Hi all,

I’m replacing carpet and some engineered wood with solid hardwood. A neighbor recommended a flooring company, and they’ve done good carpet work for me before, so I asked them for a hardwood bid.

The salesman came out and measured, but he didn’t really talk me through options (board width, finish types, etc.). A few hours later I got this quote:

• Install 6 mil poly plastic over existing slab

• Install 5/8" CDX grade plywood over poly

• Install 15# felt paper over plywood

• Nail-down 3.25" #1 White Oak solid hardwood flooring

• Sand, stain, and polyurethane finish (color to be chosen onsite)

• Add reducers at doorways/transitions to wood

• Install primed white shoe mould around baseboards/cabinetry

• Demo/remove existing carpet/engineered wood and haul away waste

I’ve read a bit and see that CDX isn’t always ideal for subfloors—should I push for tongue-and-groove or a flooring-grade ply instead?

A few other questions I’d love input on:

1. Shouldn’t they test the slab for moisture before putting down wood?

2. Is 3.25" a good width here, or should I be asking about wider/narrower boards?

3. Anything missing in this scope that a careful installer would normally include?

4. Any red flags with this whole approach?

I want to make sure I’m not setting myself up for cupping/warping or other problems in a few years. Any advice from pros or homeowners who’ve done this would be really appreciated.

Thanks!