We had our whole house re floored in LVP In June 2021. Within a few months a portion of the kitchen started bubbling up and splitting at the seems. The flooring guy originally came and said that he believed it was sun damage coming from our glass sliding door. We ended up replacing the door with uv protection glass and the flooring guy replaced the whole kitchen floor with a moisture barrier paper underneath. During the demo they said there was possible moisture on the floor. We had a plumber out and he determined we did not have a leak. Just a few months later it started to happen again in a different area of the kitchen. When they installed the lvp originally they went right over tile, so this time he took up the tile as well so we could see what was happening. There was no obvious water or leak. We then had all our pipes looked at. Our drain pipes scooped. Inside and outside, pool, etc. Spent a ton of $ on tests. There was no leak to be found. We think we must have a foundation slab that has a high moisture content or the soil below has a lot of moisture? That’s all we could come up with. This time for the 3rd installation they put down a moisture barrier epoxy, a wood plank sub floor, and glued the lvp down to that. It made it a year after that, but we have the same problem happening again. So they have replaced the flooring in the kitchen 3 times in less than 3 years and it needs to be replaced again now. We had the manufacturer out and they of course blamed the installation. It is mind boggling. We have had so many plumbers, and flooring companies out and no one has ever agreed on what the problem is. So, I have to replace the kitchen floors again and this time need to do something other than the LVP that matches the rest of the house. I have heard about epoxy/ painted concrete flooring and thought that might flow better than tile. Do you have a knowledge as to if it would hold up to moisture fumes as that is our best guess as to the moisture problem we have? Tile is the other option and that is what was originally in the house and there didn’t seem to be any issues with tile. any ideas?

I don't see a problem with pulling the carpet back a bit out of the corners for instance to get a better look at what's below. The hard work is already done, it has been cut and fitted. It's just taking it off the tack strips and, if it doesn't look promising, pulling it back to catch on the strips, You may not even have to rent a knee kicker. You will not have lost anything, just back to where you were. Until you take that step, you will be speculating. It's better to find out once and for all, then you can do something, or live with what you decide to do. It's possible, there is something good you can evelop. I have ripped out old, disgusting, dusty carpets in a couple of houses and found hardwood floors, which I refinished. They were in really bad condition, but I put a lot of work into fixing them. There are ways to patch using salvaged materials, bleaching pet stains, etc., so even the most horrid looking work can be rejuvenated and become a treasure. Ted

“Do you have any exposed brick?” All of the brick is covered in plaster, but I would seriously consider exposing a brick wall. “Are your stair treads and risers wood?” No; carpet. But a future project will almost certainly be removing the dark laminate floors and replacing them with a lighter hardwood. When that happens, I suspect we’ll also remove the carpet from the stairs and install hardwood rises and treads. “Do you like the mood of your current dining room? It reads dark, without much ambient lighting.” Yes and no. I like the colors in the dining room – green paint, some original red-brown wood on the door and stair rail, white trim, and black cabinet (painted white inside). We have similar colors in the living room – the same green paint, white trim, reclaimed wood shelves supported by cast iron brackets, and a new (modern-ish) stained glass transom window over the door. There is a casual slipcover couch, that is white. The former fireplace, that is now a built-in bookcase, is also white. Red-brown piano. What we don’t like: the dining room is still a little dark, although new track lighting and brigher lights in center of the room have helped a lot. In some places the space in and between the rooms flows oddly. So I guess my overall inclination is to try to embrace some of the things that seem warm or quirky about the house - but open up the space, improve lighting, etc. “Have you decided what you are doing with the opening to the DR?” The plan right now is employ Rebunky’s idea. To cut away some of the left hand entry – the deep side – and infill the right wall only as deep and high as is necessary to cover the sides of the new cabinets. That keeps the space open for light to pass through, and it prevents any new visual barriers from hampering conversations between people in the kitchen and dining area. We have also tentatively decided on the skylight, and additional lights in the kitchen. There is a single overhead light in the kitchen now, so while the ceiling is out we’ll put in a series of new lights. “If you go with timeless neutrals you'll be able to decorate with color rather than rip out a backsplash when your taste changes.” This is very good point. And it sounds like everyone agrees that in trying to match the warmth and colors of the current house, we're getting too dark. I'm going to step back from the backsplash idea and try to think about what might keep the look a little more light or open. My original idea - gray and white - would certainly have been airier. We could, of course, still chose this. Then again, my husband likes the red-brown cabinets, and they do fit the setting. So maybe what I should think about is how to complement and balance the choice, rather than trying to layer on elements that dark or rich.

You say that you sense the smell mostly in the air. Is it possible that this particular area is just an area where other household odors accumulate? We have two such areas in our house, where odors will collect and linger- one is in a central area in the entryway, the other is in a bathroom that is in a back corner. One of those I can see having limited air circulation, but the first seems like odors would move through quickly, yet they don't and odors from other parts of the house will essentially leave those parts of the house and collect in these. I was just wondering if it was possible that the smell is coming from elsewhere (say a nearby bathroom or laundry room?) and is hanging there? What happens if you put a small fan in that area later in the day? Would the smell still be in that area with the fan on or off? The other thing that comes to my mind is bed linens- particularly any down or feather product. I've had issues on occasion with these getting funny/smelly odors that come and go, and it's very hard to pinpoint the issue, even when smelling the comforter or pillow directly. It's only by removing the item from the area/house for a little while, that we were able to pinpoint exactly what it was. I've noticed this problem more when the humidity is higher and it was worse later in the day when temperatures in the house had increased, and like I said, it smells fine some of the time and then other times there is a weird funk. I hope you can find the source. It sounds very annoying.