Engineered wood flooring is normally comprised of a veneer of hardwood on several layers of plywood. This design grants freedom for installation in situations where you normally couldn?t lay hardwood floors. Obstacles such as concrete slabs, radiant heat, and below grade sit's that would pose a problem for solid hardwood flooring are the exact situations engineered wood flooring was created for. Available in all of the latest colors, species, and plank widths that are currently trending; engineered wood flooring is a great option for getting the floors you're in love with on a site that is not optimal for them.

Radiant heat is a great option for in home climate control. It provides even heat without the dramatic temperature differences or uneven warming of the upper and lower portions of a room. Unfortunately radiant heat dries out the flooring and sub-flooring around it making solid hardwood a relatively poor choice. When solid hardwood flooring becomes too dry it will start to shrink causing gapping and various other problems. However engineered wood flooring has layers of plywood designed to deal with the expansion and contraction due to varied amounts of moisture without damaging the board or hardwood veneer itself. This makes engineered wood flooring an excellent option when considering floors over radiant heat.

Concrete slab is very common in apartments, basements and on the first floor of homes across the country. While radiant heat removes moisture from the site, concrete is constantly releasing moisture into the area; especially below grade. A solid hardwood floor absorbing moisture will start to cup, crown, buckle, and warp as the moisture content rises. These issues are usually difficult and expensive to remedy if they can be remedied at all. It is possible to build a plywood sub floor and anchor it into the concrete, but this is not always an option and adds to the cost and complication of the job. Engineered wood flooring can be glued or floated over concrete slab, making for an easier and less costly installation. The plywood under the veneer allows engineered wood flooring to expand if needed without causing it to fail. The more layers of plywood, the better it can handle these fluctuations.

Whether you're dealing with a concrete slab or radiant heat, the hardwood floors you were hoping for are not out of reach. Engineered wood flooring is available in almost every species and stain you can think of. Manufacturers even produce handscraped and varied width planks to replicate the vintage or rustic look of reclaimed wood. No matter what design you had in mind, it's possible to overcome these obstacles and achieve the home of your dreams with engineered wood flooring.

For more information please visit our homepage: www.themenwithtools.com

If you know you won't finish a project by the deadline, or if something's happened on-site to slow your progress, it may be time to bring in a subcontractor. Another pair of hands will help you wrap things up in a punctual fashion. But how can you find a reliable subcontractor in a sea of the unlicensed and untrained? Here are just a few tips for finding a good, honest professional to help you finish the job on time.

Check their credentials

Just like the client looked into your background before hiring you, it's important that you Don't take on any subcontractors until you've done your homework. Are they licensed with the state as a contractor or journeyman? Are they affiliated with your local Home Improvement Commission or Registrar of Contractors? In the UK, where such official bodies do not exist, a reviews website or a recommendation from peers is as good as you'll probably get. Don't forget about liability insurance, either; a legitimate subcontractor should come with their own.

Talk to your materials supplier

Suppliers often have a number of contacts in their field, so even if they Don't know a subcontractor specifically, they might still be able to put you in touch with someone who can get the job done. For example, if you're laying oak, your supplier might know a guy with experience in hardwood flooring. If you're replacing a mantelplace, your stone supplier might know a professional stone mason.

Call the Chamber of Commerce

The local chapter of your Chamber of Commerce(UK) might be able to pull up some names or look into a directory of registered subcontractors. Not only will this be much more efficient than scouring the Yellow Pages yourself, but you'll know for sure that the names come attached to licensed and cataloged professionals. You also won't have to play any guessing games regarding their experience.

Give them a trial run

Since you Don't have time to leisurely examine portfolios, give your potential subcontractor a trial by fire. Put them to work on a small task, like tiling the roof or tearing down the remains of a wall, to see how their resume really translates in the field. Before you accept responsibility for everything they do on the site, make sure they have what you're looking for on the job.

Prices will vary

One thing to be aware of when bringin in freelance subcontractors is that prices can vary wildly. For example, you could get a really cheap quote from a plasterer who has been skimped for work for the last few months. Alternatively, a busy plasterer with lots of jobs in the pipeline will not feel the need to charge as much because he is in a more secure position. Rates will, of course, also vary between professions. For example, if you're looking for a quantity surveyor, expect to pay more than you would for an electrician.

Ask the client

If all else fails, Don't be afraid to admit your shortcomings to the client. there's a good chance they'd rather have your honesty than a rush job, and they might be able to come up with a few recommendations for contractors they've employed in the past. The project can still be completed on schedule if everyone works together.

When you're under an ever-looming deadline, consider this your guide to hiring a subcontractor before it's too late. Remember, the reputation of your business could be at stake unless you finish the project on time!

Welcome to the first part of a three-part blog series on basement options. As remodeling experts, we know that there are many decisions that go into refinishing or remodeling a basement. Some of those decisions will be based solely on the needs and wants of the homeowner; whereas other decisions may need to be made quickly based on an immediate situation. (These dilemmas are precisely why we offer our unique TruYouDesign? process.)

For today's post, we are going to discuss some of the options homeowners have for basement flooring. Floors can sometimes be overlooked in the excitement of planning out your new finished basement, but choosing the right type of floor is vital to your enjoyment of the investment you're making.

Basement Flooring Ideas

There are lots of choices for home flooring; however, because your basement is below-grade (meaning below the ground level), your options are limited.

? Carpet?s Okay?Maybe.
Carpet is warm and cozy and seems to be the logical floor covering for a cool basement. But there is debate within the home improvement/building community as to the acceptability of carpet here. If you know you have a dry basement, and you Don't get moisture vapor that comes through your concrete slab subfloor, carpet may be a suitable choice. But if you have had a water problem in the past, you must consider the hassle and implications of a perpetually damp or wet carpet?these conditions are an invitation for mold and mildew.

? Use Sub-Flooring Specifically Designed For Basements.
There are a number of products designed specifically as sub-flooring for basements. These products form a barrier to any moisture that might permeate the concrete slab underneath. Their special design provides an air space between the concrete and the sub-floor which allows any moisture to dry.

These sub-flooring products fall into a couple of categories: membranes (basically a rubberized mat), and OSB-topped plastic tiles (OSB stands for Oriented Strand Board, an engineered wood product). Both forms use a dimpled structure that ?lifts? the sub-floor off the slab, keeping the flooring on top isolated from the concrete and any moisture.

? Use All-In-One Floor/Sub-Floor Tiles.
These products combine a finished floor surface on top of plastic sub-floor tiles. The top surface looks like wood or tile or even carpeting.!

? Go With Stamped/Colored Concrete.
Why mess with materials and sub-floors made from organic materials that can ultimately harbor mold? Use stamped and/or colored concrete as your floor. The design possibilities are plentiful and you Don't have to worry about moisture problems associated with carpet or wood.

? Warm It Up With Radiant In-Floor Heat.
Combine the previous idea (a decorative concrete floor) with in-floor radiant heat for a comfortable and attractive design. The best time to do this is before the floor is poured, so it is best in either in a new home or an addition to an existing home. However there are products that can be retrofitted to existing basements where the system is installed under the top floor covering. With any retrofit, however, the same ?right choices? should be made relative to the kind of flooring you use.

? One more thing?
Be sure to check the warranty of the product you intend to use. The fine print might reveal that the product is not covered when used in below-grade installations (i.e. basements).

Check back for Part 2 of this three-part series on Basement Options, where we?ll discuss the ceiling choices homeowners have! In the meantime, Don't forget you can always contact us at MDV Remodeling for a free estimate on any remodeling work you are considering for your home.

*header image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons