The ply deck question
Solid is normally secret-nailed to ply. If you're on a screed, that ply deck has to be built — material, labour and added height. It's the single biggest cost difference between a solid and an engineered quote on the same room, and it also affects door and threshold heights.
Moisture testing and acclimatisation
Solid is unforgiving on damp subfloors, so moisture readings are taken before we quote and a DPM is added where the readings demand it. Boards are acclimatised to the room's temperature and humidity before the first one is fixed — that's programme time, and it's non-negotiable.
- Ply deck where the base is screed
- DPM where moisture readings require one
- Acclimatisation time built into the schedule
- Uplift and disposal of the existing covering
Finish choice affects price
Factory-finished boards arrive ready to walk on. Site finishing adds days and cost, but it lets us colour-match to existing joinery or an adjoining floor and removes the micro-bevel line between boards. Both routes are priced openly on the quote.
When engineered is genuinely cheaper
On screed, over underfloor heating, or on wide planks, engineered usually gives you a better finished floor for less money. We'll say so at survey — we quote for the right floor, not the more expensive one.