Wood flooring install questions - advice appreciated!

[jmbfestool]

I vote for 3/4" finished in place floors. Don't believe the hype on the engineered floors, they are not even close to same quality and the only reason they sell is because anyone can install them. The finish in place floors will last several lifetimes over and can be sanded and refinished if necessary.

As for the sound deadening material for engineered flooring....It helps, but it is hype. All engineered floors have a click-clack to them when you walk across them and there is no way to avoid it.

I am not in wood flooring business, but have had homes with both and there is no comparison between the two. I realize that there are different grades of "engineered" flooring, but they all are a compromise. I do think there is an engineered flooring that is nail down and if so it is going to be better than any of the various floating varieties.

As for advice on color, consider finding the wood with the color you want and going with just a clear, versus staining the wood to a color you like.

You can get clip fit engineered wooden flooring and you can get your regular tongue and groove engineered flooring.

To me sounds like you are confusing laminate with engineered?

I fit flooring and I wouldn't touch solid wood flooring anymore.  Engineered flooring all the way.   Far far superior than solid.    Only if the client really wants solid and after I have spoken to the client about the down sides to solid then I might fit solid.

 

[jmbfestool]

I wouldn't use electric heating for under your floor.

I would insulate between your joist instead

I would stop at the bedrooms leave them carpet

I would do your kitchen (I don't like vinyl)

Depending on the condition of your subfloor.  If its perfect solid clean etc

I would use 18mm engineered flooring tongue and groove and glue the floor down.
This gives you a solid floor feeling and guaranteed no squeaking noises. Each board is independent from each other so very minimal movement especially with engineered Flooring.  

Using a clip system or glueing the boards together which creates a large floating slap is like having one really really really wide board and when it shrinks or expands the hole lot moves.
This can especially cause problems if you decided to buy a big heavy unit and stick it on one side of the room which can trap the floor. I personally would avoid a floating floor in larger rooms or multiple rooms which join together.

If your subfloor is not brilliant and requires slight patching I would fix (screw and wood glue) some plywood (12mm+) over the lot to create a nice new surface and then use engineered flooring and glue down the floor.   Maybe use 14mm engineered flooring to try and regain a little from adding the plywood.

If your subfloor is terrible I would take it all up and re-ply it all.

I would remove all your skirting but you can leave your architrave on  and using a tool like a Fein multimaster cut the door casing and architrave so you can slide your boards under.