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We’re Big Bro Hardwood, an owner-operated crew of hardwood floor installers with 17 years of experience working throughout Wilmette and nearby suburbs. This North Shore community is full of character, and so are its homes. We’ve installed wooden floors in Prairie-style houses built in the early 1900s, in the brick Colonials and Tudor revivals of the 1920s and 1930s, and in the ranch and split-level homes that went up during the postwar building wave. We match the install method to what’s actually under your feet, nailing into the original plank subfloor in older homes, or gluing and floating engineered hardwood over a concrete slab in additions, condos, and mid-century builds.
Red oak is the species we see most often in Wilmette’s older homes, typically laid as narrow strip flooring decades ago and still going strong. Our hardwood floor installation covers the full range: white oak, maple, hickory, walnut, engineered boards, and exotics like Brazilian cherry when that’s the direction you want to go. Whatever the species and whatever the home, we treat every Wilmette job the way we’d want it done in our own house, carefully, cleanly, and without cutting corners.
New Floors Matched to Existing Hardwood
Prefinished and Site-Finished Flooring
Owner-operated Company
Baseboards and Shoe Molding
Most installs in 1–3 days, Dust-Controlled*
* Timeline depends on square footage and complexity; dust control minimizes, but doesn’t eliminate dust or odors.
Wilmette’s older housing stock and four-season climate make hardwood one of the most practical and lasting flooring choices you can make.
Our process is simple and fully managed: clear scheduling, dust-controlled work, and transparent communication. We explain each step upfront, handle prep and logistics, and keep your wood floor installation in Wilmette low-stress.
Timeline at a glance:
≤300 sq ft800–1,200 sq ftOn-site measure and goals; we confirm solid vs engineered wood flooring, plank width/finish, room layout, and the correct installation method. You receive an itemized bid and schedule. (Indoor targets: 60–80°F, 30–50% RH per NWFA/manufacturer.)
Removal of old flooring, moisture checks (wood 6–9% MC; concrete subfloors via RH or CaCl testing if required), squeak fixes, leveling, and base prep. Flatness target: ≤ 3/16″ over 10′ (or 1/8″ over 6′). Underlayment and vapor barriers installed as specified in your bid.
Board direction, room transitions, and patterns (e.g., herringbone or chevron) are planned for balanced visuals and minimal waste. Product acclimation is verified by moisture readings on site, following manufacturer and NWFA requirements before installation.
Nail-down installation on wood subfloors; glue-down installation for concrete, wider planks, or patterns; floating installation where engineered wood makes the most sense. Proper expansion gaps and flush, safe transitions are maintained.
Prefinished floors allow light foot traffic the same day. Site-finished floors are sanded, stained, and coated with guidance on furniture and rug timing. Stairs, treads, thresholds, baseboards, and shoe molding are completed as outlined in your scope.
We inspect together, complete quick touch-ups, share simple care guidance, and confirm when to move furniture and rugs back into place.
Pricing for a hardwood flooring installation service in Wilmette depends on method, square footage, and subfloor condition. The table below shows transparent labor rates from our Wilmette flooring company to give you a clear starting point before an on-site visit.
| Package / Method | Typical Use | Labor from* | Includes (labor) | Not Included |
| Nail-Down | Houses, 1st/2nd floor | $3.5–$6.5 / sq ft | Layout, nailer setup & fastener install; shoe molding install | Demo & disposal, subfloor leveling, new plywood |
| Glue-Down | Condos, basements | $5.5–$9.5 / sq ft | Adhesive application (trowel & roll-in); rolling | Moisture barrier, acoustic underlayment (IIC) |
| Floating | Fast installs, rentals | $3.0–$5.5 / sq ft | Click/lock assembly; underlayment install | Transitions, premium sound mats |
| Stairs (tread + riser) | Any | $150–$300 per step | Cut-to-fit & install; nosings; adhesives | Handrails, balusters |
*Pricing shown is labor-only. Final itemized quote is provided after an on-site visit and moisture testing by our flooring contractors; materials and extras (flooring, adhesive, underlayments, moisture mitigation, leveling, HOA acoustic underlayment, trims) are billed separately as line items. Inclusions and exclusions are defined line by line in your bid by our hardwood flooring installation contractor.
Add-ons:
$1–$3 / sq ft.
Old floor removal
$1–$3 / sq ft.
Subfloor leveling
$0.7–$1.5 / sq ft.
Moisture barrier
per bid
Baseboard/shoe
Wilmette’s older housing stock, high water table, and mix of wood and concrete subfloors mean the right flooring installation contractor has to do more than just lay boards. Good hardwood floor installation starts with an honest scope, the right method for your base, and a crew that keeps the job clean and on schedule from day one.
As a local flooring installation company, we schedule your free in-home estimate quickly, then give you a start date you can actually count on. Most of our Wilmette wood floor installation services wrap up in one to three days depending on scope. We use dust-controlled containment with tool-connected extraction throughout, protect your walk paths, and treat your home like it is still being lived in, because it usually is. You will know what is happening each day before we start it.
We look at what is under your feet before we decide how to install. Wilmette homes built before 1970 often have diagonal pine plank subfloors over joists, which are well suited to nail-down solid hardwood. Concrete slabs, basement-adjacent spaces, and condos near the transit corridors call for a glue-down or floating engineered wood floor installation. Method follows conditions, not convenience, and we always leave correct expansion gaps and clean transitions at every doorway.
