James Peck
Owner, Mr. Green Turf Clean - Professional turf care specialist serving San Diego County since 2023.
Last updated: 2026-05-02
How a North County Flooring Crew Would Answer Redfin's 8 Contractor Questions
Redfin published 8 questions homeowners should ask contractors before any home improvement project. We installed 47 floors across San Diego County in 2025, and these are the answers we wish more customers asked us upfront. Pricing structure, crew continuity, and moisture protocol are where most flooring projects actually go sideways.
Last updated: May 2026
Redfin posted their contractor question list this week. Most of it is solid. Some of it misses what matters for flooring specifically.
We're a small crew based out of Valley Center. Most of our jobs run from Fallbrook down to La Jolla, with a handful out in Temecula and Irvine. Here's how we'd answer their list, plus the two questions they should have included.
Are You Licensed for This Specific Trade?
California requires a C-15 license for flooring contractors. Not a general B license. Not a handyman exemption. C-15 specifically covers wood, tile, resilient flooring, and refinishing.
Ask for the license number. Then look it up at cslb.ca.gov. Takes 30 seconds. We've walked into homes in Rancho Santa Fe where the previous installer had no license at all, and the homeowner was on the hook for unpermitted work that the title company flagged at sale.
What Does Your Quote Actually Include?
This is where flooring projects blow up. A quote that says $8 per square foot installed is meaningless without the underlayment spec, the trim package, the disposal cost, and what happens if the subfloor needs leveling.
Our quotes break out material cost per sq ft, labor per sq ft, demo and disposal, subfloor prep with a per-square-foot rate if cracks or dips show up, trim and transitions, and tax. A 1,200 sq ft hardwood install in Carlsbad runs $14,000 to $22,000 depending on species and subfloor condition.
Who Is Actually on the Job Site?
The person who quotes the job is often not the person installing the floor. Ask who shows up day one. Ask if there's a foreman who stays through the whole project.
Our crew is three people. Stone runs the job. Same crew on day one. Same crew on day five.
What's the Real Timeline?
Hardwood install: 4 to 6 days for an average single-story home. Sand and refinish: 5 to 7 days because of dry time between coats. Metallic epoxy: 3 days minimum, and you cannot occupy the house during the cure window because of fumes.
Anyone telling you a full hardwood replacement gets done in two days is skipping steps. Acclimation alone needs 72 hours in San Diego County humidity.
What's Your Moisture Protocol?
San Diego gets roughly 9 inches of rain a year, almost all of it between November and March. Hardwood doesn't tolerate moisture during install. We've delayed jobs in Encinitas and Del Mar because slab moisture readings came back over 4 lbs per 1,000 sq ft.
Ask your contractor about their moisture protocol. If they don't own a calcium chloride test kit or a Tramex meter, walk away. Coastal slabs especially.
Two Questions Redfin Left Out
Do You Own Your Equipment or Rent It?
This matters more than people realize. A crew that rents their floor sander every job doesn't know how to dial it in. Our drum sander is a Galaxy BU. Same machine, same operator, every job. The finish quality difference is obvious after one walk-through.
What's Your Labor Warranty Specifically?
Manufacturer warranties cover the product. Labor warranties cover the install. Most flooring failures are install failures, not product failures. We warranty our labor for 2 years on installs and 1 year on refinishes. Get it in writing.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Redfin's list is a starting point. If you're hiring anyone for flooring work across North County or North Orange County, the questions above are the ones that separate the crews that finish clean from the ones that leave you with cupping, hollow spots, or a finish that fails inside a year.
If you've got a project coming up, take a look at our hardwood flooring, sand and refinish, or metallic epoxy pages for more detail on how we run a job. If we did flooring at your place in Valley Center, Escondido, or anywhere across the county, mention the neighborhood when you leave a Google review. It helps the next homeowner find us.