On a flooring job in Des Moines, Iowa, the installer spent more time on the subfloor than on the actual flooring. To the homeowner, it looked like nothing was happening.
To the trade, everything was happening.
Flooring installers check flatness, moisture levels, and movement before laying a single plank. A beautiful floor installed on a bad base will fail no matter how expensive it is. Gaps appear. Boards lift. Seams separate.
Most flooring problems are blamed on materials when the real issue is preparation. Trades know that the floor you see is only as good as the surface you never look at.
Good flooring starts long before the first board clicks into place.