We had our kitchen floor done with a higher end Karndean in July, 2010. Visitors always mistake it for real wood or at least laminate. It still looks beautiful and is very easy to maintain. I finally got around to applying the Dim Glo stuff which is supposed to be a protective finish. I followed the directions and gave it two coats, but it did result in some hard to detect (but I can find them) smears, which I will have to eventually use their included stripper product to get off. They no longer make Dim Glo, which I am sorry I used. Overall we are very satisfied with our residential Karndean. I saw the installation which was done by professionals who used a heavy roller to set it in right. It is not a DIY product!

I would ask why such a steep price for installation. Ask which order the kitchen will be put back together. A small room installation cost could work out because they use a "day" wage for small projects. I've heard of minimum charges of 1/2 day of work or 1 full day of work regardless of how long it takes. But I'm suspicious of this because the installer has MANY other things going on (or so I believe by your post). A person who is redoing someone's kitchen will often give a little so they can gain the entire project. The small space install only works if the ONLY THING s/he's doing is installing. And I never buy the 'nothing else needs doing' jazz. A sheet vinyl floor can have some WONKY substrates underneath (can look like a roller coaster ride). Sheet materials are VERY forgiving. A plank vinyl is NOT forgiving...at all. In fact, a poorly prepared substrate is GUARANTEED to void your warranty. And I mean 99.3% of the time the lack of prep is going to void your warranty IMMEDIATELY (before he leaves for home). I think you have some conversations coming up in the next few days. And to be clear for us, is this the SAME person who is doing the ENTIRE renovation?

Johnson has an EXCELLENT point here: the treatment could be worse than the disease. These are engineered floors that are GLUED DOWN! Wow. What could go wrong (she asks with tongue firmly in cheek;-)? Here's my take on this situation. Do nothing - for now. Register your complaint with the company. Explain to them that the 'mix' isn't what you paid for. You 'caught' the issue and told the INSTALLER about the issue WELL BEFORE the stain went down. The installer INSISTED it was fine. Now here we are...the issue is still the issue (hmmm...weird how the issue didn't change, right?). Your DUE DILIGENCE is over. The lack of response is now on the shoulders of the company who sold and supplied the floor to you AND the guy who did the install (assuming guy is an employee/subcontractor source through the company). Great. Now that we know where things are sitting (on their shoulders not yours), you can start the negotiations. You will INSIST that SOMETHING be done for you. Because the floor is cured and ready to be lived on, it is a fully functional floor. You, with the grace and goodness in your heart will try to 'live with it' for 3 months. If you find you are able to 'put up' with the mismatch you will do so. In exchange for your acceptance of their mistake will accept a discount on the TOTAL bill. You will negotiate this amount BEFORE you 'live with it' (out of the goodness of your heart). Personally I think the cost difference between the regular mix and what you PAID for will be what is acceptable to both parties. Remember: you have a fully functional, WELL MATCHED stained wood floor. For many people that is worth it's weight in gold. What you paid for was a more expensive floor. What you received was a cheaper/normal mix. Find out the purchase price difference for your project (include all the waste) and put it in writing. It will be up to you to reach out (after 3 months has passed) to tell the company what you have decided to do. And they will do it. Remember: money in the bank after a remodel is a REALLY GOOD THING. But it is up to your personal decision as to whether or not you can 'live with' the mistake. Not everyone can. Homeowner Know thyself.

When I was a child growing up in a 100 year old house, my parents bred chocolate labs and golden retrievers. We had at least 4 80+ dogs in the house at all times, plus puppies and cats, plus 4 kids and our friends , and 3 adults. Hardwood throughout. My own 200 year old home has the original hardwood floors. There is a reason for this. Hardwood floors can take endless beatings and survive. Please don’t think hardwood can’t stand up to hard traffic. You would be doing yourself, your house, and future occupants of your house an incredible disservice if you cover good hardwood with a faddish synthetic.