Bad Flooring

[Sandmannd]

We built a home last year and moved in in November. The carpet pulled up between the hall and the MB which they came out and put a piece in to patch. Now the carpet is pulling up on all seems. The kitchen floor is laminate and popping each place the boards go together. We had the company who laid the flooring come out and after a month they got back to us. They said there was moisture in the carpet and in the kitchen so they won't replace it. They said it's due to our pets as dogs are attracted to seem tape. We never had an issue in our last house. For the kitchen floor they said it could be because the dogs lay on it or the dishwasher is causing it, but they won't take care of it.

We have had so many problems with this house and the builder it's not even funny. This is a sub contractor by they suck. When we were ready to move in we noticed there was no carpet in the two hall closets. The counter top they put in was scratched. When they replaced it they threw the old top on my driveway and my 80 year old dad slipped on it the next day as it was under the snow. I pointed this out to the jerk when he kept telling me how great they are at service and they would replace it if it was there fault.

My question is do I go and have someone else come out and check it? Do I just repair it? Shouldn't they be held accountable for a home less then a year old?

[BuckSutherland]

If the house is less than one year old you need to go back to the builder if he is the one that hired the sub contractors. Calling the subs unless you are the one that hired them is pointless. If it is shabby workmanship you have every right to complain. If it is actually something caused by you or your animals/family then you are on your own.

If you need a good carpet guy we have one here on this site. I am sure the next time he comes to the metro he could help you.

If it were me I would demand the builder get his @$$ out there before one year is up. Start making emails to him, and save them all.

[CigarGuy]

There are independent flooring inspectors who can help you out. You can hired them direct, but I would contact the manufacturer of each product and explain what's going on and tell them you disagree with what the flooring contractor is saying. Tell them you would like an independent inspection, this way, they will foot the bill and you won't have to.

When you say "the carpet pulled up in the hallway", do you mean the seam separated or did it pull loose from the tackstrip? How did they determine there was moisture in the carpet? Has the carpet ever been cleaned?

Regarding the laminate, when you say " popping each place they go together", do you mean the joints are seperating or are they swelling"? Blaming the dogs or dishwasher is the most bogus response I've ever heard. PM me, I can help you out, I use to be an inspector.

[Sandmannd]

Yes the seems are pulling apart on the carpet. When I say popping on the laminate I mean every seem is bubbling up. I've called the builder and emailed them. They are useless, they tell me to call the contractor. They also said vacuuming once a week is too much for the carpet to take. One of the seems in the living room started coming up this weekend as well.

[CigarGuy]

Does the joint swelling look like this? Or, does it run the full length and/or width of the planks? What's the subfloor?

Vacuuming isn't going to harm the carpet, it's a must to remove particulate soil. The guy's full of it. I doubt your dog would screw up several different areas along the seams. What style of carpet is it-level loop, cut pile, etc? You need an inspector to measure each drop to make sure the selvage edges have been trimmed, that seam sealer has been used on every inch of the seams and the seams were properly constructed. The inspector will also check to make sure that there isn't any issues with the latex backing on the carpet, moisture issue and a few other tests/observations. Are they any ripples in the field area of the carpet? What's the subfloor under the carpet?

I've been out of the business for several years, however, I can give you contacts to get you definite answers as to the cause of each issue your having. Some carpet installers will tell you that seam sealer doesn't have to be used on residential installations, however, have them check The Carpet and Rug Institute residential installation book!

[BuckSutherland]

Yes the seems are pulling apart on the carpet. When I say popping on the laminate I mean every seem is bubbling up. I've called the builder and emailed them. They are useless, they tell me to call the contractor. They also said vacuuming once a week is too much for the carpet to take. One of the seems in the living room started coming up this weekend as well.

You need to go back to the main guy. NOT the builder, if he was a sub. Not the flooring or carpet installers. The guy that you wrote all the checks to and he wrote to the subcontractors. That is the guy you need to hunt down.

[BuckSutherland]

Post some pictures of your problems. Most of the time in this forum guys that have lots of experience can give you some really good advice from some pictures. Your definition of "bubbling up" might be different than what the rest of us are imagining.

If every joint is "bubbling" I think they laid the floor to quickly before they let it acclimated to the house during the building process. Now it has been expanding all summer with the warmer temps and "bubbling" on you.

[CigarGuy]

Some of the newer laminates don't need to be acclimated. If it's concrete subfloor, it could be moisture-related from the subfloor. Even if it's wooden subfloor on new construction, bottom up moisture could still be an issue if the subfloor/underlayment got wet and the flooring was installed too soon. It could also be the subfloor is not level and/or the flooring to binding against a vertical surface, causing it to buckle. Give the builder one more chance, if doesn't get the manufacturer involved sending an inspector out, call the manufacturer yourself, so you don't have to pay for it. Neither the contractor or the installer will investigate (they don't want to eat the job) all the different scenarios like an independent inspector will!

[Northsider #13]

Do you have a Fridgedaire dish washer? We sent them the part and they said it was a faulty pump. It may be leaking underneath every wash. Happened to us. Lost new Hickory flooring in kitchen and it kept flowing to the hallway and living room.

[slammer]

Did they use glue on the laminate? Almost all laminate now is a click or lock type with no glue used. Moisture from glue will swell up seams. Was there moisture testing done on the subfloor before work was performed? Wet basement? Was laminate in the house for at least 48 hours before installation? Was any liquid spilled on the floor and not wiped up right away? Did installer beat on the ends of the boards with a block to force them together?

A lot of questions to ask. Problem is finding the answer. Most flooring products have disclaimers on them and a lot of the problems are traced back to the installer not reading or following the manufacturers instructions. Not saying its always their fault as product has been known to have defects. As said earlier, track down the person/business you wrote the check to.