Solid and engineered hardwood are not the same product, and they do not belong in the same situations. Before we recommend anything, we look at the subfloor type, the floor level, moisture readings, plank width, and whether radiant heat is involved. In many of Wilmette’s older homes, solid red or white oak over a wood subfloor is a great fit. In kitchens, slab additions, or spaces with higher moisture exposure, engineered flooring offers better stability and longer-term performance.
In a home where hardwood already runs through the hallway or an adjoining room, a new hardwood flooring installation has to connect to what is already there. We compare species, plank width, grain grade, board direction, finish sheen, and height before planning any transition. Blending old and new floors is sometimes possible when sanding and finishing are part of the project, but we will tell you honestly when natural variation between sections should be expected rather than hidden.
Your written quote spells out every line before work begins: labor, materials, old floor removal and haul-away, thresholds, transitions, shoe molding, stair work, and any add-ons specific to your home. There are no vague totals. As a floor installation company, if demo uncovers something unexpected, like patchwork subfloor sections common in Wilmette’s remodeled older homes, we price and get your approval before moving forward. Nothing proceeds without your sign-off.
Wilmette’s climate swings from dry, heated winters to humid summers, and that movement affects wood. Our professional floor installers do not guess on acclimation by counting days alone. Instead, we take moisture readings from both the flooring and the subfloor and follow the product manufacturer’s requirements before a single board goes down. This step matters most with solid hardwood and wider planks, where skipping it can lead to gapping, cupping, or crowning after the job is finished.
Ready to breathe new life into your floors? Get a free estimate today!
contact big bro hardwoodFor our floor installation contractors, no two Wilmette homes are the same under the floor. Nearly 80% of the housing stock here was built before 1970, which means we see a wide range of subfloor conditions, layered histories, and moisture considerations. Here is what we typically find, and how we handle each one:
For permits: a like-for-like floor replacement usually does not require a village permit in Wilmette, but condo and HOA boards almost always have their own approval process. We put together the spec sheet they ask for so that paperwork does not hold up your project.
Whatever is under your floor, our professional flooring installers have very likely handled it before. We will tell you exactly what we find at the estimate, in plain terms, before any work starts.
We are beyond happy with our refinished floors! Our home was built in 1926, and the original floors now look absolutely brand new. The team was extremely meticulous and took great care throughout the entire process. We chose the Antique Brown stain, and the color turned out beautifully. It is exactly what we were hoping for. Communication was excellent from start to finish. Highly recommend this company to anyone looking to refinish their floors.Read more
It does, and it’s one of the first things we check. Older Wilmette homes typically have diagonal pine plank subfloors over joists, which are actually great for nail-down installation once we confirm they’re tight, flat, and dry. What we often find is loose boards, patchwork from past remodels, or minor humps that need leveling before we lay a single strip. We always assess the subfloor condition on-site before quoting, so there are no surprises once work begins.
Yes, and we take it seriously. Wilmette’s high water table and proximity to the lake mean basement dampness is common, even in homes that feel dry. Before any installation, we run moisture tests on the subfloor. If readings are elevated, we address the source, add a vapor retarder, or recommend engineered wood rather than solid. Skipping moisture testing is the single biggest cause of floor failures in this area, so we never do.
Absolutely. Condos near the Metra corridor often have concrete subfloors and HOA sound requirements, so we match the installation method and underlayment to both. That usually means a glue-down or floating engineered floor with a sound-rated underlayment meeting the building’s IIC rating. We bring our certificate of insurance, coordinate elevator time, and respect quiet hours. We also prepare a spec sheet for your HOA board if they need approval before work starts.
Yes, with the right product and process. Engineered hardwood is generally the best fit for radiant heat because it handles temperature cycles with less movement than solid wood. Some solid species work too, depending on thickness and manufacturer guidelines. We check the system type, confirm maximum surface temperatures, and acclimate the boards on-site before installation. Expansion gaps are especially important here, so we size them carefully and never rush the acclimation period regardless of your schedule.
The subfloor determines the professional floor installation method. Nail-down is used over wood subfloors in above-grade rooms and is common in Wilmette’s older single-family homes. Glue-down works well on concrete slabs and is a solid choice for kitchens or condos. Floating means the boards interlock and rest on underlayment without fasteners, which suits basements or spaces where glue isn’t ideal. No single method is best for every situation, which is why we always assess the base before recommending anything.
Our cost calculator gives you a rough labor range based on square footage and installation method. As a general guide, nail-down runs $3.50-6.50 per square foot, glue-down $5.50-9.50, and floating $3.00-5.50. Stairs are priced separately at $150-300 per step. Materials, subfloor prep, and any extras are itemized after we visit. The on-site estimate is free and gives you an accurate number rather than a guess.
Most single-room or partial-floor projects finish in one to two days. Whole-house installations in a larger Wilmette home may take three to five days depending on prep work and species chosen. You do not have to leave, but the installation area needs to be clear of furniture before we arrive. Prefinished floors are walkable the same day. Site-finished floors need 24-48 hours of cure time before you move furniture or rugs back in. We clean up at the end of each workday.
Red oak is the most common species our local floor installers see in older Wilmette homes, and matching it is very doable. We source new red oak strip flooring in the same width and profile, then blend the finish during the sanding and staining process so old and new read as one continuous floor. The key is feathering the stain carefully at the transition point. If the existing floor has aged to a warm amber tone, we factor that into the color selection during your on-site consultation.
WE ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WIDE RANGE OF HARDWOOD FLOORING SERVICES
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