I'd get a min/max thermometer and find out how cold the garage gets overnight. If the low temperature is tolerable to the parrots (I think it probably would retain a lot of the heat from the day if you open the doors during the day to let the 70s in and close it up before it starts cooling in the late afternoon) I would keep the birds outside during the day and into the garage at night. For the human, I could go either way on sleeping in the garage or upstairs in the house. Some people are not so bothered: my husband slept in the house with all the windows open when we had our living room floors stained and poly'd - but the smell made me so sick to my stomach I was throwing up and had to sleep on the couch at my dad's house! Here is a link that might be useful: temps for birds

We're getting some estimates on replacing the carpet on most of the first floor of our house with hardwood (we're leaning toward solid but also considering engineered). For those of you who have already been through this (or are in the business), are there any questions you recommend we ask of the dealers? Anything non-obvious we need to look out for? Thanks!

At this point, I would take the money and then 'live with it' for as long as possible. I would counter offer with, "Return my money and I will take the necessary steps to complete my floor project on my own." I can pretty much guarantee they will JUMP at this option. Your floor is fully functional with multiple attempts to get it to the colour you want. I would hate to see any more sanding done at this point. I know it isn't perfect, but it *might be "good enough". The colour you are attempting to create is EXTREMELY difficult to achieve on red oak. The Bona Craft Oil colours are ALL showing 'yellow' tones on white oak. That means there will be yellow tones showing through on red oak. Bona Craft oil advertises 'oiled floors with a finish'. An oil floor is OFTEN yellowish once completed. I'm wondering if the ambering is coming from the Craft Oil itself...simply because that is how it has been designed. The rest of the refinishing issues have to do with colour acceptance over areas that *might have received patch material...and patch (wood patch) will take colour VERY differently. I know this isn't what you were hoping for. I know this is very upsetting - especially after all the attempts to get this done - you will need to find your personal 'cut off' point. When do YOU decide that enough is enough? I would ask for my money back....which is probably what the company would consider acceptable...and move in and move on. Once the furniture is back into place and trim has been put back into place (etc.) you will find 90% of these issues will be hidden.

A two story home should take 3-5 days (depending). The floors in the home look to be red oak. They will have a natural tendency to have peach/salmon tones when 'raw'. The look you are after is 'raw'. Do not use the word 'natural'. It is confusing because in the wood world 'natural' is the colour of wood with oil based poly on it = orange colouring. By using the words "raw look" you will make it clear that you want a wood floor that looks sanded down with nothing on it. Now for the finishes: DuraSeal = low-grade (ie cheap) finish that is rated as professional...but just barely. Bona is a true professional grade brand. It ranges in price (low price = Mega = 1 part cheaper product = turns yellow/orange). The highest price finish = Bona Traffic HD. The HD is the TOUGHEST finish on the market. It comes in 'commercial extra matte'. It gives the look of raw. The oil based products = HUGE odour issues. Which means you will need more than a few days before you move in. The odour is enough to cause migraines and nose bleeds. And it takes as much as 30 days to cure....which can cause BIG delays when moving in. Water based products (the real water based...not waterborne) are clear and have very low odour. The big guns, like Bona Traffic HD or Loba 2K Supra AT have odours that dissipate inside of a day. They take 5-7 days to cure...which means you can move in 7 days after the floors have been finished. You are looking for a raw look finish. You are looking for professionals who KNOW how to work with the expensive 2 part products like Bona HD Traffic. You are looking for refinishers who are willing to spend money on the high end finishes (which means you are willing to spend money on the high end finishes). And it traditionally takes 1 day to sand down everything, tack cloth it and then let it dry. It takes 2 days to properly coat the floors in a total of 3 coats (two coats per day = maximum amount). I think you can kick the 1 day dude to the curb. A single day is ONLY possible if he gives 2 coats = going cheap. Do you LIKE the heavy orange tones??? If you do NOT like ORANGE then you want to stay away from oil based finishes. Remember: 'O' is for "Orange" and "Oil based".