ᐅ Very Poor Parquet Flooring Installation – Is Rectification Impossible?
Created on: 19 Jan 2023 10:55
P
pim1985
Hello,
unfortunately, we are having problems again with our parquet installer (a small family business in NRW). The work on the transitions and the baseboards was done very poorly.
A brief summary of the situation: After a long wait due to residual moisture in the screed, the parquet was installed (oak, 18.5cm (7.3 inches) wide, fully glued).
As you can see in the photos, the gaps at the transitions are about 1cm (0.4 inches) wide and filled with a cork material that does not match the color.
The baseboards (1.8cm (0.7 inches) wide, about 5.8cm (2.3 inches) high) at the floor-to-ceiling windows do not look good, the smaller baseboards/profiles are odd, and the work was very untidy. The reason for the unusual small baseboards/profiles: the window reveals are too narrow (1cm (0.4 inches) wide baseboards would fit; this is the case with our neighbors in an identical semi-detached house). There are nicer solutions for this, but there was no communication that the baseboards would not fit. The parquet installer is unable to accept criticism and is old-fashioned, just doing things as he learned 30 years ago. He refuses to make any corrections.
Regarding the cork filling, we probably have no legal chance for corrections, even though the boards at the transitions were cut unevenly. (I saw examples from other providers, unfortunately too late, and spoke with specialists from a large parquet company (Parkett Dietrich) who said that transitions without joints or with very small joints about 4mm (0.16 inches) are possible. These could be filled with parquet joint filler in a similar color and would look a thousand times better). Baseboards before the step in the staircase area???
The small baseboards in the window area are impossible, though. I am a member of the property owners’ protection association (legal insurance is also available) and I am considering taking legal action with a specialist lawyer and construction consultant, although I would prefer not to. But this job cost a lot of money, and now I will probably have to hire a second company to fix it.
I would appreciate any tips on how to salvage one or the other issue.
unfortunately, we are having problems again with our parquet installer (a small family business in NRW). The work on the transitions and the baseboards was done very poorly.
A brief summary of the situation: After a long wait due to residual moisture in the screed, the parquet was installed (oak, 18.5cm (7.3 inches) wide, fully glued).
As you can see in the photos, the gaps at the transitions are about 1cm (0.4 inches) wide and filled with a cork material that does not match the color.
The baseboards (1.8cm (0.7 inches) wide, about 5.8cm (2.3 inches) high) at the floor-to-ceiling windows do not look good, the smaller baseboards/profiles are odd, and the work was very untidy. The reason for the unusual small baseboards/profiles: the window reveals are too narrow (1cm (0.4 inches) wide baseboards would fit; this is the case with our neighbors in an identical semi-detached house). There are nicer solutions for this, but there was no communication that the baseboards would not fit. The parquet installer is unable to accept criticism and is old-fashioned, just doing things as he learned 30 years ago. He refuses to make any corrections.
Regarding the cork filling, we probably have no legal chance for corrections, even though the boards at the transitions were cut unevenly. (I saw examples from other providers, unfortunately too late, and spoke with specialists from a large parquet company (Parkett Dietrich) who said that transitions without joints or with very small joints about 4mm (0.16 inches) are possible. These could be filled with parquet joint filler in a similar color and would look a thousand times better). Baseboards before the step in the staircase area???
The small baseboards in the window area are impossible, though. I am a member of the property owners’ protection association (legal insurance is also available) and I am considering taking legal action with a specialist lawyer and construction consultant, although I would prefer not to. But this job cost a lot of money, and now I will probably have to hire a second company to fix it.
I would appreciate any tips on how to salvage one or the other issue.
C
chand198630 Jun 2023 20:58xMisterDx schrieb:
20% more area means we're no longer at 1,600 but at 1,920 EUR.
And of course, only one coat over white walls, not two over colored ones. So in that respect, your price is actually almost better than mine...
But are you seriously telling me the painter wants to spend 40 hours jumping around for 31 steps? A whole workweek? More than an hour per step?
Even I finished that in two 8-hour days. No. 2,000 seems too much for that as well.
Just like 1,600 seemed too little to me. I still had materials on top of that, and the travel cost wasn’t charged because I knew someone. I also didn’t pay the standard rate for a qualified tradesman’s hour. External contractors were quoting five-figure sums for the house.
