Flooring Installation in PA & NJ

A floor is the largest surface in a room and the first thing that gives away a rushed job: a hollow sound, a gap at the wall, a plank that lifts in the second winter. As a licensed flooring contractor, Underhill Lions LLC installs luxury vinyl plank, laminate, hardwood and tile across Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery Counties and South Jersey, and we do the subfloor work first. We are a licensed contractor, PA HIC #PA203239.

Why the subfloor comes first

Most flooring problems start underneath. A dip in the subfloor shows up as a plank that flexes, a seam that opens or a tile that cracks. A loose sheet of plywood squeaks every time someone walks over it. In older houses, including much of the region's rowhome and twin housing stock, floors have settled, been patched over the years and covered with layer after layer of old flooring.

So the job starts with removal. We take up the carpet, old vinyl, tile or damaged wood and haul it away, which is part of the estimate. Then we look at what is left: we screw down loose sheets, replace damaged sections and level low spots so the new floor has a flat, solid base. Only then does the underlayment go down and the layout get planned.

LVP flooring installation: luxury vinyl plank and laminate

LVP is what we install most. It is waterproof, warm underfoot, quick to install and convincing as wood, which makes it the right floor for kitchens, basements, rental units and any house with kids, dogs or moisture. Laminate is the budget option for dry rooms such as bedrooms and living areas. Both float over an underlayment, which means they depend completely on a flat subfloor. That is why the leveling step matters more for these floors than almost any other.

Hardwood floor installation

For living rooms, bedrooms and hallways where you want real wood, we install solid and engineered hardwood, nailed or glued down depending on the product and the subfloor.

Tile installation

Porcelain and ceramic tile go in bathrooms, kitchens, entries, mudrooms and laundry rooms, anywhere that sees water and grit. We set tile on a proper backer with straight, even grout lines and plan the layout so cut pieces land where you will not notice them. Tile takes longer than a floating floor because of set time, and we schedule for that.

Stairs, trim and transitions

A new floor that stops at the top step looks unfinished. We do stair treads, risers and landings in matching hardwood or LVP stair nosing, so the stairs belong to the same floor. Every job ends with matching baseboards, shoe molding and transitions between rooms and materials, so there are no gaps at the walls and no awkward height changes at doorways.

What drives flooring installation cost

The flooring itself is only part of the price. The total depends on:

• Square footage: the area covered sets the material and most of the labor.
• Material: LVP, laminate, engineered wood, solid hardwood and tile each cost differently to buy and to install.
• Removal: taking up one layer of carpet is quicker than chipping out old tile or several layers of vinyl.
• Subfloor condition: how much repair and leveling the floor needs before anything goes down.
• Installation method: tile and nail-down hardwood take more labor than floating LVP.
• Stairs: each step is cut and fitted by hand.
• Layout and transitions: many small rooms, closets, angles and doorways mean more cuts and more trim.

We measure at the walk-through and give you a written, itemized estimate, so you can compare materials side by side.

Part of a bigger project

Flooring often goes in alongside other work. A new floor is a natural part of kitchen remodeling and basement finishing, where waterproof LVP is usually the right call. You can see finished floors in our recent projects.

Tell us the rooms and the square footage if you know it, and request a free estimate.