Conditions
Think about moisture or water exposure, sunlight, traffic, transitions, and what is already underfoot.
Flooring
What flooring actually makes sense for this room?
Colour matters. It’s just not the first question. I want to know how the room gets used, what kind of wear it takes, how you clean it, what it connects to and what’s already underneath.
Start with the room
Start with how you use the room
Samples are useful, but the room comes first. Before we compare products, let’s look at traffic, moisture, pets, maintenance, transitions and what you actually expect the floor to put up with.
Daily Life
Pets, comfort, maintenance tolerance, and how the room connects to nearby spaces all affect the choice.
Priorities
Decide what matters most: natural material, water tolerance, softness, repairability, initial cost, or continuity.
Material Options
There’s more to flooring than the colour.
Hardwood, tile, vinyl and laminate can all be good choices — in the right room. The right choice depends on the room, what’s underneath it, how it connects to nearby spaces and what matters most to you.
Hardwood
Often considered for living spaces where a natural material and the possibility of repair or refinishing matter.
Check first: humidity and moisture, existing conditions, transitions, and how the finish will connect to nearby rooms.
Tile
Commonly considered where water exposure and durability are important parts of the brief.
Check first: substrate flatness, underfoot comfort, grout maintenance, and the preparation the room needs.
Vinyl
Often compared when water resistance, comfort, and practical maintenance are priorities.
Check first: the product’s construction and limits, the quality of the floor preparation, and edge or transition details.
Laminate
Often compared for appearance, wear characteristics, and budget priorities.
Check first: the product’s water-resistance level, the room’s exposure, underfloor conditions, and what happens at transitions.
A flooring conversation
Let’s make the flooring decisions in the right order.
I start with the room, then I check what we’re working over. After that we can compare the real trade-offs, figure out the prep and decide what still needs an answer.
- 01
Understand the room and goal
Talk through how the room is used and what you want to change.
- 02
Look at existing conditions
Consider what is underneath, what needs preparation, and what connects to the room.
- 03
Compare material trade-offs
Work through practical strengths, questions, and priorities without forcing a single answer.
- 04
Define scope and preparation
Make the work itself clear before project-specific next steps are confirmed.
- 05
Confirm the next step
Leave the conversation knowing what still needs to be checked and decided.
Matt’s Work / Project examples
I’d rather show you real work than sell you a product list.
No flooring-specific completed-work example is presented on this page. The advice here stays general, while My Work shows project stories from other renovation work.
Interaction demo · Stock work image · Not project proof
Demo interaction only. These images are not a matched Falardeau before-and-after project and do not represent flooring-specific project proof.
Flooring questions
Questions I’d ask before you choose
Which type of flooring should I choose?
Start with the room’s conditions, daily use, movement, maintenance, comfort and connected spaces. Then compare appearance and material trade-offs.
Hardwood, vinyl, or laminate — what should I compare?
Compare moisture tolerance, underfoot feel, repairability, maintenance, product limits, preparation needs, and overall budget priorities.
Is tile a good fit for this room?
Tile can be worth considering where water exposure and durability matter, but substrate, comfort, grout, and preparation should be checked first.
Does old flooring always need to come out?
No; whether it can stay depends on the existing material, condition, level, height, and the requirements of the new floor.
Can new flooring go over an existing floor?
Sometimes; the existing floor must be suitable, sound, level enough, and compatible with the new material and transitions.
What happens if the subfloor is uneven or damaged?
The condition needs to be understood and addressed as part of preparation before the finished flooring is chosen or installed.
What causes a flooring budget to change?
Common drivers include material choice, room size, removal, preparation, transitions, trim, access, and conditions found beneath the existing floor.
How long will the work take?
Timing depends on the material, room size, removal and preparation, and underlying conditions, and is confirmed after the actual scope is understood.
WHERE WE WORK
Renovation work in London and surrounding communities
Based in London, Ontario, Falardeau Flooring & Renovations serves homeowners in London, St. Thomas, Komoka, Strathroy, Port Stanley and Bayfield. See the Service Areas hub for local planning guidance.
Not sure if your home is within the service area? Ask Matt when you get in touch.
When it’s more than a finish change
Most flooring questions begin with the floor and its conditions.
Some projects also raise questions beyond normal finish replacement, so the scope should stay clear before the next step.
Questions that may connect
Significant subfloor or structural repair, radiant systems, or work extending beyond normal finish replacement may change the discussion.
Check before you commit
Whether a permit, inspection or licensed trade is involved depends on the scope and property. Use the Read the broader renovation scope guide and the Service Areas hub for current local guidance.
Want to talk about your floor?
Tell me which room you’re working on, what you like, what you hate about the current floor and what matters most. We’ll figure out what makes sense from there.