Read the estimate line by line before you sign it. An estimate is a specification of the work, and the total is the part that hides the work from view.
Start with the line items. The right estimate names the material, the labor, the preparation, and the disposal as separate lines, and a hardwood floor estimate that rolls them into one number is an estimate you cannot check.
An estimate is not a quote and it is not a contract. It is a breakdown of what the installer will do, and the breakdown is the part that decides whether the number is fair.
Why an Estimate Is a Specification
An estimate is a specification of the work, and a specification can be checked. A quote that states a total and a description is a price, and a price cannot be compared to another price that was built differently.
The line items are what make an estimate comparable. Two estimates for the same room can state different totals for the same reason, and the lines are where the difference appears.
Read the estimate as a buyer, not as a reader. The buyer is the person who will live with the floor, and the buyer is the person who will notice a line that was left out.
The estimate is also the document you will compare against the invoice. If the invoice is higher than the estimate, the lines are the place to find out why, and the lines are the place the installer will point to.
Read the Line Items, Not the Total
Read the estimate from the bottom up, and read each line against the work it describes. A line that describes a large amount of work for a small number is a line to question, and a line that describes a small amount of work for a large number is a line to question.
The total is the sum of the lines, and the sum is only as good as the lines. An estimate with five lines is a different document from an estimate with fifteen, and the fifteen is the one you can check.
A line that cannot be traced to a unit is a line that cannot be checked. The material is traced to square feet, the labor to square feet, and the disposal to the load, and each line needs its own unit.
How Many Line Items Should an Estimate Have?
An estimate should have one line for each distinct piece of work. The material, the labor, the underlayment, the preparation, the removal, and the disposal are six distinct pieces, and an estimate that merges them is an estimate that hides one inside another.
| Line item | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Material | The flooring and the underlayment |
| Labor | The installation itself |
| Preparation | Subfloor levelling and moisture test |
| Removal | The old floor taken up |
| Disposal | The old floor hauled away |
The Material Line
The material line names the product, the quantity, and the unit. A line that names a product without a quantity is a line that cannot be checked, and a line that names a quantity without a unit is a line that can be misread.
Check the quantity against the room. A room of 12 feet by 14 feet is 168 square feet, and an estimate for that room should state the material in square feet or in the number of cartons that cover it.
Check the waste allowance. A straight lay needs 10 percent waste, a diagonal or patterned lay needs 15 to 20 percent, and an estimate that states no waste is an estimate that will be short of material.
The material line is also where the product grade appears. A laminate floor rated AC3 and a laminate floor rated AC5 are two different products, and the grade on the line is the grade you are paying for.
The Labor Line
The labor line is the work of laying the floor, and the unit is usually the square foot. A labor line that states a total without a unit is a line that cannot be compared to another installer’s labor.
Check what the labor includes. A labor line that includes the underlayment is a line that includes a material, and a labor line that excludes the transitions is a line that will be added later.
A laminate floor is expected to be acclimated for 48 to 72 hours under the NALFA installation guidance, and a labor line that includes the acclimation is a line that includes a wait. If the labor line does not name the acclimation, ask who pays for the wait.
What Does the Labor Line Include?
The labor line should state the installation method and the included work. A glue down floor and a click lock floor are laid differently, and the labor for a click lock floor is the labor for a floor that is not glued.
A labor line that includes the trim and the transitions is a labor line that is complete, and a labor line that excludes them is a labor line that will grow. Ask for the trim to be on the line, not in a later email.
The Preparation Line
The preparation line is the work of making the subfloor ready, and it is the line that is most often omitted. A subfloor that is not level, not dry, and not clean will fail the floor that is laid on it.
Check whether the preparation line includes a moisture test. Under ASTM F2170, an in-situ probe measures the relative humidity in the concrete, and a reading above 80 percent is a subfloor that is not ready. A floor over a concrete slab needs the probe, and a floor over a timber subfloor needs a different check.
Check whether the preparation line includes levelling. A subfloor that is out of level by a quarter inch over ten feet will show in a rigid floor, and the levelling is the work that fixes it.
Wood flooring is installed at a relative humidity of 30 to 50 percent and a temperature of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit under the NWFA standard, and a preparation line that includes the moisture reading is a line that protects the floor.
The Removal and Disposal Line
The removal line is the work of taking up the old floor, and the disposal line is the work of hauling it away. A line that says removal without disposal is a line that leaves the old floor in a pile.
Check the disposal unit. A disposal line quoted by the load is a line that can change, and a disposal line quoted by the square foot is a line that is fixed.
Ask where the old floor goes. A floor that is recycled is a floor with a lower disposal cost, and a floor that is landfilled is a floor with a higher one. A floor in a basement needs a moisture check before any estimate is signed, because a damp basement will fail the floor that is laid in it.
The Warranty and Terms
The warranty and terms line is the part that decides what happens after the work. A workmanship warranty is the installer’s promise, and the terms are the conditions under which the promise holds.
Check whether the warranty is stated in writing. A warranty that is spoken is a warranty with no record, and a warranty that is written is a warranty you can hold to.
Check the payment terms. A deposit that is more than a third of the total is a deposit that is large, and a deposit that is paid before the material is on site is a deposit that is at risk.
Choose the estimate that names the lines over the one that states a total, because the lines are what you will compare against the invoice.
A line without a unit is a line without a check.
The questions to ask a flooring contractor guide covers what to raise before you sign, and the flooring quote comparison guide covers how to line up two estimates on the same lines.
What Should the Terms State?
The terms should state the deposit, the progress payments, the completion date, and the warranty. A term that is missing is a term that will be decided later, and a term decided later is a term decided by the party with more leverage.
| Line item | Red flag |
|---|---|
| Material | No quantity or no unit |
| Labor | No unit, or excludes transitions |
| Preparation | No moisture test or levelling |
| Removal | No disposal stated |
| Terms | No warranty or no completion date |
The Allowance and the Overage
The allowance is the money set aside for a decision that is not final, and the overage is the amount by which the actual cost exceeds it. An estimate that states an allowance without an overage is an estimate that will change.
Check the allowance unit. An allowance quoted by the square foot is an allowance that scales with the room, and an allowance quoted as a flat number is an allowance that does not.
An estimate that states a final total and an estimate that states an allowance are two different documents, and the second is the one you should expect to change.
If the allowance is for a decision you have not made, ask what happens when the decision is made. The answer is the overage, and the overage is the number that will be added to the total.
What an Estimate Should Not Include
An estimate should not include work that was not discussed. A line for a step that was not in the plan is a line that was added, and a line that was added is a line that should be removed.
An estimate should not include a price that cannot be traced to a line. A total that is more than the sum of the lines is a total with a hidden line, and a hidden line is a line you are paying for.
An estimate should not include a warranty that is not in the document. A warranty that is promised in conversation and not written is a warranty that is not part of the estimate, and it does not hold unless the warranty is in writing.
The total is only as good as the lines.
The Estimate Checklist
Before you sign, run this list.
- Every line names the work, the quantity, and the unit.
- The material line states the waste allowance.
- The labor line states what it includes.
- The preparation line includes a moisture test and levelling.
- The removal line includes disposal.
- The terms state the deposit, the payments, and the warranty.
- The total equals the sum of the lines.
Read the estimate line by line, and check each line against the work it describes. The total is the summary, and the lines are the detail you check.
