New Flooring Has Unexpected Issues
The housing market has gone crazy. Many homeowners have decided to remodel and update their homes instead of dealing with the craziness. New flooring really makes a change in the look and is one of the most popular remodeling projects. Whether you hire an experienced flooring contractor or do it yourself, you need to plan on the unexpected. These problems might impact the overall cost and timeline, as well as whether your contractor can handle them.
Flooring installation is a laborious process that involves numerous steps and instructions. The majority of the time, human error such as skipping a step in the installation instructions, like forgetting to prep the subfloor, and simple application errors— is to blame for floors failing occasionally due to an unforeseen issue.
“It’s important to keep in mind that problems can happen at any point during the installation of hardwood flooring, even if your contractor has a fairly simple plan. Before installing the hardwood flooring, your subfloor may require significant repairs or even replacement if it has some damage.”
—Mike Soto, President Soto Flooring
When the floor is removed, mold or mildew may be present. You may find that the concrete slab or subfloor is missing in areas.Without pulling up an existing floor, there can be many unforeseen problems with new flooring installation. Moisture issues from cracks in the slab, not level and damaged concrete, deterioration of the subfloor, removal of asbestos flooring, and door cutting are examples of unknown issues that can change the estimate for the budget and the timeframe.
Choosing a good flooring contractor requires research, checking references, and asking the right questions. Experience is important but don’t forget to find out how long the contractor has been in business. Check with the Better Business Bureau, Google, your local Chamber of Commerce, and your state licensing board.
Compare warranties, and ask how they handle unforeseen issues once the existing floor is removed. Set up payments based on a time schedule or payment s based on milestones.
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