How to Choose a Timber Flooring Installer in Perth: 12 Questions to Ask

Quick answer: A good timber flooring installer will measure on site, test your slab for moisture, explain how they'll prepare the subfloor, name the exact product, and give you an itemised written quote with a workmanship warranty. If an installer can't answer those points clearly, or quotes over the phone without seeing the floor, keep looking.

You can buy the best boards in Perth and still end up with a floor that squeaks, gaps or lifts. The difference is almost always the installation. Timber is a natural material laid over concrete that holds water and is rarely flat. Handling both takes skill, patience and the right gear.

The problem is that most homeowners have no way to judge an installer until the job is finished. By then, it's too late. These 12 questions will tell you most of what you need to know before you sign. They're the questions we'd want asked of us at Nulook Timber Flooring, and they apply to anyone you're comparing.

Before You Start: Red Flags to Watch For

A few things should make you cautious straight away:

• A price over the phone without anyone seeing the floor
• "We don't need to test the slab"
• No written quote, or a quote with one lump-sum number
• A large deposit demanded before any work or materials are ordered
• Pressure to sign today for a "special price"
• No address, ABN or insurance details

None of these prove someone is bad at the job. But good installers rarely do any of them, because they don't need to. Their calendar is usually booked a few weeks ahead, and that's a good sign in itself.

The 12 Questions

1. Will you come and measure on site?

Every Perth home is different. Measuring on site lets the installer see what's on the floor now, how it's stuck down, where the doors and sliding tracks are, and how the floor will meet tiled wet areas. An installer who quotes purely from a floor plan is guessing, and guesses tend to become variations later.

2. Will you test the slab for moisture?

This is the question that sorts people fastest. Concrete holds moisture, and timber glued or floated over a damp slab can cup, swell or lift. A good installer will test before quoting and again before laying, and will explain what they'll do if readings are high. The ATFA's consumer site, Floor Choices, explains how timber reacts to moisture.

3. How will you prepare the subfloor?

Listen for specifics: grinding off old adhesive, checking flatness with a straight edge, self-levelling low spots, fixing cracks. Most manufacturers want no more than about 3 mm of variation under a 3 m straight edge. "We'll just lay it" isn't an answer. Our guide to installing timber flooring over concrete explains what proper prep looks like.

4. Which installation method will you use, and why?

Glue-down, floating or nail-down? Each suits different floors and subfloors. On a Perth slab, engineered timber is usually glued down. Hybrid is always floated. An installer should be able to explain their choice for your home, not just what they always do. Our comparison of floating vs glue-down vs nail-down floors covers the trade-offs.

5. What exactly is the product?

"Engineered oak" can mean a 1.2 mm veneer on a budget core or a 6 mm wear layer on premium plywood. Ask for:

• Brand and range name
• Species and grade
• Board width, length and thickness
• Wear layer thickness (for engineered)
• Coating type and warranty

Then you can compare quotes like for like, and check the product warranty yourself.

6. What adhesive, underlay or moisture barrier do you use?

Cheap, rigid adhesives crack as timber moves through the seasons. Flexible flooring adhesives from established systems (Sika, Uzin, Wakol, Bona and similar) are made for it. Using the product manufacturer's recommended adhesive also protects the product warranty. For floating floors, ask about the underlay and moisture barrier.

7. Is everything itemised in the written quote?

A proper quote lists:

Item	Why it matters
Product and m² (including waste)	Stops "we ran short" surprises
Strip-out and disposal	Tile removal alone can be $35–$75 per m²
Grinding and levelling	Often left off cheap quotes
Adhesive or underlay	Affects warranty and feel
Skirting, scotia and trims	Easy to forget, adds up fast
Stairs (priced per step)	Slow, skilled work
GST	Is it included or not?

If the quote says "subject to site conditions" with no allowance for prep, ask what that could cost. Our Perth timber flooring cost guide gives typical prices for each line.

8. Who will actually do the work?

Some companies sell the job and subcontract every stage to different crews. Others use one team for everything. Neither is automatically bad, but you should know. Ask who'll be on site, who's responsible if something goes wrong, and who you call during the job.

At Nulook Timber Flooring, one in-house team handles strip-out, prep and laying, so nobody can blame the last trade.

9. What does your workmanship warranty cover, and for how long?

There are two warranties on a new floor: the manufacturer's product warranty and the installer's workmanship warranty. Ask for both in writing. Find out what voids them (steam mops, missing felt pads, wet cleaning) so you don't lose cover by accident. Also ask what happens if a problem turns up in the first year, when timber floors go through their first full cycle of seasons.

10. Are you insured, and can I see your ABN?

At minimum, an installer should have public liability insurance. It's reasonable to ask for a certificate of currency. Check the ABN on the Australian Business Register too. It takes a minute and tells you the business name, whether it's current and how long it's been registered.

For bigger jobs, WA's Home Building Contracts Act applies to many home building contracts between $7,500 and $500,000. Under it, contracts must be in writing and deposits can't exceed 6.5% of the total cost. See the WA Government's Home Building Contracts Act factsheet, and check with Consumer Protection if you're unsure whether it covers your job.

11. Can I see recent jobs, or talk to a past customer?

Photos help, but look for jobs similar to yours: the same product, a slab rather than joists, a similar size. Better still, ask about something that went wrong on a past job and how they fixed it. Every installer has had a tricky slab or a late delivery. How they talk about it tells you a lot.

You can see our recent work in the Nulook project gallery.

