with the cost and timeline impact before touching anything beyond the original scope. We never proceed without your explicit approval. This is one of the reasons we document everything in writing from day one.