www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Evening all!,
Is there a method to lifting a floor that has been laid with a portanailer,a friend has asked me to relay an expensive elm t&g floor that her insurance company had installed last year after a flood,the 'Joiner' has made a terrible job and has nailed every 3rd board,the floor is laid over moisture resistant chipboard, you can slide boards up and down in a lot of places!

Is there a way of lifting the nailed boards without knackering them?

and should i should i use an underlay as he didnt?

many thanks yet again

Joe

Before you do anything, I would suggest your friend contact her insurance company and tell them to get the job done properly!

Hi Gadget,
She has tried that and they are now saying its down the construction company that built the place,as the insurance co are saying that they instructed the house builder to get the floor laid and neither want to know now!

So she just wants to sell the place and get her money back

Hi Gadget,
She has tried that and they are now saying its down the construction company that built the place,as the insurance co are saying that they instructed the house builder to get the floor laid and neither want to know now!

So she just wants to sell the place and get her money back

boarder, you are dealing with elm.

elm is very sensitive to moisture content and has a huge range of movement

the elm floor has dried out since it was laid and has shrunk

it almost certainly has nothing to do with the joiner

acclimatising elm is a waste of time it will move regardless




if your friend wants to sell the place

the quickest, and cheapest and easiest way to solve the problem, turn the heating off and open the windows the floor will tighten up again

Hi dirty deeds,
my friend has had a nightmare with this flat,it is only 2 years old and the place is a wreck,they had to insulate the walls etc themselves and the workmanship is terrible ,she has contacted the SHBC and trading standards and neither will do anything,and also the place is always freezing and damp so its been a complete nightmare from start to finish!

im not trying to rundown a tradesman but if you were to see it in the flesh he has taken off the skirting in places an replaced it upside down! (mdf ogee skirting and facing with blocks at the base of door facings), and cut round it in others.

She got to the point she was physically ill due to the stress of all the problems regarding the flat.

I understand that elm moves quite alot,these are prefinished kiln dried boards if that makes a difference.

Many thanks

Joe

skirting being upside down does indicate woeful workmanship and no quality control

it sounds like the shbc is as worthless as the nhbc, stress is no fun, ive been there

i have to assume that kiln drying and prefinishing will have gone a long way to stablising the elm

my head says its elm and it will move, ive seen too much elm furniture (old and new) made by carpenters, joinery shops and furniture makers to believe any different

im sorry not to be able to give you a solution to the problem

I'd get in touch with watchdog and rogue traders!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_ra ... ndex.shtml

Also have a look at the consumer action group website. The offer great advice for people being bullied by big corporations!!

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/fo ... companies/

I'd also go to the Insurance Ombudsman and make an appointment with the Citizens Advice Bureau. Often just one letter from them and there is action!! Work done under an insurance policy payout has to be performed to an acceptable level and also have a warranty! It sounds like the insurance company is bullying your friend and they are winning! Don't let them!!! Put up a fight!!!