Installer is saying that this is a requirement to now add MVP to every install b/c of all the hurricanes and the amount of work they had to do to fix other floors last year. (I'm in Florida)

Since this install is for upstairs, obviously if there was a hurricane or major rain, the moisture would come from up above not below. They are charging lots extra for it, and it's not something I had planned on in my budget.

I am getting BR-111 Engineered Timborana and with the install and extra charge for MVP it's almost crazy what I am paying these people!

Please help -- I trust you guys!

Side note . . . I really wanted to order the product online and hire a private installer, but two installers in the area never called me back and/or lost my number for over a month. I was amzed at their lack of professionalism -- I guess they really don't want business.
So, that leaves me with big box store and a maybe a smaller local flooring place that didn't impress me all that much but carries the product.

Anyway, sorry to ramble -- any help would be appreciated. The sooner the better!! THANKS!

Uh??? Find an installer that owns a moisture meter and knows how to use it!!

It's an engineered!! Not a solid. I could see if this was going over on grade concrete, but not an upper level residence, with wood subfloor and no rain getting on i(your roof didn't get taken off or shingles leaking or the windows blown out, was there??), I'm not understanding the need for MVP either.

A moisture meter will tell all!!

Is the upstairs concrete? If not, you are being lied to.

I thought y'all would bring up the Moisture Meter. I mentioned that as well -- I said it more than once actually! (Their answer -- yes, it wil be tested -- but you still need MVP)

I have pulled up the carpet in the closet -- and it's concrete. (I was kinda surprised, but who knows -- I am not a building expert.) When I pulled up some carpet in my ofice, I saw some wood underneath, but I saw two separate "strips" -- so it wasn't a solid sheet like I though it was going to be.

Anyway, I didn't have any problems from the hurricanes -- the installer and company are mandating that every new customer by required to get MVP regardless of what the product is or where it's being placed.

Needless to say, I am not going to go with this crappy big box store. I would LOVE to find a private installer in Orlando -- I just can't find one that is a real professional! (Like actually responds to phone calls!)

AAUGH!

I hope it isn't gypcrete, under the carpet!!!

I don't know what the heck it is!! (It feels and looks like concrete)

This is why I want to find somebody locally who can come over and look at everything and tell me what I need. Of course, that person doesn't seem to exist in Orlando!
I know I am not a flooring expert, but I know when somebody doesn't know what they are talking about and/or blowing smoke up my you know what.
I am an actor -- and I can tell when somebody is "acting badly" (aka lying).

May the flooring Gods me on my side and point me in the direction of someone locally.

Big sigh.

I don't get that either. They say its good for sound control but you did not ask for that did you .

You should check and see if its Gypcrete or concrete. Try driving a nail into it.

Did you go the NWFA consumer site and search for a local contractor? http://www.woodfloors.org/consumer/findPro.aspx

If it is gypcrete, what's the problem with that? Is it impossible to deal with? I going to have to have to lay plywood for a better sub floor?

Sorry to be asking such newbie questions -- I really appreciate your help.

I pulled up more carpet -- the color of the floor looks like concrete so that's what I thought it was. (The first time I pulled it up, I just looked at a teeny part in the closet) Then I pulled up another samll section of carpet in another room and saw the wood strips -- well those ended up being gigantic tack strips -- for some reason they were HUGE and I thought it might be a plywood subfloor. (Silly me)

So, the color of the floor is whiteish/gray. I did nail a nail through easily.
I am guessing this is the dreaded gypcrete?

Sounds like it, and I believe it will need to sealed with Ardex GS4 (I think) before you can glue over it. Floorguy and Chuck know more about this than I do. I have never worked over Gypcrete.

Okay, I loked up several posts on gypcrete -- it looks like that's what I have. (AAUGH!!)

We were planning on having a glue down floor since we don't like the hollow sound of a floating floor. We also have stairs and all the research I have done has lead me to believe you can't float stairs.

What can be done so that I can have a glue down floor? Does the gypcrete need to be removed? Can a plywood subfloor be "attached" to the gypcrete and then the floor be glued down on top of that? Any other options or dieas?

Oh jeez -- wood floors semmed like such a smart and easy decision!

I just did a search on here for "Ardex GS-4 gypcrete".... I got 57 matches

That, a skim coating or floating is about your only option for gypcreet. As for the MVP issue upstairs if they have not performed moisture test then there is no way of knowing if they need MVP. As for their excuse it sounds like a hose job, if floors where damaged by hurricanes they would not be liable for said damage. No one, not installer, nor manufacturer warranties against exposure to a hurricane. If they where repairing hurricane damage for free then they are fools. Either way, there is defiantly no requirement that MVP be used against hurricanes as it would fail just as fast as glue.

The problem with gypcrete is that it can be rather sandy on top. (this is a direct result of how much water was used)Getting it suitable to glue over is sort of a crap shoot. If the top is really unstable, attempts at encapsulation will prove futile. Sometimes you can remove about a quarter inch of material and get down to solid stuff.

If you use a quality underlayment, you can float most floors over gypcrete with no appreciable difference in sound transmission values.

If I were you, I would get a commercially rated underlayment and float the stuff. Most of the misconceptions about the "drum effect" associated with floating floors stem from either poor floor leveling, cheap arse underlayment or both.

Then again, I am assuming your floor would be difficult to encapsulate. It might be just fine. It really takes a pro to make that call. It is a very grey area.