Orlando & Central Florida Guide - Winter Garden • Windermere • Lake Nona • Kissimmee • Clermont • Lake Mary• Clermont

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If you live in Orlando, Winter Garden, Clermont, Lake Mary, MetroWest or Kissimmee, you’ve probably seen plenty of ads for “fast & affordable flooring installation.”

New floors can absolutely transform a house, but when the wrong crew installs them, the problems show up fast: planks moving under your feet, hollow-sounding tile, noisy second floors and baseboards that look like they were rushed in one afternoon.

This article is not about saying you must hire the most expensive company in town. It’s about understanding what often happens when a flooring crew cuts critical corners just to hit a low price or a tight schedule.

In this guide, we’ll walk through 7 common installation mistakes corner-cutting contractors make in Central Florida and how to avoid them when hiring a company for your home.

Get a free Flooring Installation estimate in Orlando today.

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1. Skipping Proper Subfloor Preparation

In many Orlando homes, especially slab-on-grade houses in areas like Clermont, Ocoee and Kissimmee, the concrete is not perfectly flat. Some installers try to “float” the floor over whatever is there to save time and materials.

What this looks like in real life

• LVP or laminate that moves or clicks when you walk
• Planks that slowly separate at the joints
• Tile with noticeable lippage (edges higher than others)
• Furniture that rocks slightly because the floor waves up and down

Proper subfloor prep takes time: checking flatness, grinding high spots, and using self-leveling compound or patch where needed. When a quote feels “too good to be true,” it often means this step is barely included or not included at all.

What a good flooring company does

• Checks flatness with a long straightedge, not just by “eye”
• Explains where leveling is needed and how it affects the budget
• Uses patches or self-leveler according to the flooring manufacturer’s specs,

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2. Ignoring Moisture in Concrete Slabs

Central Florida’s humidity doesn’t just stay outside. In neighborhoods across Orlando, Lake Nona and Kissimmee, moisture can move up through concrete slabs, especially in older homes.

When installers skip moisture testing and go straight to installation just to speed things up, problems appear later.

Common consequences

• LVP or laminate that cups, swells or lifts
• Adhesive failure for glue-down systems
• Musty smells or even mold under the floor

By the time you see the problem on the surface, it’s too late and pulling the floor back up is expensive.

What a good flooring company does

• Performs moisture testing where required by the product
• Chooses systems (and adhesives) rated for your slab’s moisture levels
• Uses proper vapor barriers or moisture primers when needed, especially with wood-based cores or laminates

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3. Installing LVP Over Bad Tile Just to Save Time

A lot of homes in Winter Garden, MetroWest and older parts of Orlando have existing ceramic tile. Many homeowners ask: “Can we install LVP over this instead of removing it?”

The honest answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes absolutely not. Crews that are focused only on speed tend to say yes every time.

Red flags:

• Tile that sounds hollow or loose when you tap it
• Cracked tiles that show movement in the slab
• Deep grout lines and uneven tile edges

When installers ignore these issues and float LVP over bad tile, you get:

• Soft spots where the tile was loose
• Planks flexing over deep grout joints
• The new floor mirroring the same problems as the old one

What a good flooring company does

• Tests the tile by tapping and checking for hollow areas
• Evaluates whether grout lines need skim coating or leveling
• Tells you honestly when the tile must be removed instead of reused

If you’d like a deeper breakdown of flooring materials, click here to read our guide to the best flooring options in Orlando (tile, vinyl and laminate).

Get a free Flooring Installation estimate in Orlando today.

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4. Using the Wrong Underlayment or No Underlayment at All

Underlayment is more than just a thin pad. It impacts sound, comfort and longevity, especially on second floors in places like Lake Mary, Winter Garden and multi-story townhomes around MetroWest.

