Repair & structural
After a leak or flood, the worst thing you can do is rip out a floor that could have been saved. Kitchener Prestige Flooring assesses, dries, repairs and replaces water damaged floors for homeowners, landlords and property managers across Kitchener and Waterloo Region.
With more than 16 years and 1,700+ flooring jobs completed, we know how wood, laminate, vinyl and tile react to water, and how long each needs before it can be judged. We measure moisture over days, not with a single glance.
We are licensed, insured and WSIB covered. We document everything your insurer needs, and every repair carries our written 1-year labour warranty.
Each type of floor fails differently when it gets wet. Knowing the pattern tells us what can be saved.
Cupping means the edges of each board rise above the centre, because the bottom absorbed more moisture than the top. Crowning is the reverse, often caused by sanding a cupped floor before it dried.
Buckling is the extreme case, where the floor lifts right off the subfloor. Cupping often recovers, while buckled floors usually need replacing.
Laminate's high density fibreboard core swells at the edges when water reaches it. Swollen edges peak and chip, and the swelling is permanent.
Surface spills wiped up quickly are fine. Water that sits at the seams or comes from below is not.
Vinyl plank and tile survive water on top, but water that gets underneath can be trapped for weeks. It soaks the subfloor, breaks down adhesive and feeds mould.
We lift sections to check the subfloor below. A floor that looks fine on top can hide a wet mess underneath.
Many cupped wood floors flatten out once they dry. Rushing to replace them costs owners, and sometimes insurers, money that did not need to be spent.
We map moisture across the whole area with pin and pinless meters and compare it with unaffected rooms. We check the subfloor from below where we can.
Then we give you an honest plan: dry and monitor, repair parts, or replace. If replacement is clearly needed, we say so on day one.
Drying takes days or weeks, not hours. The goal is to bring the floor and subfloor back to normal moisture, not just dry the surface.
Water extraction and professional drying equipment are usually set up by a restoration company, often arranged by your insurer. We work alongside them.
We take readings at the same marked points every few days and log them. Repairs start only when the numbers say the floor is ready.
Usually saved: solid and engineered hardwood with mild to moderate cupping, glue-down vinyl that stayed bonded, and tile with sound grout and a dry subfloor after drying.
Usually replaced: swollen laminate, buckled hardwood, delaminated engineered boards, and any floor over a subfloor that stayed wet long enough to rot.
Partial repairs are often possible. We replace damaged boards and blend them through our floor repair service.
Mould can start growing on wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. Small spots on the surface of flooring we are removing anyway are part of our normal work.
We are not mould remediation specialists. If we find mould spread over a large area, inside walls or in the HVAC system, we stop and recommend a certified remediation company.
Once they clear the space, we come back to rebuild the floor. That line keeps you, your family and our crew safe.
Most flooring contractors in Kitchener do not mention insurance claims at all. We help make yours easier.
Keep damaged material until your adjuster has seen it or approved disposal. Coverage varies by policy, so check with your insurer about what is included.
If water is still coming in, call a plumber to stop the source and a restoration company for extraction first. That protects the floor more than anything else.
For flooring assessment, we aim to visit within 24 to 48 hours across Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge, during our hours of 7:00am to 9:30pm Monday to Saturday and 9:00am to 9:00pm Sunday. Call rather than using the form for urgent damage.
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FAQ
Straight answers to the questions we hear most. Still unsure? Call and ask.
Ask for a Free QuoteOften, yes. Cupping happens when the underside of the boards is wetter than the top.
Once the floor and subfloor dry evenly, many floors flatten on their own over two to eight weeks. Sanding too early leaves the floor crowned once it dries.
Sudden and accidental leaks, such as a burst pipe, are usually covered. Gradual leaks, seepage and overland flooding depend on your policy and endorsements. We provide photos, moisture readings and an itemized estimate to support your claim.
Until moisture readings are back within normal range for your home, usually within 2 to 4% of unaffected areas. That can take a few days for a small leak and several weeks for a soaked subfloor. We track readings throughout.
Rarely. Laminate's fibreboard core swells when soaked and does not shrink back. Planks that were only wet on the surface for a short time may survive, but swollen edges mean replacement.
Free estimate
Tell us about the floor. We will call to book a time, measure on site, check the subfloor and moisture, and leave you a written quote.
Prefer to talk it through first? Call and speak to a flooring specialist directly.
Kitchener Prestige Flooring
137 Glasgow St, Kitchener, ON N2M 5E3
Monday to Saturday: 7:00am to 9:30pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 9:00pm