This entire post is about whether an installer should lay flooring under cabinets ( before cabs are installed ) or afterwords. In presenting arguments for both scenarios, it was suggested by me that if an installer install the flooring first, then the cabinets are installed on top of the floors, and a water leak and subsequent damage ensued, then properly removing all the damaged flooring would be difficult. After doing hundreds of kitchen water damage repairs to wood floors, rarely are any cabinets seriously damaged. Nor is the subflooring either. WHY? Because the cabs are installed on shims, feet, hold-offs and similar. The water typically drains down through the subfloor at some point and the cabs are not damaged, but not before soaking the wood flooring. Since subfloors are designed to be allowed to get wet and dry out and still perform fine, they are not usually damaged either. Not enough to warrant removal. So, in most water damage scenarios, all that is needed is to repair the leak, remove the water damaged portion of the floor, thoroughly dry out the subfloor and when fully dry, re-install new flooring.

If an installer were to install the hardwood UNDER the cabinets and that wood got wet, it would be a wet sandwich, creating the possibility of mold growth that the repair person could not get to without removing the cabinets and counters. I don't know about you but here, the custom build kitchens run into 6 figures. What is unacceptable is to create a problem that did not need to be created ( ei: install flooring under the cabinets ). Of course, if a restoration company stated the cabinets absolutely needed to be removed to allow the kitchen components to be repaired, then that is what would need to be done. But that is NOT the point of this post. The point is, what is better? Install the floors before OR after the kitchen cabinets? Now, make you argument for one way or another.

Here's a good illustration, does it make sense to sheet rock all your walls and then have your electrician come in and mount outlets and pull wire ? No , you do your electrical first then sheet rock after. It's the logical way to do it.And flooring in a kitchen is usually a similar situation.There are exceptions like floating floors perhaps as already mentioned

I've been in flooring for over 15 years and have done many homes in Greenwhich ,CT and a few in Manhatten and everywhere in between. Certainly not fly by night kinds of houses . Under normal circumstances, I can deliver the best possible floor (glue down or stapled)(unfinished or prefinished) when I install the floor first and in the case of an unfinished floor do all but the final coat until the kitchen is completely installed. Then I apply the final coat which takes care of any minor scuffs or shallow scratches.

Here's a few of the benefits:

-The base cabinets will be sitting on the flattest possible surface and might even require less shimming to be perfectly level.
-Far less chance of the flooring contractor damaging or scratching the cabinets.I'm careful in any instance.
-With unfinished flooring , there will be much less edging which will speed up the job.
-No hidden unfinished wood under cabinets.All the flooring will be finished and able to resist moisture better as well as spills.

Many builders and kitchen companies hate this because they have to be careful and conscientious . In over 15 years of installing and sanding/finishing floors , I have yet to see a water damage issue where cabinets had to be removed because the flooring extended under the cabinets. In every case, I have been able to correct the situation by having a plumber repair the water issue and then tackling the flooring portion through rip out and re install . But usually, re sanding corrects the problem 75% of the time

If a builder or kitchen company rigidly claims that flooring should be installed after the kitchen , no exceptions , then they are being evasive or dishonest.Maybe they are in a rush and don't feel like taking the time to let the flooring acclimate.