What flooring choices do homeowners most regret?

The regrets cluster in a few places. Solid hardwood in kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms, where water eventually wins. Very dark or high-gloss floors, which show every speck of dust, hair and footprint. Strongly red or orange-toned wood, which dates fast. Bamboo in wet areas, which warps. Cheap laminate that looked fine in the showroom and wore through in three years. And the biggest one, which is not a material at all: skipping subfloor preparation, then living with a floor that flexes, clicks or telegraphs every dip beneath it.