Question 1

What flooring does Brazil Floors install?

Accepted Answer

We install unfinished and prefinished hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank and laminate. We also sand, stain and refinish wood floors, repair damaged boards, redo stairs and put in molding.

Question 2

Do you sell the flooring too?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We bring samples to your home, you pick the floor, and our own crew installs it. Buying the material and the labor from us is how you save up to 30 percent.

Question 3

Which areas do you serve?

Accepted Answer

Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey and New York. Not sure we reach your town, send us a text with your zip code.

Question 4

Who actually does the work?

Accepted Answer

Our own installers and sanders. We don't hand your job to a crew we met that week.

Question 5

Are you licensed and insured?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Brazil Floors is licensed in every state we work in and fully insured.

Question 6

Do you work on commercial projects?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We do all of our services for commercial spaces too, like stores, offices and restaurants. Hardwood, vinyl plank, laminate, sanding, refinishing, stairs and molding, the same work we do in homes.

Question 7

Do you install tile or carpet?

Accepted Answer

Not right now. We work with hardwood, vinyl plank and laminate, plus sanding, refinishing, repairs, stairs and molding.

Question 8

Do you help with design?

Accepted Answer

Yes. During the visit we help you pick the color, board width and layout, with the samples right there in your rooms.

Question 9

What if you find a problem under the old floor?

Accepted Answer

We stop and show you. A soft subfloor, moisture or rot gets explained with the options and the price, and nothing extra happens until you say yes.

Question 10

Do you clean up when you're done?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We vacuum, sweep and haul away the old flooring and the scraps before we leave.

Question 11

Is the estimate really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We come to your home the next day with samples, measure every room and leave you a written price. No charge and no pressure.

Question 12

How do I book an estimate?

Accepted Answer

Book online, call 800-909-0730 or send us a text. We'll be at your home the next day.

Question 13

What do I need for an accurate estimate?

Accepted Answer

Nothing special. Tell us which rooms and what kind of floor you're thinking about, and we measure everything at the visit.

Question 14

Can you give me a price from photos?

Accepted Answer

Photos help us talk it through, but the real price comes from the visit, because we measure every room and check the subfloor.

Question 15

What if I change my plans after the estimate?

Accepted Answer

Just tell us. We update the written price before any work starts.

Question 16

How do I reschedule my visit?

Accepted Answer

Text or call us and we'll move it. Please don't book a second time online, so we don't end up with two visits.

Question 17

What time will you arrive?

Accepted Answer

We text you the day before, around 4 PM, once the next day's schedule is set. On the day of the job, we text you again about an hour before the crew gets there.

Question 18

Should everyone who decides be there?

Accepted Answer

It helps. That way everyone sees the samples in your own rooms, under your own light, and you can decide together.

Question 19

Is there a minimum job size?

Accepted Answer

No job is too small for us. For sanding and installation, though, we have a minimum charge equal to 500 square feet. That's what it costs us to send out a two person crew with a van and materials.

Question 20

I rent my home. Can you still do the work?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Whoever books the job and pays for it is our customer, and we take it from there.

Question 21

My building or HOA has rules. Can you work with them?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Tell us about work hours, elevator use or any paperwork your building needs before the job, so we can plan for it.

Question 22

Can you give my building a certificate of insurance?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We carry workers' compensation, commercial auto insurance and liability coverage up to $5 million, and we can send your building or HOA a certificate of insurance.

Question 23

How soon can the work start?

Accepted Answer

The day after you approve the estimate. For refinishing, the crew starts sanding that next day. For new flooring, that first day is delivery: the flooring sits in your home for 3 days to acclimate, then we install it.

Question 24

Why does the flooring sit in my house before you install it?

Accepted Answer

Flooring takes on moisture from the air. Leaving it in your home for 3 days lets it adjust to your temperature and humidity, so it doesn't shrink or swell after it's down.

Question 25

Do I need to be home during the job?

Accepted Answer

No. We just need a way into the house, the first payment when we start and the final payment when we finish. If you can set that up ahead of time, you don't need to be there.

Question 26

How should I get my home ready?

Accepted Answer

Take small items, rugs, wall hangings and anything fragile out of the rooms. If there's big furniture, tell us during the visit and we'll talk about how to handle it.

Question 27

How do you protect my home while you work?

Accepted Answer

We cover doorways and nearby surfaces with plastic and blue painter's tape before we start, and we work carefully around walls, cabinets and furniture.

Question 28

Who do I talk to during the job?

Accepted Answer

You have our office and a project manager who visits the job from start to finish, so there's always someone who knows your floor.

Question 29

Do you take out my old floor?

Accepted Answer

Yes, when it needs to come out. Some floors can go right over what's there, and we'll tell you which during the visit.

Question 30

What should I do with my pets?

Accepted Answer

Keep them in a closed room or out of the house while we work. Doors stay open, tools are everywhere, and fresh finish doesn't mix with paws.

Question 31

Do you install transitions where floors meet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Where hardwood or vinyl meets tile, carpet or another room, we put in a matching threshold or reducer so the edge is safe and clean.

Question 32

How much does hardwood installation cost?

Accepted Answer

Installing unfinished hardwood is $2.00 per square foot and prefinished is $2.25. If you buy the wood from us too, our unfinished hardwood package is $5.50 per square foot and prefinished is $6.00, material and installation included.

Question 33

How much does refinishing cost?

Accepted Answer

$2.25 per square foot. That covers sanding to bare wood, your stain color and three coats of polyurethane.

Question 34

How much does vinyl plank cost?

Accepted Answer

Installation is $2.00 per square foot. Our luxury vinyl plank package, with material and installation, is $5.00 per square foot.

Question 35

How do you charge for stairs?

