Second Generation, and Still on Every Job
My dad ran this business for over thirty years. I bought it from him, and I am still the one on your floor.
Thirty years of my father, then eight of my own. Licensed and bonded, employees on the books, everything in writing.
My father started Unique Hardwood Floors in the 1980s and ran it for better than thirty years. I grew up working for him, full time and without summers off, and I learned every machine and every part of the job before I was grown. When he tore his rotator cuff I came back to run it, and a year and a half later I bought the business outright so he could retire. That was eight years ago. I am licensed and bonded, my employees are on the books, and the person who quotes your floor is the person standing on it.
How this business got here
Two generations, one standard, and a rotator cuff that changed the plan. The short version is that I did not inherit this. I bought it.
My dad started this in the 1980s, right before I was born. He had been working for other companies and went out on his own, back when it was all manual nailers and there was nothing easy about any of it. He ran it for better than thirty years.
The thing about him was perfection. That was the whole standard, and he ground it into the business and into me. He was not soft about it.
I grew up working for him. Not a summer job, either. His rule was that once you are an adult you do not get summers off, you work full time and you see your friends on the weekend. So by the time I was grown, I knew how to run every machine and every part of the job. He never gave me a raise, and I bring that up with him regularly.
I was at Lake Washington Tech studying diesel and heavy equipment, which was going to be my thing, when he called. He had torn his rotator cuff badly enough that it was not coming back the way he needed it to. I came back to run it for him.
A year and a half later he still could not do the work the way he used to, and I made him an offer. I would buy the business outright so he could retire, and I would get to run my own thing instead of working for my father. I probably paid more than it was worth. I made him monthly payments until it was paid off.
I am not going to dress it up. I am a small business, I bought my first house a few years ago, and I have two kids. That is exactly why I do not gamble with somebody else's floor. A bad job follows a small shop around, and I do not have a brand name to hide behind.
Three things that do not change
They are the same on a hallway and on a six thousand square foot custom build, and they are the reason the paperwork is heavier than most flooring guys hand you.
You deal with me
No estimator, no scheduler, no subcontracted crew. I quote it, I am on it, and I walk the finished floor with you at the end, in daylight.
Honest about your options
I will tell you to refinish instead of replace, or to put down LVP instead of hardwood, even when the other answer pays me more. That happens regularly.
Everything in writing
A four to five page contract before we start, with your dates in it, and every stain color signed off by you before it goes anywhere near your floor.
Working with builders
Custom home builders are some of my best customers, and a few of them have not used anybody else in years. On a custom build I am often back three or four times before the house is done.
I do both the installation and the refinishing on their projects, which means one sub instead of two and one person accountable for how the floor turns out.
They keep calling because they know what my pricing is, I hold the schedule I gave them, and I carry the paperwork a licensed GC actually needs from a sub. L&I, insurance, signed contracts, and a written change order any time the scope moves instead of a conversation nobody wrote down.
Most of the builders I came up with are retiring now, so I have been deliberately building relationships with the younger ones taking over. If you are running custom residential and you need a flooring sub who answers his own phone, call me.
Why a bigger crew would not be faster
A typical job runs about a week. We are a small outfit by design. People ask whether a bigger company would get it done quicker, so here is the real answer.
L&I, employees on the books, nothing under the table.
Across every review the business has.
In your home, and free.
You deal with me on the quote and on the job.
The three things I am hired for
Installation, refinishing and LVP, across the Greater Seattle area. Stairs on their own are fine too.
Hardwood Installation
Oak, fir, maple, engineered and prefinished, with the method matched to your plank width.
Explore installation
Sanding & Refinishing
Taking a floor back to bare wood and rebuilding the finish, without you moving out.
Explore refinishing
LVP Flooring
Waterproof solid core plank over your existing floor, for rentals, basements and tighter budgets.
Explore LVPWhat people say about working with Greg
Three of the eighteen reviews on the Google listing. The pattern in them is the reason the site is written the way it is.
“I got three quotes, but I felt the most confident with him. He guided us through the process, provided us with stain samples, and kept us informed on everything, as we hadn't moved into the house yet.”
Jaadi Marchant2 years ago on Google
“Greg was helpful, personable and worked with my schedule to the best of his ability. He truly went above and beyond to make sure I got exactly what I wanted and was honest, fair and timely with his quote.”
Maresa Edwards4 years ago on Google
“Greg and his team were amazing. Our floors are gorgeous. We had him out a few years ago to update our floors and he did such a great job we had him come again when we remodeled this year.”
Sandra Rubow5 years ago on Google
Second generation, eight years on my own, and still the guy who shows up.
Tell me about the room. The estimate is free, it is in your home, and it is usually two or three days out.