Crews that don’t specialize in flooring often:

• Use the wrong type of underlayment for LVP/laminate
• Skip the vapor barrier over concrete
• Stack multiple pads to make the floor “feel softer,” which can actually damage the click system

What this causes

• Excess flex and movement
• Noisy floors for anyone on the floor below
• Voided manufacturer warranties
• Joints that fail over time

What a good flooring company does

• Uses underlayment approved by the flooring manufacturer
• Chooses the right combination for your situation: acoustic, vapor barrier, or both
• Takes into account HOA sound requirements for condos and townhomes

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5. Sloppy Details: Baseboards, Transitions and Cuts

Even if the product is good, finishing details can make your flooring project look unprofessional.

We see this a lot in quick flips and rental properties around Kissimmee and near Disney, where crews are pushed to move fast:

• Baseboards reinstalled crooked or with large gaps
• No caulk where the wall meets the trim
• Rough cuts around door casings and stair posts
• Harsh or mismatched transitions between rooms

These details are small individually, but together they send a clear message: rush job.

What a good flooring company does

• Plans transitions in advance (to tile, carpet, stairs and exterior doors)
• Cuts neatly around door frames and trims or undercuts them when appropriate
• Caulks and paints baseboards as part of a finished package, not as an afterthought

Click here to learn more about our Flooring Installation & Replacement services in Orlando.

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6. Using the Wrong Material for the Space

Another typical mistake is saying “yes” to whatever material is on sale, even when it’s a bad match for the room.

We see things like:

• Laminate installed in bathrooms, laundry rooms or near exterior doors in humid parts of Orlando and Lake Nona
• Very low-end LVP used in high-traffic short-term rentals in Kissimmee that see luggage, sand and pool water every week
• Slick, glossy tiles used near pools or back doors in Clermont or Windermere, creating slip hazards

The problem doesn’t show up in the first week but it usually shows up within the first year.

What a good flooring company does

• Talks honestly about where LVP, laminate and tile work best
• Recommends waterproof or more durable options for wet or high-traffic areas
• Helps you balance budget with performance and long-term maintenance

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7. No Clear Scope, No Communication and No Real Warranty

Finally, one of the most dangerous “mistakes” isn’t even on the floor, it’s in the paperwork and communication.

Some flooring companies:

• Give you only a verbal quote or a one-line estimate
• Don’t clearly specify what’s included: demo, leveling, baseboards, transitions, disposal, caulking, etc.
• Offer a vague “warranty” that doesn’t really cover installation problems

This is how many homeowners end up paying more than they expected, or have no one to call back when gaps and cracks appear later.

What a good flooring company does

• Provides a clear written proposal describing scope, areas, materials and prep
• Explains what is and isn’t included (like leveling, moisture treatment, baseboards)
• Stands behind their work with a written installation warranty, not just the manufacturer’s product warranty

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How to Choose the Right Flooring Company in Orlando

When you’re comparing quotes in Orlando, Winter Garden, Clermont, Lake Mary, MetroWest or Kissimmee, don’t look only at the final number. Ask questions like:

• How will you handle subfloor prep if my slab or subfloor is not flat?
• Do you perform moisture tests or use any moisture mitigation products?
• What kind of underlayment will you use, and why?
• Will you remove and reinstall baseboards, or install new ones?
• How do you protect the rest of the house from dust and debris during demo?
• What does your installation warranty cover, and for how long?

A professional company will be able to answer these questions clearly, without getting defensive or trying to rush you.

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Flooring is one of those projects where the quality of the installation matters as much as the material itself. In neighborhoods across Orlando, Winter Garden, Clermont, Lake Mary, MetroWest and Kissimmee, we see the difference every week between floors that were done as a “rush job” and floors that were installed correctly from the start.

At Allforliz, we:

• Inspect your existing floors and subfloor conditions
• Check for moisture and flatness issues before we start
• Recommend the right material and installation system for each area of your home
• Provide clear, detailed quotes and stand behind our work with a professional warranty

If you’re planning new flooring and want to avoid the mistakes above:

Get a free flooring estimate in Orlando and Central Florida today and let’s install your next floor the right way from day one.

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‍‍Allforliz • Licensed & Insured • House Painting in Orlando & Central Florida‍

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