How to Compare Timber Floor Restoration Scopes

Two proposals can both say “sand and polish the floors” while describing materially different work. One may include a board repair, another may assume the boards are sound. One may specify a coating system, another only a sheen. Comparing only the headline service makes those differences hard to see. A useful comparison starts with the floor’s condition, then follows each proposed decision through to handover.

This is a checklist for discussing the work, not a claim that every timber floor needs every item below. The Australian Timber Flooring Association’s solid-timber flooring specification addresses site assessment, products, records, sanding and coating. It is a useful reason to ask for a clear written scope rather than relying on a verbal finish description.

Start with the finding, not the treatment

Ask what each contractor observed: floor construction, prior sanding, coating condition, board movement, stains and any reason to investigate moisture. If a floor is engineered, its timber face and product instructions can limit the available work; appearance from above is not enough to identify the wear layer. If the floor is solid, earlier sanding and board condition still matter. Our solid-versus-engineered guide explains the construction question in detail.

Where the findings differ, ask why. One proposal may include a test or allow for an uncertain repair while another assumes the issue is purely cosmetic. A darker area does not, by itself, prove active moisture; neither does a dry-looking photograph rule it out. The written proposal should identify what remains to be established before irreversible surface work begins.

Compare repairs and preparation separately

List each room and surface included. Are stairs, edges, thresholds, patches, nail holes, gaps and board replacements in scope or excluded? A repair to a moving or damaged board is a different task from sanding its surface. If a particular defect is outside the flooring contractor’s scope, the proposal should say so and identify what must be resolved by another trade first. Our timber flooring repairs page covers the related service; a repaired section may still remain visible beside older timber.

Preparation also matters when a new coating is proposed over an old one. ATFA discusses how residues from floor cleaners can affect recoating. Ask whether the existing finish will be removed, screened or tested for compatibility. “Polish” can refer to different work in everyday conversation, so confirm the steps rather than assuming they are interchangeable. Our sanding-versus-polishing guide provides the terminology.

Compare the proposed finish as a system

Sheen alone does not identify a coating. Ask for the product category, the specific system proposed for the floor, how samples will be reviewed, and which manufacturer instructions will govern preparation, application and care. If a lighter or stained appearance is wanted, request a sample on the actual timber where practical. A reference photograph from another home cannot guarantee a colour on different boards. The floor finishes overview covers those choices without prescribing one product for every room.

Avoid comparing generic promises about drying time or longevity. Return-to-use and maintenance instructions depend on the chosen system and site conditions. Ask what the homeowner will receive at handover: product names, care instructions and any limitations that remain visible after the work.

Check exclusions, access and decision points

Some conditions cannot be confirmed until a carpet is lifted or an old coating is removed. A useful scope says what is known now, what is provisional, who makes the next decision and how a change will be documented. Confirm furniture and appliance movement, access, power, dust containment expectations, adjoining finishes and whether the rooms can be isolated while work is underway. For an apartment, also check building rules and lift or loading access; building permission is a separate question from whether the timber can be refinished.

A practical comparison table

Question	Proposal A	Proposal B
What floor construction and condition were identified?	Record the finding and remaining uncertainty.	Record the finding and remaining uncertainty.
Which rooms, edges, stairs and transitions are included?	List the surfaces.	List the surfaces.
What repairs or tests happen before sanding or recoating?	Name each task or exclusion.	Name each task or exclusion.
What exact preparation and finish system is proposed?	Record products and samples.	Record products and samples.
What could change after work starts?	Record the decision process.	Record the decision process.
What care instructions and product details follow handover?	Record what will be supplied.	Record what will be supplied.

If one column is blank, ask for clarification before agreeing to the work. The better-documented scope is not automatically the right treatment, but it makes the recommendation testable against the actual floor. For the wider contractor-selection questions, see our guide to choosing a Brisbane floor sander; for a site-specific discussion, contact Quality Floors.