As for the carpet, my guess is installer used a cheap seam tape, moved the iron too fast or had the temp set too low which would not melt the glue enough to make a good bond. Stretching the rug before the seams cooled off could also be part of the problem.

[leech~~]

Join the club! We have two spots like this being fixed this Thursday after two months of waiting for the well known contractor to get someone back out to re-level the floor!

[Nhamm]

One flooring fail happens, two or more typically means there is something bigger going on. Being in the business for a decade I would venture a guess that the house was far too humid when both floors were installed causing both to fail when the humidity dropped. Carpet, wood, laminate, almost everything will swell up with high humidity. Then carpet shrinks, and that stuff is stretched tight as ell, only reasonable place to give is on the tape, second the wood flooring the actual wood will swell, not the finish, so when it shrinks back the bubbling you seesy just be the finish pulling away from the wood which is now smaller than it was manufactured. Moisture is the number one cause of most issues with flooring, and sadly many contractors I work with took years to figure it out.

One simple ? To ask the contractor is what point in the process did the HVAC go in and was functioning? Goes a long way to circulate air in the house.

[gunner55]

We had a couple of issues with 2 countertops in the new kitchen.It was a local contractor & took some time but he stood behind his work.He finally figured it out & said the wood he used to make the island had moisture problems.He installed a HVAC system in his shop so it won't happen again.

[Sandmannd]

Does the joint swelling look like this? Or, does it run the full length and/or width of the planks? What's the subfloor?

Vacuuming isn't going to harm the carpet, it's a must to remove particulate soil. The guy's full of it. I doubt your dog would screw up several different areas along the seams. What style of carpet is it-level loop, cut pile, etc? You need an inspector to measure each drop to make sure the selvage edges have been trimmed, that seam sealer has been used on every inch of the seams and the seams were properly constructed. The inspector will also check to make sure that there isn't any issues with the latex backing on the carpet, moisture issue and a few other tests/observations. Are they any ripples in the field area of the carpet? What's the subfloor under the carpet?

I've been out of the business for several years, however, I can give you contacts to get you definite answers as to the cause of each issue your having. Some carpet installers will tell you that seam sealer doesn't have to be used on residential installations, however, have them check The Carpet and Rug Institute residential installation book!

That's exactly what it looks like and it's the entire length of the kitchen and dining room. I'm not sure of the style of carpet, I'll need to find that out. The subfloor I believe is OSB and no ripples in the carpet, just seems popping open.

[Tom7227]

Isn't there a warranty on new construction? Required by law?

[Sandmannd]

Isn't there a warranty on new construction? Required by law?

Yes, but the flooring people say it's our fault there's moisture there and they won't cover it. They guy said "We've been doing this for years, if it was our fault we'd replace it but we don't cover moisture"

[Nhamm]

Yes, but the flooring people say it's our fault there's moisture there and they won't cover it. They guy said "We've been doing this for years, if it was our fault we'd replace it but we don't cover moisture"

What's your moisture reading on the flooring? What's the humidity of your home? I find it hard to believe with new air exchangers in the newer built homes that humidity would get that high. But like mentioned above get a flooring consultant and they should get to the bottom of it.

[minneman]

"Yes, but the flooring people say it's our fault there's moisture there and they won't cover it. They guy said "We've been doing this for years, if it was our fault we'd replace it but we don't cover moisture"

Pull off some baseboard and see if the installer left any "REQUIRED" expansion space around the perimiter of the laminate to the walls/cabinets etc. Usualy 1/4", If any part of the floor is touching walls etc. that is the problem

Im guessing the humidity at install was low, and the installer didnt leave enough room for when the humidity was high.

The separation of the carpet could be they streched the carpet before the seam tape was cured.

[mn_bowhunter]

Post some pictures. It's hard to say without seeing the floor. Get a hygrometer and monitor your humidity levels in the home. I'm a hardwood guy, but it sounds like moisture may be the culprit. Far too many subs will install before the house is dry enough and problems like this arise. Did they test moisture content of the subfloor before installing?

[slammer]

Installer said moisture is your problem? Yea right. Floor should have never been installed. A good installer would check moisture in the subfloor, basement, and product being installed. If conditions are not ideal, he should address the issue and come back when conditions are right. I would bet if you call in an inspector he would tell you the same thing I just said.

The thing about the carpet coming apart from moisture? Been installing for 24 years and have never heard that one before!

[traveler]

Installer said moisture is your problem? Yea right. Floor should have never been installed. A good installer would check moisture in the subfloor, basement, and product being installed.

The thing about the carpet coming apart from moisture? Been installing for 24 years and have never heard that one before!

ditto, and ditto. 37 years of carpet installation, and I too have never heard that one. Someone cut corners on a new residential install and hired rookies who did a poor job, simple as that. Dogs attracted to seam tape?? Nearly choked on my coffee on that one!

Less than a year? You should have NO issues with the carpet. I back my installs for the life of the carpet, period.

I'm not an inspector, but I make it down to the cities every couple weeks and I'd be glad to stop by and have a look at your job and give you an experienced opinion.

And not to be a downer...but chances are very good the carpet can't be fixed. I always tell folks who call looking for a restretch that I'll have a look, but depending on how badly it was installed in the first place it may be too late, especially if failing seams are part of the problem.

[Sifty]

Not sure if it has been asked but what time of the year did they do the install?

If it was winter time the humitity was dry and if they did not leave enough room for the floor to expand it would cause it to buckle when we got into the summer months.

When did the problem start happening?

As for the carpet sounds like a bad installation.

[Sandmannd]

Install was done in October last year. The laminate started bubbling up this spring.