{"buyer_scenarios":[{"fit":"best_suited","scenario":"Concrete-slab installations using approved adhesive and moisture-control procedures ."},{"fit":"best_suited","scenario":"Homes with variable indoor humidity where a stable engineered construction matters ."},{"fit":"best_suited","scenario":"Wide-plank buyers seeking a 3/4-inch engineered board with a 4 mm hardwood wear layer (, grok:)."},{"fit":"best_suited","scenario":"Projects requiring below-grade, on-grade, above-grade, or radiant-heat compatibility for the selected TruBalance product ."},{"fit":"not_best_suited","scenario":"Buyers requiring a standardized national installation price or transparent online pricing ."},{"fit":"not_best_suited","scenario":"Projects where the exact veneer thickness, core, or installation method cannot be confirmed before purchase ."},{"fit":"not_best_suited","scenario":"Buyers seeking extensive independent review data rather than manufacturer technical documentation ."},{"fit":"not_best_suited","scenario":"Installations with unverified moisture, flatness, humidity, or subfloor conditions ."}],"citations":{"source_mix":{"company_owned":23,"independent":17,"unclear":1},"sources_referenced_by_questions":0,"support_mix":{"direct":26,"partial":13},"total_sources":41,"unique_domain_count":20},"claims":[{"claim_id":"claim-001","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-02","platform_support":["deepseek","google","grok","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"platforms_analyzed","qualifier":"valid included platform responses","subject":"Best Engineered Wood Flooring Brands and Dealers","unit":"platforms","value":6},{"claim_id":"claim-002","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-02","platform_support":["deepseek","google","grok","kimi"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"engineered wood flooring","subject":"Mirage","unit":"rank","value":2},{"claim_id":"claim-003","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-02","platform_support":["deepseek","google","grok","kimi"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 6","subject":"Mirage","unit":"platforms","value":4},{"claim_id":"claim-004","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-02","platform_support":["openai","grok","kimi","google"],"predicate":"fit_rating_count","qualifier":"strong","subject":"Mirage","unit":"platforms","value":4},{"claim_id":"claim-005","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-02","platform_support":["deepseek","perplexity"],"predicate":"fit_rating_count","qualifier":"good","subject":"Mirage","unit":"platforms","value":2}],"content_scope":"aggregated facts, computed metrics, and retrieval summaries","entities":[{"average_rank":2.75,"best_rank":2,"entity_id":"entity-001","entity_type":"company","final_rank":2,"name":"Mirage","platform_mentions":4,"platform_share":0.6666666666666666}],"identity":{"dataset_url":"https://homeimprovementconsensusindex.com/datasets/flooring-installation/engineered-wood-flooring/mirage.json","page_url":"https://homeimprovementconsensusindex.com/flooring-installation/engineered-wood-flooring/mirage","report_type":"fit_review","study_id":"HICI-STUDY-9662371D3F45","title":"Mirage Review for engineered wood flooring"},"limitations":["Use the run researchdate as the study date. Platform-reported dates are provenance metadata and do not independently prove freshness.","All included platforms evaluated fit, but platformmentions counts only platforms that named the entity during ranking discovery.","Do not resolve conflicting product names, pricing, or capabilities by guessing; describe the conflict and tell buyers what to verify.","The supplied URLs were collected from platform responses and were not independently validated by the writer stage.","Company-owned citations materially outnumber independent citations; do not describe company claims as independently verified.","Platform-reported research dates differ from the authoritative run date; disclose this as a methodology limitation.","The deterministic identity audit contains qualification notes that must be disclosed where relevant.","Citations are platform-reported evidence, not independently verified facts. No-search model claims require explicit verification before being described as current facts."],"methodology":{"fit_rating_contract":["strong","good","mixed","weak","uncertain"],"included_valid_platform_count":6,"maximum_finalists":10,"minimum_mentions":2,"name":"Home Improvement Consensus Index cross-platform AI consensus analysis","platforms_included":["deepseek","google","grok","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"platforms_queried":["openai","anthropic","deepseek","grok","perplexity","kimi","google"],"stages":["ranking_discovery","fit_assessment","normalization","editorial_synthesis"],"version":"alias-table-1"},"provenance":{"generated_at":"2026-10-02 15:28:42.121112+00","research_date":"2026-10-02","source_snapshot_sha256":"bf5e3ea36011874397d1cd3f6d81e2d817fcf19b65d869792cd89d3fd1b7ac03","verification_scope":"public_verification"},"ranking":{"candidates_evaluated":27,"qualified_finalists":10,"ranking_unit":"Flooring retailer, manufacturer, or installation contractor"},"schema_version":4,"summary":"Mirage is a strong fit for a homeowner choosing engineered boards for stability over concrete, radiant heat, or variable-humidity conditions, provided the exact SKU is confirmed before purchase. Four of six platforms named Mirage during the ranking stage, and it finished with an average listed rank of 2.75 and a best rank of 2. The strongest reason to consider it is the TruBalance construction: a 4 mm real-hardwood top lamella over a predominantly quarter-sawn SPF core, with glued, nailed/stapled, or floated installation options . The main limitation is transparency: Mirage publishes no…","target_buyer":"A homeowner choosing engineered boards for stability over concrete or underfloor conditions, comparing veneer thickness and cores.","topic":{"base_category":"Flooring Installation","category_criteria":["veneer thickness","core construction","refinishing potential","material range and quality","subfloor preparation","installation craftsmanship","lead time","price transparency","wear and finish warranty","customer review strength"],"geography":"United States","slug":"best-engineered-wood-flooring-brands-and-dealers","title":"Best Engineered Wood Flooring Brands and Dealers","use_case":"engineered wood flooring"}}