Where we fit in after water gets in
When water gets into a home, the work happens in a set order. First the source is stopped: a roofer for a roof leak, a plumber for a supply line or a slab leak. Then a water mitigation company dries the structure, pulls out what’s soaked, and confirms the space is dry. Walls, baseboards and cabinets get repaired after that.
The new floor is the last step, and that’s the part we do. We don’t do water extraction, drying, mold remediation, plumbing or roofing. We come in once those trades are finished, measure the rooms, remove the old floor that’s left, check the slab, and install waterproof vinyl plank.
The EPA advises drying water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. That’s the mitigation company’s job, and it matters: a floor put down over a wet slab or wet walls just traps the problem. If the drying hasn’t been confirmed, the right move is to wait.
What sends people to us: storms, roofs and pipes
Most water-damaged floors on this coast come from a short list of causes.
- Hurricanes and tropical storms. The National Hurricane Center notes that tropical systems often bring rain in excess of 6 inches, and wind can open a roof or push water past windows and sliders.
- Roof leaks. A leak that runs down inside a wall can wet the carpet or laminate along one side of a room long before anyone sees a ceiling stain.
- Burst supply lines. The braided hoses feeding toilets, sinks, washers and ice makers are a common source, especially in a house closed up for the summer where a small failure can run for weeks.
- Slab leaks. A pipe under or inside the concrete leaks into the slab itself, and the floor above is often the first place it shows.
- From the unit above. In a condo, water from a neighbor’s leak comes through the ceiling. Your association and your insurer work out who’s responsible. We handle the floor and the approval paperwork.
Our guides go further on the two biggest cases: replacing floors after a hurricane or roof leak and what happens to the floor after a slab leak or burst supply line.
Can the old floor be saved?
Sometimes, and nobody should promise it in advance. It depends on what the floor is, what the water was, and how long it sat.
- Carpet and pad usually go. The EPA notes that absorbent materials like carpet may have to be thrown away if they become moldy.
- Laminate and engineered wood have wood-based cores. Edges that swelled rarely go back down, so these floors are usually replaced.
- Ceramic tile set in mortar on a slab often comes through a leak intact. If it’s still firm and fully bonded once everything is dry, it can stay in the rooms that weren’t touched or serve as the base for new plank.
- Floating vinyl plank doesn’t swell. In some cases it can be lifted so the slab dries and then put back down, but that depends on the water and the condition of each plank.
At the measurement, the installer tells you what is sound and what isn’t. If a room can be matched to an undamaged one next door, or if the whole area should be done so the floor runs continuously, you’ll hear that before anything is ordered.
Checking the slab before the new floor
A slab that got wet holds moisture longer than the air in the room does. Rigid-core makers publish moisture limits, and the installer checks against the one for the plank you choose. The common tests are ASTM F2170, a relative humidity probe set into the slab, and ASTM F1869, a calcium chloride test on the surface.
The limits vary by product. One widely used installation guide caps the slab at 70 percent relative humidity. Another allows 95 percent. That’s why the product gets chosen with the slab reading in mind, and why a recently dried slab sometimes needs a little more time or a moisture barrier the maker approves.
After a slab leak, the plumber may have opened the concrete to reach the pipe. That patch has to be flat with the rest of the floor and fully cured. Rigid-core guides call for a flatness tolerance of about 3/16 inch within 10 feet, so a raised or sunken patch gets corrected before the plank goes down.
What waterproof covers, and what it doesn’t
SPC vinyl plank has a stone-plastic core with no wood in it, so it won’t swell, cup or delaminate when it gets wet. A supply line that lets go, a spill, a pet accident, a damp slab or humid air won’t damage the plank.
Standing floodwater and storm surge are a different matter. FEMA’s Technical Bulletin 2 lists the materials that can sit in floodwater for at least 72 hours without needing more than cleaning. Floating vinyl plank isn’t among the floors it classes as flood damage-resistant, and neither is carpet. If your home is in a flood zone and took on surge or rising water, the floor will likely need to come up so everything under it can dry, whatever it’s made of.
What you gain with waterproof plank is a much better position after the next ordinary leak. The plank itself survives, the seams are tight when properly installed, and the water stays on top where you can see it and wipe it up.
When you find it coming back for the season
Many owners on this coast find water damage when they return in the fall. A supply line failed in July, the air conditioner kept running, and by the time anyone opened the door the carpet, baseboards and drywall had all taken it on.
If that’s you, call the mitigation company and your insurer first. Once the space is dried and repaired, we can measure and install on a schedule that works around your travel, and next-day installation is available once materials are in. It’s also a good moment to think about which rooms should be waterproof going forward. See flooring for seasonal homes.
Working with your insurance claim
We aren’t adjusters, and we don’t tell you what a policy covers. What we can do is give you the measurement and estimate in writing, with the square footage, the product and the scope of removal spelled out, so you have clear numbers to share with your adjuster.
If your home is a condo, the association may have rules about what a unit owner can replace and how. We help with the approval paperwork and install the sound-rated underlayment the building requires, matching the rating your association requires. See condo flooring.
What water-damaged floor replacement costs
Replacing a water-damaged floor typically runs $5 to $12 per square foot installed, before your discount. That’s an estimate. A 200 square foot room is roughly $1,200 to $1,900 before the discount. What moves the number:
- How much of the old floor still has to come out once the space is dry
- Slab patching, especially where a slab leak was opened and closed
- Whether the new floor runs through adjoining rooms so there’s no patchwork
- The wear layer you choose, and sound-rated underlayment in a condo
Our offer applies here as it does anywhere: 50% off your flooring installation, plus the $1,200 Off + 5% Senior & Military Savings for seniors 60+ and active or retired military. Use the calculator for a range, then book a free measurement once the repairs are done.
Sources: FEMA Technical Bulletin 2: Flood Damage-Resistant Materials · NOAA National Hurricane Center: hurricane hazards · EPA: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home · RW Supply+Design rigid core installation guidelines · Karndean rigid core installation guide