Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We have an pre-closing issue with our Armstrong floor. During our walkthru, the builder's program manager pushed the fridge further into the opening and caused the floor to buckle in several places. He said they'd take care of it but didn't say how they'd take care of it. We went to the house yesterday and found that they spliced the floor to remove the bubbles right in the middle of a tile where it's very obvious. My husband was able to put his finger in the splice, and not only is it an obvious eyesore, but it doesn't even appear that the floor is adhesived down. We're guessing it was not laid down right to begin with which would explain why it would buckle under the weight of the fridge. I wonder if the contractors didn't clean up debris and dust before laying it down and the adhesive didn't stick or maybe they didn't use adhesive at all. We are concerned that if they patch the floor that the weight of the fridge when the fridge is pulled out for future cleaning will eventually snap the patch job and also concerned about water getting into the seam and eventually lifting the floor.
Is it a brand new home?
Just me, but if you were buying a new car and they dented the door in the parking lot bringing it to you would you want a bondo repair?
Replace the floor.
If its a used home then a repair will have to be made, but the seam/splice should be in a "grout line" so it isnt obvious.
Is it a brand new home?
Just me, but if you were buying a new car and they dented the door in the parking lot bringing it to you would you want a bondo repair?
Replace the floor.
If its a used home then a repair will have to be made, but the seam/splice should be in a "grout line" so it isnt obvious.
On floors with grout lines, Armstrong advises all seams be done in the grout line to minimize detection and enhance appearance.
Lots of variables come into play...
Refrigerators are notorious for damaging vinyl floors... especially if the floor isn't of the top of line inlaid solarium or better construction.
Most vinyl floors have a printed color or design layer that is paper thin as compared to an inlaid floor where the color layer is at least 50% to 100% (on Medintech) of the material thickness.
If you don't want to stop the closing, you can ask for a credit for the cost to replace/repair.
I attended Armstrong's intensive 2 week installation school years ago and managed a floor company at one time.
The flooring may be a floating vinyle and they do not glue them down. I have the same thing going on and the factory rep was here. Everytime we move something it ripples, tears, ect. I personally hate the float stuff, its like moving furniture on an area rug.
Some vinyl, inter flex, is made to be perimeter glued. The material actually shrinks over time making it tight throughout the installation. Full spread adhesive would keep the product from performing properly. Since it is new construction you need to make them replace the vinyl, and make sure they don't back charge the installer.
The floor is Armstrong Successor which my husband tells me is not one of those that does not get glued down, according to something he read about it. In other words, it should be glued. Still waiting to hear what they're going to do.
Armstrong Successor uses an Interflex adhesive system only. That means that it IS glued, but only at the perimeter, about a 6" path of adhesive. Your floor was damaged in a fairly common mishap with perimeter glued systems. The only way to make it right is to replace all of the vinyl. Since you didn't damage it, you should ask for a replacement of all the vinyl. I'd suggest choosing a floor that can be installed with a full-spread adhesive. Perimeter glued systems come with way too many variables that make the failure rate fairly high, and performance value pretty low.
If the slab is decent you can choose a product that uses full spread. My guess is that someone chose an inter flex product for a reason. In any case, the builder owes you a new floor.
Since it's new construction you have all the rights to demand a new floor if asking doesn't work. Don't accept a replacement credit since you will never know how the reinstalling of the floor will go. If it's a problem with your subfloor, they will fix that before they reinstall. If you accept the credit and the reinstallation goes wrong with the contractor, you have no way to fix it without paying out of pocket. Letting the builders correct their mistakes means it's covered under the home warranty.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
