Starting My Flooring Research
Needed to replace my local basketball court’s worn-out surface, so I called three contractors on Monday morning. First guy sounded bored and just said “depends on materials.” Couldn’t even give me a ballpark number over the phone. Second one showed up late smelling like cigarettes, poked the damaged vinyl tiles with his boot and grunted “gotta tear everything out first.” Both wasted my time.
The Material Headache
Went to Home Depot Wednesday, stared at flooring options until my eyes crossed:
- Rubber rolls felt nice but smelled like burnt tires
- Vinyl planks looked cheap and felt slippery
- Wood laminate made the clerk laugh “buddy that’ll warp in six months”
Checked online reviews after dinner – everyone complained about hidden fees in the quotes. One guy posted “paid extra because they found ‘moisture’ under old tiles” which sounded like total nonsense.
Installation Nightmares
Finally hired Jim’s Floor Guys after they emailed a PDF breakdown:
- Tear-out crew ($800) showed up in an unmarked van
- Rubber flooring ($4k) arrived with cigarette burn holes
- “Leveling fee” ($350) got added when they found uneven concrete
They insisted the burns were “manufacturing texture” until I made them unpack another roll. Still charged me $200 extra for weekend work because their glue wouldn’t dry fast enough.
The Final Damage
Three weeks later, total cost hurt worse than twisted ankles:
Materials: $4,200
Labor: $3,850
Random crap fees: $550
Should’ve listened to Tom at the gym who said “just paint over the cracks.” Looks decent now but smells like a truck stop bathroom when it gets humid. Next time? I’m buying interlocking foam tiles online and doing it myself drunk.
