Flooring Scope of Work Checklist: Prep, Patterns, and Protection (CSI 09 60 00)

Flooring is the “jewelry” of the home. It is one of the most expensive finish materials, and clients inspect it closely.

However, flooring installers often bid assuming a “perfect world” scenario: perfectly flat subfloors, perfectly square rooms, and ideal humidity levels. Since construction sites are rarely perfect, these bids are often riddled with hidden costs.

To ensure your flooring bid covers the reality of the job site, use this Flooring Scope of Work Checklist (aligned with CSI Division 09).

The Standard Inclusions (The “Must Haves”)

Whether you are installing Hardwood, Tile, LVP, or Carpet, the basic scope must include:

• Installation: Laying the material per manufacturer specs (Glue-down, Nail-down, or Float).
• Underlayment: Supply and install of pads, cork, or moisture barriers.
• Transitions: Installation of T-moldings, reducers, and thresholds where different floor types meet.
• Layout: Centering the pattern in the room (crucial for Tile and Herringbone wood).
• Grout/Stain: Sealing, staining, and grouting (for tile/site-finished wood).

The “Scope Gaps” (Where You Lose Money)

1. Subfloor Prep (The “Self-Leveler” Surprise)

Flooring manufacturers require the subfloor to be flat within 3/16” over 10 feet.

• The Trap: The subfloor has a dip. The installer arrives and says, “I can’t install until you level this.” They charge $3,000 for bags of self-leveling compound.
• The Fix: Include a specific “Floor Prep Allowance” in the bid (e.g., “Include 4 hours of grinding and 5 bags of leveler”). Or, require a pre-install site visit to verify conditions before mobilization.

2. Moisture Testing

• The Trap: You install hardwood over a new concrete slab. Two weeks later, the wood cups because the concrete was still wet. The installer says, “You didn’t tell me to test it.”
• The Fix: Explicitly require “Moisture testing of substrate prior to installation” and documentation of the results.

3. Protection (Ram Board)

• The Trap: The floors look great. Then the painter comes in to do touch-ups and scratches them. The Flooring sub says, “I’m not responsible for protection.”
• The Fix: Require the Flooring sub to “Supply and Install heavy-duty floor protection (e.g., Ram Board)” immediately upon completion.

4. Shoe Molding (Quarter Round)

• The Trap: The flooring leaves a gap at the wall. The baseboard doesn’t cover it. The Flooring sub didn’t include shoe molding.
• The Fix: Define who installs the shoe molding: The Flooring sub (matching the floor color) or the Trim Carpenter (matching the baseboard color)?

The Threshold and Transition Strategy

Nothing ruins a high-end floor faster than a clunky, “standard” transition strip at a doorway. These are the most visible parts of the flooring project and the source of 50% of client complaints during the walkthrough.

Your scope should specify the type and material of all transitions:

1. Flush Transitions: In modern or high-end designs, clients often expect flush transitions between tile and wood (using a schluter strip or matching wood reducer). This requires the subfloor heights to be adjusted before the floor is laid.
2. Custom Thresholds: Who is supplying the marble or wood thresholds for bathroom entries?
3. Stair Nosings: If the floor meets a staircase, specify if the nosing is “over-the-lip” or a custom flush-mount.

By defining these details in the bidding phase, you ensure the cost of specialized transition hardware is included and the client’s aesthetic expectations are met.

Interface Points (Coordination)

• vs. Doors: If the new flooring is thicker than the old flooring, the doors won’t swing. Who undercuts the doors? Usually, the Flooring sub should include “Undercutting of existing door casings and jambs.”
• vs. Appliances: Who moves the refrigerator? Flooring subs often exclude “moving appliances” to avoid liability for scratching them.
• vs. HVAC: Hardwood needs to acclimate for 3-5 days. The HVAC must be running and the humidity controlled before the wood is delivered.

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Analyzing Flooring Bids with Bid Bench

Flooring math is tricky due to “Waste Factors.”

Bid Bench helps you catch the discrepancies:

1. Waste Check: Our AI compares the “Net Square Footage” (from the plans) to the “Gross Square Footage” (in the bid). If one bidder calculates 10% waste and another calculates 5%, you know who is going to run short on material.
2. Prep detection: It scans the proposal for “Floor Prep” or “Leveling” exclusions.
3. Material Specs: It extracts the specific product SKU to ensure the bidder isn’t swapping your expensive European Oak for a cheaper domestic alternative.

Don’t let your budget hit the floor.
[Start your 30-day free trial of Bid Bench today.]