3 weeks in - first oh #&@! encountered

13 years ago

I guess it was going to smoothly.

A few months ago, I had given my GC a spare plank of Anderson Mountain Hickory (Golden) that I've kept ever since I had my flooring replaced 8 years ago. He took it to his flooring sub and I was told, yup, it is still available. Thursday, the flooring guys installed a modest amount of planks (I had a peninsula removed and a wall was moved 12''). My GC told me over the phone that it wasn't an exact match, my floors had yellowed a bit. OK, I would not expect an exact match, and this flooring has lots of variation in it anyway. I got home late Thursday and didn't take a look. Friday, cabinets were delivered and installation began. The cabinets are perfect! But...whoa! The new sections of flooring were clearly not what I've walked on for 8 years. Yellowed my a**. I looked at the label on a carton of the new flooring and I saw the word "natural", not golden. Arhhgg! OK, deep breath Jon.

Skip to this morning, the flooring contractor was at my house with samples, confirmed they installed the wrong flooring. Assuming they can get their hands on the right stuff, they will be here Monday to make it right. Fortunately the cabinet install isn't any further along.

My GC will make this right, that is something I don't need to worry about. The bummer is the delay - maybe a week if the correct flooring isn't readily available.

Lesson learned (which I guess is the real point of this post): Whenever you install hardwood flooring, order a few extra boxes if you can, and tuck them away somewhere. If you can't, at least write down the exact and full description of what you used and attach to the one or two left over pieces you will keep.

OK, I feel better.

Jon

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

User
13 years ago
Just make sure they don't rush too much, the new wood will need to acclimate before it is installed. Hope this is your only hiccup, good luck!
lascatx
13 years ago
Hah! A week is nothing (except to the person waiting to live in the finished space). And flooring that is still available? You're lucky. :-D

Our 3-4 week project took months and the contractor who assured us the brick was still available sent me on a goose chase looking for a match that proved to be completely unavailable. You're still in the easy Zone -- but I hope the vent made you feel better. :-)
Related Discussions
Oh What a Difference 3 Weeks Makes
Q
Comments (9)
gardenweed, in order to get a picture to appear in this forum, I think most people link to a photo storage site like PhotoBucket or Picasa. The gallery forums also allow you to upload a picture into the forum itself, in the Preview step. (My apologies if that's all stuff you already knew, I've been told I have a rare talent for stating the obvious. :o)) I could email you some more detailed directions for either linking to a photo site or uploading a picture into a gallery forum, if you'd like. Just send me an email if you are interested. Trudi, you probably guessed the Sibirskij Stambovyj seeds are from you.. The funny thing is, I don't even like tomatoes unless they are part of a spaghetti sauce or salsa. I'm growing them for DH, who acted like I gave him a million dollars when I handed him a tomato that ripened on the vine last summer. I also enjoy the stories behind some of the heirloom tomatoes like mortgage lifter. I've also had many generous offers from people I didn't know I knew to help eat any extra tomatoes, so if I do get a bumper crop this year from the 16 that I planted, none will go to waste.
...See More
first issue encountered in build- windows
Q
Comments (19)
Andersen doesn't offer as much design information as companies like Marvin so it is virtually impossible to create custom designs without the help of an experienced dealer (not Home Depot) but here is my best guess regarding what happened: Andersen makes a Picture Window that matches the 400 Series Tilt Wash double-hung window and therefore these units can be used side by side and the frame, sash and glass will align perfectly. But in order to provide an Andersen arch top picture window, the specifier used an Andersen Specialty Picture Window that has a very small sash profile and selected a custom size to try to match the double-hung although I don't see how that could have been successful. Unless the window profiles are are substantially similar, something is not going to align. I suspect the specifier sized the picture unit a little shorter than the double-hung units and planned to add some trim to the double-hung stool and head in the hope that the sash heights would not look too different and the glass might align. If you are looking to do clever things with windows I do not recommend using Andersen; that isn't one of the company's goals.
...See More
Week 19: Oh what a beautiful mooorrrningg!
Q
Comments (60)
OK, my secret project isn't completely finished but I am ready to reveal it at least. I built.....a temporary kitchen island. Our budget ran way over (big surprise there) and so weve had to put off getting the island and buffet cabinet built. Turns out to be a good thing because I've been putting painters tape on the floor in different configurations, lengths, widths, etc to try to figure out the dimensions of the island in order to have sufficient walkways. Since we always used our peninsula in the old kitchen for breakfast and lunch, I've been really annoyed at having to use the formal dining room for every single meal. I finally said "FORGET IT" (that's not exactly the term I used) and decided, why not build a temporary island. Then I'll have my casual dining and place for the kids to do homework and I'll be able to see if the dimensions will work. It is 8 feet long, 25 inches wide and built using a sheet of 7 ply birch and 2 4x4x6 pine. I ripped the plywood into the right width, then ripped 1 inch pieces to attach to the edges so the counter would appear thicker. Cut the 4x4s, screwed them in place. Used the router to soften all the edges so there wasn't any sharp corners for babies to get hurt on. I've spent the past few days sanding and painting it. I put on a chocolate color first, then painted a creamy white over all of it and I am now in the process of going back and distressing it. As I told my husband, its made of plywood and pine, its not going to look like a fine piece of furniture and if I attempt to make it that way it will look like lipstick on a pig. So I decided to go for the old, worn out look instead. Here's a shot of the whole thing And here is a closeup of the distressing I'm putting on it So...what do you guys think?
...See More
OH Dear Lord! Zermatt/montblanc Quartzite 1 week old! Stained already!
Q
Comments (55)
I’m having white quartz , not quartzite, installed in my kitchen, though I do love soapstone and marble. My engineer sister told me to avoid the extra work, which is fine. I have other plans for marble. My home is a 1953 ranch one level house with walk out basement. I hated the mantel in the living room. Too much mill work and this awful granite the previous owners picked. I’m having the flooring in my living room, former dining room, kitchen and addition replaced and the kitchen , dining room, pantry and addition remodeled and my garage turned into an ADU - so major work. The fireplace was always an afterthought since the living room wasn’t used often (too dark & crowded with furniture). With the removal of the flooring, I saw an opportunity to reflect the mid-century look of the fireplace and get rid of the millwork and granite. Instead, I’ll be using Empress Green marble. I wanted Spider green marble from India, but simply couldn’t find it. Turns out it is very popular in commercial business foyers. Empress Green is a little darker but just as marbleized. The slab I found was great. I even have a fancy gold mirror I’ll be able to hang above the fireplace. No food or drink will be allowed on the mantel and I don’t want it junked up. Since I added a window in the old dining room, and the addition is now the dining room, with the 8 foot ceiling now segwaying into the additions vaulted ceiling, more light will be coming in. Even with the rooms being unfinished, the space is brighter.
...See More
Jon T
Original Author
13 years ago
Just a quick follow-up in case this helps anyone...

