Newly laid wood floor creaks and bounces

abankerbutnotafatcat

Hi,

We've just had some pretty expensive engineered wood flooring supplied and fitted by a local flooring co. to include acoustic underlay. Previously we had carpet. In two places the floor creaks (we couldn't hear it if it did before) and in those same places when you watch someone walk on them you can see the floor move up and down, a slight bounce.

We have a Victorian house and the flooring company did a site visit before they quoted. It is on an upper floor on the original wooden suspended floor.

We've asked the flooring company to inspect the work. They are going to but are saying it's because of our floor being uneven and that we didn't ask them to level it. We, of course, didn't know it was uneven until the carpet came up and we believe as flooring specialists they should have had an idea of what to expect. If we'd been advised that the floor could need levelling at x cost we could have made an informed choice.

Does anyone have any experience of this sort of situation? We would welcome thoughts on what standard of service and work we should expect.

Thanks for reading:)

Jonesya

How was the underlay fixed to the original timber floor and how was the engineered wood flooring fixed to the underlay?

abankerbutnotafatcat

We don't know (I was at work, the OH had asthma issues with the dust so went in the garden). Should we ask and how will the answer affect the result?

af2909_2

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

Hi,

We've just had some pretty expensive engineered wood flooring supplied and fitted by a local flooring co. to include acoustic underlay. Previously we had carpet. In two places the floor creaks (we couldn't hear it if it did before) and in those same places when you watch someone walk on them you can see the floor move up and down, a slight bounce.

We have a Victorian house and the flooring company did a site visit before they quoted. It is on an upper floor on the original wooden suspended floor.

We've asked the flooring company to inspect the work. They are going to but are saying it's because of our floor being uneven and that we didn't ask them to level it. We, of course, didn't know it was uneven until the carpet came up and we believe as flooring specialists they should have had an idea of what to expect. If we'd been advised that the floor could need levelling at x cost we could have made an informed choice.

Does anyone have any experience of this sort of situation? We would welcome thoughts on what standard of service and work we should expect.

Thanks for reading:)

I would state that as professionals they should at least use a spirit level to check the flooring???? That's what you paid them for.

Who the hell pays someone to fit a wonky floor....

BertieUK

I find it hard to believe that any responsible flooring company would go ahead and fit a wooden floor down to an uneven floor base, without at least consulting you that there was indeed a problem.

Fitting an acoustic underlay only magnifies the problem even more, and will give you the bounce in the uneven areas.

The workmen who layed it in my view probably were by no means experienced in dealing with these problems, all they were doing is what they were sent along to do.

When their boss sees it he must rectify the problem for you.

Good luck

BobUK

keystone

Jonesya wrote: »

How was the underlay fixed to the original timber floor and how was the engineered wood flooring fixed to the underlay?

A floating floor isn't fixed to anything thats why its called a floating floor. If it isn't floating you don't use underlay - either secret nail or glue to the existing floor.

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

Should we ask and how will the answer affect the result?

No because its a floating floor and to ask obvious questions in a (excuse my directness) way that exposes your lack of knowledge only gives them the clue that (should they be so inclined) they have an opportunity to "pull the wool" just a bit more.

af2909 wrote: »

I would state that as professionals they should at least use a spirit level to check the flooring???? That's what you paid them for.

Level isn't the issue - plane is and they should have checked it prior to laying. Its unprofessional not so to do and quite indefensible to try and hide behind "you not asking them to do something". If it was uneven they should have said - "sorry bud can't lay it on that as it is".

Cheers

abankerbutnotafatcat

It was the fitter who came out to us again. He said that he wasn't told to level the floor so he didn't. He bashed a couple of nails in one of the areas and told my OH that the bounce was caused by the underlay.

As I said, the office-based guy had told us that we should have asked for the floor to be made level and that this "would add considerably to the cost". This is Kahrs flooring so that would take some doing!!

It's not a terrible overall effect and if we'd laid it ourselves we'd be very happy with it. But we feel that we should have a perfect finish or at least have had advice to make the decision.

We are going to write to them asking for them to either remedy it or discount it. Not sure how far we'll get but I suppose we always have the option of taking a discount ourselves if one isn't agreed.

mikey72

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

............. But we feel that we should have a perfect finish or at least have had advice to make the decision. .......

You paid them for a professional fitting, and advice to go with that. Even if the surveyor missed it when they quoted, the fitter should have seen it, and told you before the underlay went down. Then you had the choice to renegotiate, or accept it with the bounce.

abankerbutnotafatcat

Update: we put our concerns in writing asking for the situation to either be remedied or to receive a discount. We got a helpful reply and negotiated 15% off which we're happy with as it basically looks great. We ave been advised that the floor may settle in time, not sure if that's true but I hope so.

McKneff

If your staying with the floor as it is, try dropping some talcum powder where the joint is. The noise is from 2 pieces of timber rubbing together when stood on. Try it, it wont do any harm if it doesnt work anyway.

abankerbutnotafatcat

That's what they suggested to. To be honest we don't understand as it's smooth and there are no visible joints.