Hi, We are going to install cork click flooring and would appreciate your help with leveling the floor. * It is a small kitchen, less than 10'x10'. * We are on a concrete slab. * We discovered a layer of vinyl flooring underneath the current tile. * There are undulations/dips in the floor. Questions: - Should we remove the layer of vinyl? (1989, so no asbestos) - What brand of leveling compound would you recommend? - What is the best/simplest way of containing the compound? Any other suggestions/pointers are appreciated. Thanks! :)

thx so much for your input on it. I'd probably end up with the same amount of counter space. It'd have to go next to the wall to the right of the sink (with about a 16" space in between) - where the fridge is now. I'd have to move the fridge over to the other end (left of the stove). I could make it a 'wall unit' thingy - putting the micro on top of it - which would put the micro at a good level for me. the micro would be taking up counter space (or on a shelf under a cabinet) anyway. then the space below it - I'm not sure but was thinking might work out as a 'dog bar' area. Like the recent reno w/ the cat bar. not sure how all that'd look tho. still, it goes back to if I'm paying extra to move the plumbing and electrical I might as well spend the extra bucks and get a drawer unit... my thinking anyway. I'm waffling on the drawer vs the KA 18". I could save money on the KA and just be grateful for the days I could use it. I figured up and I haven't had a DW since 1990 and i'm still alive. I am planning easy access 'housing' for paper plates and plastic utensils for the bad times anyway. but it was nice to know my friend was thinking of options for me. She did a total remodel of her kitchen about 2 yrs ago. kicked into her garage a few feet to expand it etc. It's a lovely kitchen now. She's been thru it!

Your contractor *should.* know these order of operations. It’s what you pay them for. Unfortunately, many are too cheap to include the power bill for a couple of months of finish work and drying out the home. It should be made clear in no uncertain terms that the HVAC MUST be up and running before finish materials are installed. It isn’t optional. Yes, after drywall. Drywall is a major contributor to indoor moisture levels. Which is why the HVAC must focus on removing the moisture of wet wood and drywall. That may require additional dehumidifiers. And this is why *actual moisture readings* of subfloors, walls, and air, are all part of what a good GC will make sure happens. Those readings will be important if there is a warranty claim and the issue is too much moisture.

Elephant in the Room: "...we are having a friend do the install..." This is fine with flooring (as in hallways, bedrooms, etc) but not a great idea with stairs. As everyone has said (and I will repeat myself) stairs are EXPENSIVE because they deal with CODE. A 'friend' will have to be willing to take ALL LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY should the product that s/he applies cause A. injury or B. fail code. Most friends aren't that excited to be on the hook for 'helping out'. Carpets HIDE the WORST MATERIALS in the building world. By worst I mean CHEAP and POORLY made. That NORMALLY includes OSB. OSB can be the cheapest of the cheap. It is made up of 'chips' of wood glued together with a waxy substance. The very make up of OSB PREVENTS stuff from being GLUED to the surface. Enter: Vinyl stair covering. Vinyl planks/nosing MUST BE GLUED to the stair's substrate. Imagine the substrate as the WORST OSB possible. Stairs need to be strong and meet minimum code. Builders LOVE to use the CHEAPEST MATERIALS on stairs because stairs are INHERENTLY expensive. So....save $300 on the stairs and you have $300 in your pocket (the GC/Builder). So long as stairs are DESIGNED to be carpeted the architect and builder have NO INCENTIVE to make it out of anything other than OSB. I know this is all new to you. So I will spell this out for you: your assumption about plywood (plywood is EXPENSIVE = saved for places where it is NEEDED) is, sadly, a problem. A plywood stair would be AWESOME for your situation. But I would bet dollars to doughnuts you have OSB. And the subfloor UPSTAIRS is probably going to be OSB as well (see discussion about costs of plywood). OSB does VERY WELL under carpet. Carpet can cover hills and valleys and sagging sections of the subfloor (OSB does ALL of those things and MORE). As soon as you want to put down a rigid floor (where carpet used to be) you MUST ASSUME a LOT of patch/repair. Again, this is where the COST of the repair comes in. I have told my clients to BUDGET $2-$4/sf worth of SUBFLOOR REPAIR when removing carpet. Yes. That is the same price as the vinyl planks themselves. The subfloor repair can DOUBLE the cost of your project. Now ask your friend if s/he is GOING to do the 8-16 hours worth of work to PROPERLY prepare the subfloor upstairs. This is when using a friend gets tricky. So long as you are paying them FULL MARKET VALUE for their labour/skills, your friendship will remain solid. If they are doing this for beer and pizza, then things are going to get VERY tense. I know this is new to you, so be PREPARED for MUCH BIGGER project costs than you originally anticipated. If you have to repair the upstairs subfloor AND REBUILD (remove the OSB and then lay down NEW PLYWOOD on) the stairs you are in for a MASSIVE bill. Rebuilding stairs is worth the same price of the vinyl AND the cost of labour to repair the upstairs subfloor. It runs in the THOUSANDS of dollars. Just so you know.