mcrane, and all,
thank you for the helpful info. will certainly persue!
mcrane, as far as finding a "good / competent" flooring person my choice was to look to our large Amish community here in north eastern ohio. skill and honest workmanship are abundant. Reading the Amish paper "The Budget" lets me know there are many clusters of these fine craftsmen in most of the states. Count on fair prices for very nice, top quality workmanship!!
Good luck and success for your endeavors.
mjs4417