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Cool story bro. Maybe in some backwoods in NC are all 900K + homes expected to have real wood. In some areas, you're lucky if 900K gets you an inhabitable space.
Yeah if your trying to live in Beverly Hills good luck finding something decent for 900k but if your looking at a more affordable large city 900k can get you plenty of house.
The issue you are probably dealing with is an improperly leveled underlying floor. If vinyl or laminate was installed on a correctly leveled surface, squeaking or movement should be limited or non-existent. It's probably a good indicator that this is the problem if the squeaking or movement is limited to isolated areas.
If the floor was not properly leveled, the solution is probably to remove the laminate, level the floor ('mud') and then re-install the floor. This removal (and re-use of the product) might be more difficult if an adhesive was used to install a vinyl floor. (It may not be necessary to remove/re-install the entire floor, if you are only experiencing the problem in a limited area).
I've got a section of a laminated bedroom floor where the installer did not correctly level the floor before installation. I had them back to re-level and re-install a section, but, they still didn't get it entirely right. I've now had the floor a few years and since it was not in a high traffic area, I decided to ignore the squeaking. If it really bothered me, I would have the flooring removed in the bothersome area, the underlying floor re-leveled and the flooring re-installed. - Hope this helps.
If the house has plywood floors it could be as simple as needing a few decking screws in the squeaking areas. However, that still involves pulling up the LVP, and then reinstalling it.
Back to the flooring issue. Ask when the flooring was installed. If it is new it was probably to replace carpeting and was a cheaper install job. That 25K of price lowering should allow you to either rip it up or lift it and fix the cause. It's annoying because it will need to be fixed before you move in, but maybe if the house is empty you could even make it a "repair" condition of the sale.
Escanlan: Thank you for the feedback. I am going to re-visit the “house†this weekend. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.
Quote:
Originally Posted by escanlan
The installation method of the vinyl plank flooring is what is important here. The flooring can be an interlocking type that just basically snaps together and lays on the floor or it can be the type that is glued to the floor/subfloor material (you can also glue down the interlocking type). The squeaky floor might be a snap and lay floor that is causing the sound or it could be a subfloor material (wood subfloor on joists) that has not been properly secured to the joists. Obviously you most likely can't tell the installation method which would require bringing in a specialist to determine the issue.
What I would recommend doing instead is to view the house one more time and take measurements of the rooms with the vinyl flooring in it. Take some pictures too so you can possibly identify the manufacturer of the flooring. If you can't get back fast enough to do this then use MLS pictures and data to obtain general measurements of rooms. Take that information to a good flooring store and ask them to provide either a ballpark figure or price per square foot to perform the following.
Tear out the current vinyl flooring and replace with new.
Repair loose (squeaky) subfloor (typically a cheap cost operation and adds little to the overall job cost). Repairing the sub-floor may well require removal of the vinyl planks which can add to overall repairs even with the snap and lay flooring (no glue down) if planks become damaged.
Now you have a worst case scenario of what it would cost if you did not try reducing your offer below the asking price. If it's something you feel you can afford to do and really love the house that can help you with your offer to make it more competitive with other possible buyers. If it's going to be a potential huge cost you can either make it part of the offer, make the offer contingent on bringing in a flooring specialist, or not even make an offer.
We put LVP flooring in our basement remodel over the cement floor. Not a squeak in the entire space.
Jack: I live in the same area and this home is in Anaheim Hills. Was your floor a DIY or did you have a company do the install and if so which company?
The issue you are probably dealing with is an improperly leveled underlying floor. If vinyl or laminate was installed on a correctly leveled surface, squeaking or movement should be limited or non-existent. It's probably a good indicator that this is the problem if the squeaking or movement is limited to isolated areas.
If the floor was not properly leveled, the solution is probably to remove the laminate, level the floor ('mud') and then re-install the floor. This removal (and re-use of the product) might be more difficult if an adhesive was used to install a vinyl floor. (It may not be necessary to remove/re-install the entire floor, if you are only experiencing the problem in a limited area).
I've got a section of a laminated bedroom floor where the installer did not correctly level the floor before installation. I had them back to re-level and re-install a section, but, they still didn't get it entirely right. I've now had the floor a few years and since it was not in a high traffic area, I decided to ignore the squeaking. If it really bothered me, I would have the flooring removed in the bothersome area, the underlying floor re-leveled and the flooring re-installed. - Hope this helps.
Thirty years in the building trades and it's rare that I read something and say, "What the $#% is this guy talking about?". First, in modern construction, there is no "leveling" with "mud". Mud is a tradesman's term for mortar. IF the home in question HAD engineered flooring, or Pergo style particle board garbage planking, AND there was an issue with noise due to dips, and unacceptable flatness tolerance in the subfloor, then a thin patching type leveling compound might be required. These noises tend to be "slapping" and "clacking" sounds as the planks bend, and slap the floor below, as foot traffic crosses them. Solid vinyl planks have no such issues, and will not bridge any extreme dips, which means that this is not the cause of the squeaks. Second, whatever your concept of "leveling" is, it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this floor is squeaky, nor will it typically correct the majority of squeaks. Chances are the vinyl floor needs to be pulled, and the subfloor needs to be re-secured to the floor joists with screws. I've done it several times, including reusing all the plank flooring. It's not rocket science.
To clarify, when "soft" flooring such as vinyl planking, vinyl sheet goods, carpet, etc.. is installed, and there are squeaks, it is an issue with the connection between the subfloor and floor joists. This is typically caused by shrinkage of the floor joists, or occasionally a result of poor framing workmanship like failure to use, or properly apply, construction adhesive, or using the wrong fasteners to attach the floor sheathing. If there is access to the bottom of the floor joists, there are ways to solve the problem from below.
Jack: I live in the same area and this home is in Anaheim Hills. Was your floor a DIY or did you have a company do the install and if so which company?
Thanks,
David
We had a local company do the job. Since we live in Vermont I don't think the name would help you.
Thirty years in the building trades and it's rare that I read something and say, "What the $#% is this guy talking about?". First, in modern construction, there is no "leveling" with "mud". Mud is a tradesman's term for mortar. IF the home in question HAD engineered flooring, or Pergo style particle board garbage planking, AND there was an issue with noise due to dips, and unacceptable flatness tolerance in the subfloor, then a thin patching type leveling compound might be required. These noises tend to be "slapping" and "clacking" sounds as the planks bend, and slap the floor below, as foot traffic crosses them. Solid vinyl planks have no such issues, and will not bridge any extreme dips, which means that this is not the cause of the squeaks. Second, whatever your concept of "leveling" is, it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this floor is squeaky, nor will it typically correct the majority of squeaks. Chances are the vinyl floor needs to be pulled, and the subfloor needs to be re-secured to the floor joists with screws. I've done it several times, including reusing all the plank flooring. It's not rocket science.
To clarify, when "soft" flooring such as vinyl planking, vinyl sheet goods, carpet, etc.. is installed, and there are squeaks, it is an issue with the connection between the subfloor and floor joists. This is typically caused by shrinkage of the floor joists, or occasionally a result of poor framing workmanship like failure to use, or properly apply, construction adhesive, or using the wrong fasteners to attach the floor sheathing. If there is access to the bottom of the floor joists, there are ways to solve the problem from below.
Have you forgotten about leveling concrete floors over which tile/laminate is directly installed? (ie; condos)
Have you forgotten about leveling concrete floors over which tile/laminate is directly installed? (ie; condos)
Do concrete floors squeak? If the contractor didn't use level quick or something similar to level and fair the floors then the vinyl flooring would follow the contours would it not?
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