Frequently asked
LVP flooring questions, answered
The questions we get most often from Idaho homeowners, landlords and property managers. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
Service area and getting started
- Which areas does IdahoLVP serve?
- Boise, Star, Meridian and Eagle are our primary markets and where we schedule most weeks. We also work the rest of the Treasure Valley — Nampa, Caldwell, Kuna, Garden City, Middleton and Mountain Home — and take larger projects elsewhere in Idaho in full-day blocks so travel does not inflate the cost.
- How does a consultation and estimate work?
- You call (208) 891-1890 or send project details through the estimate form. We arrange a walkthrough, measure the rooms, check subfloor flatness with a straightedge and take moisture readings where the substrate is accessible, then send a written scope and price. There is no charge for the walkthrough or the written estimate.
- Is the estimate written, and what does it include?
- Every estimate is written. It lists the rooms and square footage, the material and install method, tear-out and haul-away, subfloor preparation we can identify at the walkthrough, transitions and trim, and the price for each of those. If something cannot be known until the old floor comes up, the estimate says so and states the likely range rather than hiding it.
- What is typically excluded from an estimate?
- Unless the estimate lists them: plumbing and gas disconnects, electrical work, asbestos or lead testing and abatement, structural joist repair, cabinet or countertop work, painting after baseboard changes, and material you have not yet selected. Those either get quoted separately or coordinated with the appropriate licensed trade.
- How far out do you usually schedule?
- It varies by season and by scope. We tell you the current lead time when we send the estimate rather than quoting a standing figure here, and we confirm a date in writing before ordering material.
Services and materials
- What flooring does IdahoLVP install?
- Luxury vinyl plank and tile is our primary work, and it is what the business is built around. We also install laminate, engineered wood and solid hardwood as supporting services, plus the subfloor preparation underneath any of them, and we repair and replace failed plank floors.
- Do you handle both residential and commercial work?
- Yes. Residential work is sequenced in zones around a household that still lives in the house. Commercial work — offices, clinics, retail, salons, multifamily turns and tenant improvements — is usually glue-down, documented for moisture, and phased after hours or over weekends around your operating schedule.
- How do material selections work?
- You can supply your own product or choose from what we recommend for your rooms. We spec against your actual conditions — core type, wear layer, plank width, install method — and review the manufacturer's written installation instructions before committing. Selections need to be finalised before we order, because a late change moves the schedule.
- Will you install material I bought myself?
- Yes, on a labor-only basis, after we review the product and its written installation instructions. We will not install outside the manufacturer's specification, because doing so voids your product warranty.
- Is LVP better than laminate or engineered wood?
- It is different, not universally better. LVP is waterproof at the plank and suits wet rooms and basements where laminate should not go. Laminate is hard-wearing and often less expensive. Engineered wood and solid hardwood are real wood and can be refinished. We install all four, so the recommendation is about your room rather than about what we happen to carry.
- What wear layer thickness should I get?
- Wear layer is measured in mils. Roughly: 6 mil is builder-grade and shows traffic; 12 mil is a sensible residential standard; 20 mil and above is what we recommend for large dogs, gravel driveways, mudrooms and light commercial use.
- Does LVP work with radiant floor heat?
- Many products do, with a maximum surface temperature limit stated by the manufacturer, and the system has to be operated within it. Some products are not approved at all. We verify the specific product's written instructions before installing over radiant.
Timelines, permits and change orders
- How long does a flooring installation take?
- A single room is usually one day. A typical main floor runs two to four working days including tear-out, subfloor correction and trim. Extensive leveling, stair work or a phased occupied-home schedule adds time, and the estimate says so rather than day two of the job.
- Do flooring projects need permits or inspections?
- Replacing a finish floor in an existing home generally does not require a building permit in Treasure Valley jurisdictions. Permits come into play when work goes beyond flooring — structural repair, plumbing or gas relocation, or a commercial tenant improvement where the general contractor holds the permit. If your project crosses that line we tell you, and the permitted work is pulled by the appropriate licensed party rather than assumed away.
- What happens if something unexpected turns up mid-job?
- You get a written change order before the extra work starts: what was found, what it costs, and what it does to the schedule. Nothing that changes your price happens on a verbal nod. Rotten subfloor under a leaking dishwasher and unmapped dips under old carpet are the two most common examples.
- Who actually does the work — your crew or subcontractors?
- Installation is performed by our own installers. Where a project needs a licensed trade we do not hold — plumbing, gas, electrical, or abatement — that scope is coordinated with a licensed specialist and identified in your estimate rather than buried in it.
- How should I prepare for installation day?
- Clear closets, shelves, small furniture, breakables and anything wall-hung in the work zone. Plan for pets to be somewhere quiet. Leave the HVAC running at normal living temperature so material acclimates properly. We handle heavy furniture and appliances by arrangement, and we keep one clear path through the house.
Subfloor and moisture
- Why does my subfloor need work if the old carpet was fine?
- Carpet and pad hide deviation that rigid plank cannot. A dip a carpet absorbed becomes a hollow spot and stressed locking joints under LVP. Manufacturers publish a flatness tolerance — commonly 3/16 inch over 10 feet — and installing outside it voids the warranty.
- Do you test concrete for moisture?
- Yes, with in-situ relative humidity probes per ASTM F2170 on any slab that is getting adhered flooring or a below-grade install. Surface tests alone understate what is deeper in the slab.
- My crawlspace is damp. Does that matter?
- It matters a great deal. A wet crawlspace keeps re-wetting the subfloor from below regardless of what you install on top. Where we find a torn or missing ground vapor barrier or a drainage problem, we will tell you to fix that first.
- Can new flooring go over my existing tile or vinyl?
- Sometimes. A single layer of well-bonded, flat ceramic tile or sheet vinyl can work as a substrate. Carpet, cushioned vinyl, particleboard underlayment and loose or hollow tile come out. We check during the estimate instead of assuming.
Credentials, warranty and examples of work
- Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
- Yes. IdahoLVP works under Idaho contractor registration RCE-57919 and is bonded and insured. We can provide a certificate of insurance on request, and property managers and general contractors regularly ask for one before we start.
- What warranty do you provide?
- We provide a 1-year craftsmanship warranty covering our installation work. That is separate from your product's manufacturer warranty, which is governed by the manufacturer's own written terms and depends on the floor being installed to their instructions — which is exactly why we install to those instructions.
- Can I see examples of your work or read reviews?
- Ask during the walkthrough and we will talk through comparable projects and the conditions they involved. We do not publish review counts, star ratings, testimonials or award claims on this site, because we are not going to present anything we cannot verify. If you want customer feedback, ask us where to find it and we will point you to it directly.
- Do you handle insurance work?
- We provide itemized scope and documentation suitable for a claim. We do not negotiate with your carrier on your behalf.
- How do I reach IdahoLVP?
- Call (208) 891-1890 or email hello@contractorinidaho.com. You can also send project details through the estimate form and we will respond during business hours, Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time.
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