Hi all, I've been doing my homework for a couple of weeks now. I've purchased a diminuitive (~650SF) 1BR condo that has carpet in it. I plan to remove it and put in hardwood. Because it's small and was really cheap, I can't justify solid hardwood at the price points that I've seen.

Just outside my budget is the Owens Plank - I particularly like the square edges, wide boards, and the solid floor look. I could probably afford the unfinished versions but I really like dark woods (I really like the Owens sapele or the Kahrs moabi zanzibar). Can any of you recommend cost-effective (hopefully) quality square-edged engineered that are ideally at the $4-6/SF price point?

Thanks.

Kahrs floating floors can be bought for less than $5.00 a foot. They are square edged, and fit well.

Thanks for the reply. The Kahrs Brazilian Cherry is slightly cheaper than the Owens but I can't seem to find it at less than $5. I suppose my problem is I'm choosing the pricier finishes. Are there retailers that I'm simply missing to get this price? Also, can better prices be had at the retailing stores themselves (vs. national internet retailers like iFloor.com, etc)?

It's hard to beat the online stores, especially if you find a good sale. I priced out a couple of Internet options, then went to a box retailer to compare prices. I ended up purchasing from the retailer, paying a couple hundred more, only because I wanted more control over the shipping and returns.

With such a high-dollar outlay, the last thing you want is damaged flooring upon arrival. I wanted to be able to inspect and refuse any damaged flooring. I hauled it myself, and didn't mind doing so.

Don't forget that you get what you pay for. A nicer looking finish will potentially increase the value of your place, and you can make the extra investment back with interest! Don't forget, too, that such an investment figures into your cost basis.

jlcress, thanks for the input. All very helpful points.

On buying locally and moving on your own, this sounds like a pretty sound option. Paying a little extra for peace of mind is often worth it.

On investment, the unit that I'm moving to is a 1BR condo and is small, and is in a somewhat college-y area of a medium-sized city. While I could put in some high-quality stuff, I'm not convinced this makes the place any more "sellable". It may increase my investment, but does it bump the overall cost of our unit beyond the general populace of the area? For scale, a quality hardwood install could be more than 20% the cost of the unit itself.

That's a good point as well.

I would probably go with a locking floating floor in your case; in fact, I would even consider DuPont Real Touch laminate flooring. This flooring has a great finish warranty and great look, but the price is quite reasonable and the installation is a cinch. Not real wood, but very durable and quite hard to tell...

I chose 3/4" ash plank hardwood with a great finish warranty simply because I am installing it in the house I plan on staying in long beyond the warranty itself! Otherwise, I would weigh carefully how long I plan to stay in the house, how much I can afford to invest in the house, and how well I will be able to recoup the investment if I sell.

Thanks again. Context is important, so thanks for the updated input. I've settled more into the Kahrs Linnea line. Engineered with square edges and very cost effective (max $4/SF, it seems). Does anyone have experience with this?

A flawless product, we have never had an issue or product failure with any of the Kahrs line.