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One day, my company was doing a refinishing project for friends of mine. As I arrived at their house, I took notice of a new house being built directly across the street. I spoke to my friend, Kevin, and half-jokingly said to him, "Why don't you speak to the builder and get me in there to install the floors?" He responded by telling me that the house already had beautiful hardwood floors throughout. I was speechless for about 10 seconds. Kevin asked me what the matter was, so I explained to him why I was quite shocked by his response.
Let me back up a little and explain what I really observed. The house across the street was approximately 4,000 square feet. The structure was framed and sheathed, the roof was completed, and windows were in place.
Now here is what caused me to be shocked when he said the hardwood floors were already in place. There was no type of siding or protective barrier over the plywood sheathing. There were no garage doors installed. In fact, the garage floor had not even been poured. It was a nice slab of mud and debris. While looking through the two-car garage, I could see that the interior walls were just studs. No insulation or sheetrock had been installed. There weren't even any of these things on the outside walls, either.
It was near the end of October, and it was raining. There was no building going on, so I grabbed my moisture meter and walked over to make some further observations. I noticed that the ground around the building was not graded away from the foundation, and no gutter or downspouts were installed. This house was a perfect example of what not to do in preparing for hardwood flooring.
I walked through the garage and, sure enough, every room was covered with 2 1/4 -inch unfinished red oak flooring. I put my moisture meter to the test and found the first reading to be 18 0/0 (18 percent). This was the average for the whole floor except for the area I could not measure because of the puddles of water.
We all know that this floor is going to present major problems as time goes on. The big question is, "Why did the contractor install this floor under these conditions?" Let's face it, we are all in business to make money, and a 4,000-square-foot installation is certainly enticing. However, chances are if you are reading this article and magazine, you take your business very seriously and know proper methods of flooring installation and refinishing. Here's the million-dollar question: How many of us have done jobs for builders even when we know the timing is not right or the job site is not ready? Many of us have. We don't like to hear things from a building contractor such as, "You have to do it now; you're holding up other contractors," or, "If you won't do it, I'll get someone else to do it."
I don't like to hear that any more than any other wood flooring contractor, and after many years in the business, I've learned ways to avoid these uncomfortable situations and preserve the integrity of my wood flooring jobs. First, evaluate which builders you are doing work for and which builders you would like to work for. I can guarantee that if you install floors under adverse conditions and the homeowners complain to the builder, the builder is immediately going to be on the homeowner's side and look for you to fix the problem and take a financial loss. You are the flooring expert; it's up to you to explain to the builder what procedures need to be followed and what needs to be completed prior to the hardwood floor installation. It is necessary to educate the builder about flooring procedures. If he seems uninterested in learning about wood flooring, it is a good time to get out while you can.
If you are contacted by a builder who is looking to hire your company, do not be afraid to do your homework. Meet with him to discuss expectations. Here are some factors to consider and some questions you should ask before working for a builder for the first time:
• How long has the builder been in business? Contractors who have been in business for many years tend to have set routines, know the proper procedures for all aspects of home building and are not here to "make a fast buck."
• Get references on the builder. Speak to other contractors who have done work for this particular builder on other projects in the past. What is his reputation for paying his subcontractors? Does he build by the book or does he tend to take shortcuts to get the job done faster?
• Get references from homeowners for whom this builder has done work. Did they have a positive experience working with this builder? Did his workmanship meet their expectations? Is the workmanship holding up today?
• Do background checks on the builder. Does he have a good credit rating? Ask him for credit references, such as lumber yards or supply places. Check bank references, and check with local building departments or building inspectors to see if they have received any complaints or levied fines against him.
• Do not be afraid to ask the builder for a deposit to cover materials. As you develop a working relationship with him, you may choose to forego the deposit, although I advise against it. You should not be afraid to cover large expenses by requesting deposits.
Working with a builder is a great way for you to increase profits if it is done right. Avoid working for the guy looking to make a quick buck. Rather, establish a professional relationship with a professional builder. Establish written guidelines prior to starting the work. Use a contract to avoid conflicts that may develop later in the project. A contract can avoid possible legal action against you from the homeowner and the builder alike. Keep good records of each job, take notes of the job-site conditions and keep track of when and how each one of your flooring installations and refinishing jobs was completed.
It's always tempting to take advantage of a building boom, but do not put yourself at risk by not following the proper procedures. You are the flooring expert, not the builder.