Should they have adjusted the skirting boards when I got new flooring installed?

fenwick458

NibblyPig said:

Future dealings with companies I need to be much more careful about spelling out exactly what and how they will do. Thanks for advice.

you've got that right. if everyone did this, there would be a lot fewer problems at the end of jobs

McKneff

Just buy some quarter round beading and glue or clear no nails to the floor and wall, so much easier and neater

FreeBear

NibblyPig said: I will repaint the existing stuff and stick it back on because I don't fancy using a mitre saw to cut the corners.

External corners should be cut with a mitre saw. Internal corners are best scribed - Not hugely difficult, and it gives a much neater joint. Plan the joints out, and you only have to scribe one end of each length. This means you don't have to be exact when cutting the board to length.

Jeepers_Creepers

NibblyPig said:

I suppose one question I have is, what does 'Latex or ply floor' mean?
I thought it meant they'd have to put something down on the floor (which is concrete) then put the vinyl on top. But looking at it, it's just vinyl. One side is vinyl with a tile pattern, and the backing is a sort of felty material.

Concrete floors are typically a bit rough, dusty and bumpy, and might not even be properly level. Anyone putting down a vinyl floor covering should anticipate a high chance of the concrete needing flattening - made level and smooth. Two basic ways - you lay sheets of ply down (usually if the floor is level enough but a bit 'rough') - and the other is to spread liquid latex over it. This will fill any low dips, unlevel areas and roughness to end up with a smooth level surface.

If they priced for this but decided it wasn't required, then they owe you a partial refund. A nice compromise would have been to offer to sort out your skirtings...  

Whose job is it to sort any skirting gaps? Ultimately the customer's if it wasn't specified. BUT, it was highly remiss of the fitters to not point out that this issue would occur and to discuss with the customer beforehand what they'd want doing about it; simple options "We'll refit the skirting for £x, or add a beading for £y, or else you DIY it yourself afterwards."

Very poor service to just walk away with the customer wondering whose job it is. 

NibblyPig

Thanks, I have contacted them about that. The floor is very level so I expect they felt it isn't needed but as you say if they quoted for it then they should do it or refund I think.

Jeepers_Creepers

Yes.

Do you have the original quote?

To put it bluntly, if they quoted for plying/latexing and didn't do it, then they saved themselves the worst/most expensive part of the whole job. I'd be pretty cross... 

NibblyPig

Mate you are the gift that keeps on giving, cos I spoke to them and they said 'whoops' and refunded me £90! Many thanks for pointing that out cos I thought I'll just mention it once and then never think about it ever again...

Jeepers_Creepers

Cool! That doesn't happen often :-)

bob_a_builder

Just for interest what did you have on the floor before, that created a 2 CM gap when it was removed ?  

twopenny

I was wondering that too Bob and am very curious.  My guess would be a better/thicker quality vinyl maybe or the old stuff you could get thick and cushiony and it split with ease.

Though my bathroom and kitchen the vinyl flooring goes under a slight gap in both skirting and archetrave. I guess the builders built first and left it for the choosen finishing touches. It will make it easy for me to fit new stuff though