I will be selling the house in about a year and I'm not sure if its worth it to put in expensive underlayment. I could save about 100.00 if I go with the cheap stuff but I don't want it to sound cheap.
Use the better underlayment, it also serves as an insulating (vapor) barrier for slab floors in addition to a sound dampener. And if the new floor is floating (not nailed or glued down), an underlayment is required anyway. So spend the extra money, you have to live with the new floor for the next year.
When I pull up my carpet, there is the foam layer then plywood underneath, I guess it's the moisture barrier for the carpet. Then under that is the concrte floor. Can I intall the laminate over the plywood or do I still need to buy a underlayment?
You can lay the laminate over the plywood but fill in any seams with white floor leveler first. Also, if there are any screwheads level with the plywood, screw them in a little further and fill in the dents with floor leveler. Laminate requires a 100% level subfloor and is not forgiving like carpet is.
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