Also,
I did not decline the correction of the nosing boards. It was simply ignored by the parquet installer, and he did not respond to it either.
Regarding the rest: We have a total of 7 expansion joints filled with cork. All of them were cut unevenly and crooked. (Differences of 0.8 cm to 1.5 cm (0.3 inches to 0.6 inches) at one joint!). Visitors have already asked us, “Will it stay like this?” The parquet installer offered to straighten them. Straightening, which would effectively mean widening the joints, is not acceptable.
The costs charged by the third-party company for replacing the nosing boards and the crookedly cut floorboards/joints are being claimed as damages.
xMisterDx schrieb:
Yes, a contract amount of 25,000 EUR. But that is not the actual damage because you received the services and declined the corrections.
And, sorry, but 31 nosing boards painted for 2,000 EUR? Our former landlord is currently having our old apartment painted, 98m² (1,056 ft²) including ceilings, for 1,600 EUR.
Tell the painter to get well soon; he should apply the paint, not drink so much of it.
I did not decline the correction of the nosing boards. It was simply ignored by the parquet installer, and he did not respond to it either.
Regarding the rest: We have a total of 7 expansion joints filled with cork. All of them were cut unevenly and crooked. (Differences of 0.8 cm to 1.5 cm (0.3 inches to 0.6 inches) at one joint!). Visitors have already asked us, “Will it stay like this?” The parquet installer offered to straighten them. Straightening, which would effectively mean widening the joints, is not acceptable.
The costs charged by the third-party company for replacing the nosing boards and the crookedly cut floorboards/joints are being claimed as damages.
X
xMisterDx4 Jul 2023 19:57As I’ve said before... it's no surprise that fewer people want to become tradespeople these days.
Low pay, minimal profit... and customers like you.
Are you sure all your customers would be satisfied if they applied the same 110% standards to your work as you do?
Apart from that, the 2,000 EUR (net) quoted by the painter is a joke. He can charge 600 EUR (net) for that work, but no more.
Low pay, minimal profit... and customers like you.
Are you sure all your customers would be satisfied if they applied the same 110% standards to your work as you do?
Apart from that, the 2,000 EUR (net) quoted by the painter is a joke. He can charge 600 EUR (net) for that work, but no more.
xMisterDx schrieb:
No wonder nobody wants to become a tradesperson anymore. Good idea, let’s just pay tradespeople more when they deliver poor-quality work. Maybe that would finally get the market moving. We could also reward caregivers separately when they mix up medications or give educators a bonus for playing more on their phones than engaging with the children during work hours.
The expectation here is simply that people take responsibility when they make mistakes—just like in any other job. And in the trades, you’re often fortunate enough to be able to fix your own mistakes. It just means more work than doing the job properly the first time.
X
xMisterDx4 Jul 2023 20:17Hehe... keep indulging yourselves.
If these defects keep happening like this, in 10 years even a deviation of 25mm (1 inch) will be accepted because the other contractor has an appointment scheduled in 3 1/2 years.
25 years ago, it didn’t matter—then the client would say, "Great! I couldn’t do it any better..."
Today, the floor installer gets threatened with a lawsuit over 8mm (0.3 inches).
My final opinion on this:
“You guys have completely lost touch and deserve this kind of shoddy work...”
Pay the next floor installer better, and they will do a better job. I’m still convinced the cheapest one was hired...
If these defects keep happening like this, in 10 years even a deviation of 25mm (1 inch) will be accepted because the other contractor has an appointment scheduled in 3 1/2 years.
25 years ago, it didn’t matter—then the client would say, "Great! I couldn’t do it any better..."
Today, the floor installer gets threatened with a lawsuit over 8mm (0.3 inches).
My final opinion on this:
“You guys have completely lost touch and deserve this kind of shoddy work...”
Pay the next floor installer better, and they will do a better job. I’m still convinced the cheapest one was hired...
X
xMisterDx4 Jul 2023 20:20Pacmansh schrieb:
(...)
The simple expectation here is just that you take responsibility when you mess up. (...)Yeah... go ahead, especially when bankruptcy threatens.
Do you run your own company or are you actively working, meaning you have to earn money from your work?
Or are you one of the millions covered under "GK"? 😉
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