Accepted Answer

By the step. Installing new treads is $60 per step, and sanding and refinishing is a flat $50 per step.

Question 36

Do you install flooring I bought somewhere else?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Buy it wherever you like and we'll install it. Our labor price is the same if the flooring comes from us or from another store.

Question 37

What can change my price?

Accepted Answer

Stairs, raised thresholds, subfloor repairs, taking out the old floor and the board width you pick. We check all of it during the visit, so the written price is the one you pay.

Question 38

How long is my estimate good for?

Accepted Answer

Your price doesn't expire. Call us today or a year from now and we'll honor the number on your estimate.

Question 39

Do you give discounts for big projects?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Bigger jobs, like a whole floor or the entire house, get a volume discount, and you'll see it on your written estimate.

Question 40

Will you beat another quote?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Show us a written quote for the same work and we'll match it or beat it.

Question 41

Is there a discount for booking online?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Book online and you get $250 off.

Question 42

Do you offer financing?

Accepted Answer

Ask us during your free estimate and we'll go over the payment options for your project.

Question 43

Do you need a deposit?

Accepted Answer

No. We don't take any money before the work starts. Flooring we already have on hand is paid for when we deliver it. Installation is paid when our crew arrives at your home to start. For sanding, staining and refinishing, you pay half when the crew arrives to begin and the other half when they're putting on the final coat.

Question 44

What forms of payment do you take?

Accepted Answer

We take cash, checks, Venmo, Zelle and Cash App.

Question 45

Unfinished or prefinished, which is better?

Accepted Answer

Unfinished boards are sanded and stained in your home, so you get the exact color and a smooth, sealed surface. Prefinished boards come coated from the factory, go in faster and you can walk on them the same day.

Question 46

Solid or engineered hardwood?

Accepted Answer

Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished many times over its life. Engineered hardwood has a real wood top over a stable core, so it handles humidity better and works over concrete and in finished basements.

Question 47

Which wood holds up best?

Accepted Answer

Red and white oak are the most common and wear well. Maple and hickory are harder and a good fit for busy homes. We bring samples so you can feel the difference.

Question 48

Do you install herringbone, chevron or diagonal floors?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We lay herringbone, chevron and diagonal floors, plus custom border designs. Send us a photo of what you like and we'll price it during the visit.

Question 49

Is hardwood a good idea with dogs and kids?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with the right choices. Harder woods like hickory and maple, a matte or satin finish and a lighter color all hide scratches better. If spills and accidents happen every day, vinyl plank may suit you better.

Question 50

Where shouldn't hardwood go?

Accepted Answer

Full bathrooms, laundry rooms and most basements, where water and humidity can make it cup or swell. Waterproof vinyl plank is the safer pick there.

Question 51

Which floor is best for a kitchen?

Accepted Answer

Vinyl plank is the safest bet because it's waterproof. Hardwood works too if you wipe up spills fast and keep a mat by the sink.

Question 52

How long does installation take?

Accepted Answer

Most installations under 2,000 square feet are done in one day. Bigger homes, subfloor repairs or unfinished wood that still needs sanding and coats can add time, and we'll give you the schedule during the visit.

Question 53

How long do hardwood floors last?

Accepted Answer

Decades, with basic care. Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished several times over its life.

Question 54

Can new hardwood be refinished later?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Solid hardwood can be refinished many times. Engineered hardwood can usually be refinished once or twice, depending on how thick the top layer is.

Question 55

Does hardwood help when I sell my home?

Accepted Answer

Buyers look for it. Real wood floors are one of the things people notice first in a listing and at a showing.

Question 56

Why do my floors get gaps in the winter?

Accepted Answer

Heat dries the air, and the boards shrink a little, so thin gaps open between them. In humid summer months the wood swells back and the gaps close. Keeping indoor humidity between 35 and 55 percent with a humidifier keeps that movement small.

Question 57

Why are my boards cupping?

Accepted Answer

When the edges of the boards sit higher than the centers, moisture is coming from below, usually a damp basement, a crawl space or a leak. Fix the moisture first. Sanding a cupped floor too soon can leave it crowned once it dries out.

Question 58

Is winter a good time to refinish?

Accepted Answer

Yes. With the windows closed and the heat on, the air is dry and the finish cures well. Summer humidity is what slows it down.

Question 59

Can hardwood go over radiant floor heat?

Accepted Answer

Engineered hardwood and vinyl plank are the safer choices over radiant heat, because they move less as the floor warms and cools. We'll look at your system during the visit.

Question 60

I live near the water. Solid or engineered hardwood?

Accepted Answer

Engineered hardwood or vinyl plank. Homes near the coast see bigger humidity swings, and engineered boards move a lot less than solid ones.

Question 61

Should I refinish or replace my floor?

Accepted Answer

If the boards are solid and there's enough wood left above the tongue, refinishing is almost always cheaper. Deep water damage, rot or floors sanded too many times are when replacing makes more sense. We'll tell you honestly which one you have.

Question 62

What's the difference between sanding and refinishing?

Accepted Answer

Sanding, the way we use it, is for new raw floors that just went in. Refinishing is for floors you already live on: we take off the old finish, fix what's loose and put on new stain and coats.

Question 63

How long does refinishing take?

Accepted Answer

For floors under 1,500 square feet, a natural color with oil based or water based polyurethane takes 3 days. A stained floor takes 4 days. We always ask you to plan one extra day so nothing catches you off guard, which means 5 days is a safe plan for any job under 1,500 square feet.

Question 64

How long do I stay off the floor after refinishing?

Accepted Answer

Stay off the floor for 24 hours after the final coat. Furniture can go back 48 hours after the final coat.

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Your New Floors
Start Here.