Thank you, millworkman. So if we were to ever sell this house, seeing that would not be a red-flag or major turn-off?

I am thinking if we ever DID re-sell, we educate the buyers that they CAN sand and re-finish the whole floor, and re-do the two rooms that are not level creating the need for the transitions in the first place, with sub-floor work and new wood in two rooms vs. US re-doing the whole thing to the tune of $15,000. Before all of this, I was uneducated and never knew we could re-finish as I had always heard engineered could not be refinished. Imagine my surprise when one of the flooring companies came out and inspected it, and said it was thick enough to do 1-2 sands. And of course I save everything and found the paperwork from when the house was built - and it said the same thing in the Robbins paperwork. Am thinking it may not even BE a problem for someone else but if it is, well...................they have options.

I did wonder, though, if this was something common and whether it would be a red-flag. Maybe it's my OCD tendencies to want everything EVEN and consistent without those strips. And if so, I think I i am just going to live with ti :)).

If I were a home buyer, it wouldn't be a deal breaker if the home fit my needs otherwise. Every home has quirks. I would reject a home if there were a bunch of oddities, but this wouldn't bug me.

Is this a nail down floor?

No, glued.......

If both floors that meet are on the same plane, then you could inset a contrasting feature strip or decorative wood border piece and in doing so wind up with a flush result. I've done such a thing for customers.

What do you mean the same plane? They are both the same height, you mean? One floor is very slightly lower than the other (that's why they put them there initially) - would something like that work if heights are slightly different? Had not though of that as an idea!

I created this transition strip using a wood flooring plank. There is no(very minimal) difference in the levels of the tile/wood. I used a similar transition strip where the flooring changed directions and in doorways(bath).

No trip hazard and no one has disliked the strips.

That looks really good! I think I just struggle to get used to mine after seeing other floors that are seamless, but it really doesn't look so bad. Nobody but me has commented on mine, lol.

You've done a very good job with the situation you've been given. The hardwoods look very close to identical. The only thing I could add to this - and it is ONLY an esthetics suggestion - would be to go 1/2 step darker on the transition strips.

Like sewing a seam on a shirt/dress/pants, the ideal is a perfect colour match (thread to cloth). If the match can't be done, a good seamstress will go a snick darker. At a distance it is much harder to see a darker stitch then it is to see a lighter stitch.

That is the only thing you could do at this point. And to be clear, the transitions are a pretty good match. If you do anything, the transitions going 1/2 step darker than they are right now would be all I would suggest.

Other than that, think of those pieces of wood as the thing that saved you $15K. It's all about how you look at a situation. You can think, "Oh, geeze. I wish I didn't have to have those things there," or you can think "Thank GOODNESS for those transition strips! They saved me $15,000!"

Still the same situation - just a different way of looking at it.

Looks fine! Would save the $15k

CanCork, you are EXACTLY right! I am usually a "glass-half-full" kind of girl, so wonder why I didn't think of that?!?!? And I will ask the pros about helping make the strips a little darker. Even though I may not be replacing the floor, we do want to have the steps done and carpet removed, so I will ask them about this as well. They aren't terrible. If the cost would have been a lot less, maybe it would have been worthwhile, but just can't see doing it when the floor itself is in really good shape considering its age :)) Thanks for that perspective! I needed that! :)

Elizabeth B, I should start a list of what all I could do with $15,000 - including saving it! :)))

I think your floors look beautiful! If you do want to someday redo the entire floor, then that is certainly an option. Thanks for posting the photos; I have enjoyed seeing your problem get resolved!

THANK YOU, Cara :)))) It has helped me to have others take a look, consider all of the different variables, and give feedback. It really has! So glad to have reached a decision. The back-and-forth was what made it so hard! For now - and for a long, long while - I have a plan :)

Your flooring looks beautiful. The deep bold color and the graining are really nice. I can understand your concern for the transition strips, many people prefer the seamless look, but transitions are there to serve a purpose, and yours really doesn't look bad at all! I agree, maybe a little darker might make it less noticeable. I'd love to know what kind of wood that is and the stain that was used, if any.

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Thank you, Couture! The floor is a Robbins brand pre-engineered wood. I will have to look up the color when I am home and will post it if it is on there. I actually still have the paperwork that came with the house when we bought it 19 years ago! It was pre-stained. Will post later if I am able to locate the color. Thank you for feedback on it - I am beginning to feel a lot better after getting some reassurances here, including from professionals :))