12. How long will it take, and what do I need to do before you arrive?

A clear answer includes lead time for the boards, days on site, when you can walk on the floor and when furniture can go back. A good installer will also tell you what to move, whether you need to be home, and what to do with pets. Our timber flooring installation guide shows a realistic timeline.

The Questions a Good Installer Will Ask You

Pay attention to what the installer asks, too. It's one of the best signs they know what they're doing. A careful installer will want to know:

• How you use the room. Kids, dogs, home office chairs on castors, high heels. All of these change which product and finish makes sense.
• Which way the room faces. Big west-facing windows in Perth mean strong afternoon sun, which affects colour change and, for hybrid, heat expansion.
• What's happening next to the floor. New kitchen going in? Doors being replaced? Painting? The order of trades matters. Floors usually go in after painting and before the final skirting coat.
• How long you'll be in the house. A five-year plan and a forever home often lead to different products.
• What's under the existing floor. If they don't know, they'll lift a corner or look under a floor vent.

An installer who asks nothing and just writes down square metres is quoting a number, not a job.

Builder, Flooring Shop or Specialist Installer?

There are three common ways to get a floor laid in Perth, and each has trade-offs.

Through your builder. Convenient on a new build or big renovation, because the builder manages the trades. But flooring is often subcontracted to whoever is cheapest that month, and you may not get to choose the product or meet the installer.

Through a flooring showroom. You get a big range to look at. Installation is often done by subcontractors the store books in, so ask who they are.

Through a specialist installer. You deal directly with the people laying the floor. The range may be smaller, but the person quoting is usually the person responsible for the result.

Nulook Timber Flooring works directly with homeowners and also for builders, so we see both sides. Either way, the 12 questions above still apply.

Comparing Two or Three Quotes

Once you have a few quotes, line them up side by side:

1. Same product? If not, the prices can't be compared.
2. Same prep? Check whether each includes removal, grinding and levelling.
3. Same extras? Skirting, trims, stairs, door undercuts.
4. Same method? Glue-down costs more than floating but feels better on a slab.
5. Same warranty? Length and what's covered.

It's common for the cheapest quote to become the most expensive once variations are added. It's also common for the dearest quote to be using a better product than you asked for. Ask each installer to explain their price. The good ones won't mind, and the way they explain it will tell you plenty about how they'll run the job once they're in your home.

One last tip on quotes: ask each installer when they could start. A realistic start date a few weeks out, backed by a clear plan, beats a "we can start Monday" promise from someone who then disappears for three days mid-job.

What About "Best Timber Flooring Installer in Perth" Lists?

You'll find plenty of online "top 10" lists. Some are useful. Many are paid placements or based on nothing more than a web search. Google reviews are usually more honest. Look for reviews that mention prep, communication and how problems were handled, not just "great job".

Also check the business name carefully. Several unrelated Australian businesses use similar names. Nulook Timber Flooring is the Perth timber flooring company, ABN 76 675 155 816.

Where Nulook Timber Flooring Stands on These Questions

We're happy to be judged on this list:

• Free on-site measure with a moisture check, before we quote
• Fixed written quote itemising materials, prep and labour
• One in-house team from strip-out to finished floor
• Professional systems from Bona, Pallmann, Sika, Uzin, Wakol and Wolff
• Eight years laying floors across Perth, WA owned and operated

See our engineered timber flooring service, then book your free measure or call 0405 821 884.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I ask a timber flooring installer before hiring them?

Ask whether they'll measure and moisture-test on site, how they'll prepare the subfloor, which method and adhesive they'll use, what the exact product is, whether the quote is itemised, who does the work, and what their workmanship warranty covers.

How do I know if a timber floor installer is any good?

A good installer inspects the floor in person, tests the slab for moisture, explains subfloor prep in detail, names the exact product, and provides an itemised written quote and warranty. Recent similar jobs and detailed reviews are also good signs.

Why do timber flooring quotes vary so much?

Quotes differ in product quality, whether removal and slab levelling are included, installation method, waste allowance and extras like skirting and stairs. Compare itemised quotes on the same product and scope.

Should a flooring installer test my concrete slab for moisture?

Yes. Damp slabs cause timber to cup, swell or lift off the adhesive. A good installer tests before quoting and before laying, and uses a moisture barrier if readings are high.

How much deposit should I pay a flooring installer in WA?

For many home building contracts between $7,500 and $500,000, WA's Home Building Contracts Act caps the deposit at 6.5 percent of the total. Check with Consumer Protection WA whether the Act applies to your job.

Does a timber flooring installer need insurance?

A professional installer should hold public liability insurance and be able to show a certificate of currency. You can also check their ABN on the Australian Business Register.

What warranty should I get on a new timber floor?

You should receive the manufacturer's product warranty and a separate written workmanship warranty from the installer. Ask what voids each one, such as steam mops or wet cleaning.

Is it better to use one company for strip-out and installation?

Using one team for strip-out, slab preparation and laying avoids hand-offs between trades and makes one business responsible for the whole result. It also makes problems easier to resolve.

Is the cheapest flooring quote a bad idea?

Not always, but cheap quotes often leave out slab preparation, removal or skirting, or use a thinner product. Check the itemised scope before comparing prices.

How do I find a good timber flooring installer in Perth?

Get two or three on-site quotes, compare them line by line, check ABNs, insurance and Google reviews, and ask to see recent jobs similar to yours. Nulook Timber Flooring offers a free measure and fixed written quote.