Laminate in Tualatin, OR

Sometimes, but usually we would rather not. Old sheet vinyl over particleboard is the most common problem we find covered up rather than fixed. Taking it up lets us see the underlayment, and if it has ever had a dishwasher leak you want to know now, not through a new floor. On pre-1980 material we handle removal carefully, since some resilient flooring of that era can contain asbestos and should be tested rather than ripped up.

Yes, and in the lower-lying parts of Tualatin it matters. Moisture in a slab or coming up through a crawlspace will ruin a good floor regardless of what you paid for it. We test rather than guess, and if a vapour barrier or a different product is the right answer, we will say so before you buy.

Neither, they are good at different things. Laminate has a harder wear surface and usually looks better for the money, so it wins in living rooms, bedrooms and hallways. LVP handles water, so it wins in kitchens, bathrooms, entries and laundries. Running both in one house, with a planned transition, is a common and sensible answer.

We would rather it did not. Kitchens have dishwashers, fridges with water lines and sinks, and the failure mode for a wood-cored floor is a leak that runs for a week behind a cabinet. Water-resistant laminates have improved a lot, but the honest recommendation for a kitchen is LVP or tile.

Almost always because it is floating over a subfloor that was not flattened, or over a missing or unsuitable underlayment. The plank is bridging a dip and drumming against the void underneath. Fix the subfloor and the sound goes away. It is a preparation issue rather than something inherent to the product.

Yes, with the right preparation. Concrete releases moisture, so the slab is tested first and a suitable vapour barrier goes down before the underlayment. Skipping that step is how a floating floor over a slab ends up cupping a year later, so it is not something we treat as optional.