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noracoombs
Citizen
Username: Noracoombs
Post Number: 148
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 10:36 pm: | 
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Looking for some opinions here: The hardwood floors on a good portion of our third floor were covered over (I'm guessing) some time ago with linoleum tiles. We want to have the linoleum pulled up and the floors refinished, but it's looking like that's going to be a difficult job--not so much because of the tiles themselves (which come up fairly easily), but because of the black gooky stuff that held them down. (Not to mention the possibility of asbestos...)
We've had two contractors come in to give estimates. One contractor was fairly optimistic about being able to do the job successfully and provided an estimate that was high, but not unreasonable. The other contractor (who we've used before and have been happy with) was very hesitant about being able to pull up the linoleum and get rid of the black stuff without completely ruining the floor below and having to put in a new floor. His suggestion was to put in a new floating or laminate floor, which he could install over the linoleum. The cost of the new floor, combined with the labor, would be maybe 25% less than the first contractor's cost.
Both contractors are well regarded on MOL and have received numerous recommendations. The few other contractors I've called have either not gotten back to me or turned down the job (too difficult).
The question: who do you go with?
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Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11592
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 7:36 am: |
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If the tiles are 9x9 they are almost certainly asbestos and there is a good chance that the black mastic also contains asbestos. There was a big thread on removing these tiles a couple of weeks ago. In any event, it isn't a good idea (actually a really bad idea) to sand the floors with any of the mastic or tile still on the floor if they are asbestos. |
Jennifer Pickett
Citizen
Username: Jpickett
Post Number: 218
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:04 pm: |
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You can get a new floor from someone you are happy with for cheaper and in the process not put your health at risk?? Restoring original material is nice, but unless your house is already >90% original materials, I would go with the second guy. |
noracoombs
Citizen
Username: Noracoombs
Post Number: 149
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, May 22, 2006 - 10:48 pm: |
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Good point, Jennifer--should have mentioned that one room on the third floor is linoleum-free--it was covered with a carpet when we moved in. We removed the carpet and had the floor refinished, and it is simply gorgeous. So there definitely is an aesthetic element on the "remove the linoleum" side of the argument....if I could be sure that the other floors would look as good (and if the asbestos danger could be controlled), it would be totally worth the extra $$ to keep the original floors. |
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