The flooring contractor was able to get the correct flooring within a day. On Monday following their Saturday visit to my house they removed all of the recently installed wrong colored planks, and on Tuesday they installed the correct stuff. The color is perfect, but.....in 8 years time, apparently the manufacturer (Anderson) changed the gloss level. Although both were called "low gloss", my older flooring is actually significantly glossier than the new planks. The new planks are quite dull in comparison. For now I'm not going to worry about it, some of the planks may be covered with a small rug.

If replacing sections of wood flooring that need to match existing flooring, get actual samples in your house before you begin so there are no surprises.

Jon
macybaby
13 years ago
Doesn't it just chap your hide that the people doing the actual install didn't STOP and say "wow, this looks like the wrong stuff, maybe we should call the owner"

Instead they just go ahead and install away.

Had this happen at work, they ordered the carpet and rubber baseboard trim separately, and once installed it was a horrid match. The guy that installed the baseboard admitted he thought it looked terrible, but since it was what was on the order, he installed in anyway.

There was no way we were going to leave that horrid look in our main public conference area.

Only cost an extra $2000 labor to have it removed and something more suitable installed, but GC did it instead of leaving it to the subcontractor that did the original work.

I think this is reason #238 why I learned to DIY.
gillycat
13 years ago
I read something like this and once again am so grateful and amazed at the GC and subs i had.
I needed 6 extra tiles for my front room and thought I had been given the exact same shade but when they were about to install they called me over to show me that the colour was a bit off. The new ones were very slightly more brown.
Since it was going behind a door and mostly under a wooden chest and you really have to look closely i said go ahead.

At the time i didn't realise how unusual that incident was in this renovation world!

3 weeks in - first oh #&@! encountered

Comments (5)

User

lascatx

Related Discussions

Jon T
Original Author

macybaby

gillycat

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

3 weeks in - first oh #&@! encountered

Comments (5)

User

lascatx

Related Discussions

Jon TOriginal Author

macybaby

gillycat

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Jon T
Original Author