Please help me with my flooring woes.....

[BornStroppy]

I had camaro put down last year. Still havent paid for it because they never finished the job but will be doing so on monday.

The problem is, that although the floor looks great, there are bulges developing, one in the doorway, another next to a wall. I'm certain it was flat when the flooring went down.

We had wooden subfloorboards (1974 house) and they overlaid them with boarding and then screeded it although they call it "feathering". They let it dry for a couple of days before laying the boards of laminate. I'm now really worried in case they were supposed to have used a hygrometer to test humidity levels (he says they dont need to) and im concerned about a developing damp problem.

He came around to see. I don't really trust him, he's quite slimy. i'd like a second opinion. and in an case, it wouldnt be able to be resolved would it, without the floors being pulled up?

What should I do next? I haven't paid yet so need to resolve it asap.

[wowfudge]

Let the supposed expert fix the problems - point out where the floor isn't flat, as it should be. If it was boarded and the board screwed or nailed down at the recommended intervals - it's every 4 inches I think - then either the boarding has buckled for some reason or the LVT hasn't been properly stuck down.

If you haven't paid yet, then you hold all the cards. Tell them before they come back next week that the floor they installed is no longer flat. Is the installer one approved by Polyflor?

[BornStroppy]

He said (and i agree) that the LTV is solid against the floor underneath, so its not a matter of the LVT being stuck down.

My point is that it wasnt like this before the boarding went down im sure of it. I painted the whole place, I would have noticed. I said "why didnt anybody notice that the floor was not flat" he totally dismissed me and said it doesnt really matter, loads of floors have lumps n bumps. But it probably varies by a couple of inches.

I have a structural engineer coming out at some point becuase i want to do an extension, is this something he'd be able to look at without ripping the whole lot up unneccesarily?

[bigredboat]

Feather and screed are different things, I think feathering is done over the edges of the ply to keep it smooth but I'm not 100% sure. Did the boxes of LVTs get time to acclimatise before they were laid? Did you have the heating on immediately after they were laid? If the tiles are stuck down but the whole floor is lifting it sounds more like an issue with the subfloor, if got fitter did the subfloor then they should correct the issues really.

[bouncydog]

We had a simila problem with Amtico and a friend with Karndean. It could be that the boards were not installed properly I.e. Insufficient screws/nails or screwed/nailed too tight. If the boards were not the correct grade/thickness or poor quality they can delaminate (layers split). Wrong type of adhesive can also cause issues.

Suggest you call the suppliers technical helpline for assistance and hopefully they should send you the instructions for installation. You could then use these in discussions with the installers. if the installers are reputable and value their reputation they should put it right.

[BornStroppy]

Thanks that's a good point about calling for technical information - will do that now.

The planks were left in the room or in the hallway, but they were in the house anyway.

He says the floors were feathered no screeded, i dont know which is the right thing to do .

i thought that if the subflooring was uneven ,that they would have levelled it before laying out or pointing it out to me surely?

[BornStroppy]

It looks like I'll have to fork out 300 for an independent report on the flooring> Is this OK? I'm surprised it's so much, thought it would be about 150

[titchy]

Don't know if it helps but our fitters did the ply subfloor (over suspended existing floor) then a layer of latex on top.

[titchy]

Sorry - the latex was to even the sub floor out.

[bouncydog]

Certainly for Amtico, the suppliers technical information sheet set out everything that must be done for a successful laying of the Amtico. IMO not all installers do this - they don't all bother to take temperatrues, acclimatise the boards, etc. etc. However, if they have sold you the product and laid the floor then they should be adhering to the instructions. If there is a problem with the sub-floor that means that it is outside of the guidelines for a succesful end job, then IMO they should point this out or quote to remedy the position before laying. What have they said about it? We had issues with our sub-floor (not laid by the installers of the Amtico) in that part of it delaminated causing the Amtico to lift. It was unclear whether this had been caused by the screed used to level it - there was a lot of it - or if it had been screwed down incorrectly (too tightly/insufficient/too many screws). In the end the installers took up the laminate, we paid to have our sub-floor laid again by somebody else, and the installers replaced the Amtico at a much reduced rate.

[BornStroppy]

Just wanted to update this in case anybody is in my shoes at later date.

Having been patted on the head, figuratively speaking by the owner of this floorfitting place, I decided I had to get another opinion on my lumpy floor.

I appointed an independent flooring expert. I found his details in the National Association Carpetlayers and floorfitters www.nicfltd.org.uk/

It was £300 which I was annoyed about paying at the time, but in hindsight, money worth spending.

He mesured the floors and condemned it because it varies so kuch - at some points by over 1cm, i think the max allowed under british standards is 3mm. He says the floor will have to be completely relaid. This will require the flooring people to uplift the tiles, pay for new tiles and relay them. he reckons they'll probably refuse and just ask for half the cash instead.

As we're skint at the moment (paying for n extension), I will probably be forced to go for the cash although i would prefer this had been done correctly in the first place.

So my next move would be to send a copy of this report to the flooring company and start discussions.

It'a all a total ballache however I'm so relieved that I didn't just pay up and shut up an so glad i listened to my instincts.

[bouncydog]

If you have an independent report, and the people who laid the floor won't play ball, then I would threaten them with legal action. They should have insurance to cover faulty workmanship. Otherwise its going to annoy you every single time you look at it.