mack,

you're in for some serious headaches to pull up an engineerd floor that's been glued down. It takes an incredible about of labor and work to do it. Sorry to say, but it's about as bad of a nightmare you can have with a flooring screw-up.

I scratched just a few pieces on my engineerd floor. It was almost impossible to get it up. I had to use a 1/2 inch router bit and grind in into sawdust it was so tough. i was using a thick 7/8 ply 1/2 inch engineered product.

It took me darn near 2 days just to pull up a handfull of pieces just as a DIY project. You'll need some pro tools and a quality crew to get it done right.

Tearing out a engineered project is more expensive than putting it down. If I was a pro contractor, I wouldn't do it for less than $ 3-4 square foot, and a lot of pro installers won't for less because they know how hard it is.

If they used the wrong trowel size, and not enough adhesive was put down, then yea, it's doomed to fail. And a complete removal and new floor is warranted. It may be easier than usual if there's not much adhesive used. No matter how you look at it, a complete PITA.

Glue Failure: Failure to get the glue out of the bucket and onto the floor!!!

OK they have given us two choices, the first is they drill and inject glue in all the defetive places around the house which I believe is 75 or more. We havent even looked under the 2 larges rugs we have. I have many concerns with that fix including all the small holes in my floor, the fact that the floor isnt installed correctly now so what if they glue the places which are now coming up, whats going to happen to the floor once those places are fixed? Will more of it fail? What about the hundreds of small holes they are going to drill to inject glue, I can see where they drilled the 6 previously and it noticable. I cant imagine what several hundred are going to look like.

The second and my favorite option is that they will completely replace our floor. They stressed what a pain it was going to be for us as they said the job will take 3 weeks. I dont think they want me to choose option 2 but I am the wronged party and believe they must do what I want. They asked if we could take a vacation while the work is performed. Give me a break. As far as I am thinking they should pay to have our furniture moved out, replace the floor and make the house like new and pay for our accomadations while all of this happens.

What do you guys think? I appreciate all your help and input.

Mike

I don't think I'd accept option #1. I cannot see how they would deal with all the injection holes very well. What would they do about the holes? Putty them? That's going to show. I could understand a few but over 75? Plus, you brought up a good point. That's just what's failing now. How about after the floors are subjected to a couple of years of use and have gone through a few seasons? No, I think they should be replaced. So I'd vote for option #2. This is really going to hurt the flooring contractor financially. Not only are they going to have to pay to remove all the old flooring, but they have to buy all new flooring and adhesive and pay to install all the new floors as well. They will lose thousands and thousands on the deal UNLESS the job was subcontracted to subcontract labor, then the subcontract labor is going to eat it big time and most cannot afford to so they won't do it. "Can't get blood out of a turnip" as the saying goes. So, IMHO, although the contractor is responsible for making you "whole" again, I wouldn't "stick it to him" and make him pay for a vacation for the family as well. Why not try to schedule the work around a vacation that you may have already been planning? Driving the screws to him at this point may just make him walk away and force you to sue him, which will drag everything out, delay getting the work done and leaves the possibility you may not win everything you want in court. He is owning his failure. Give him credit for that. He is willing to repair at his expense. Another brownie point for that as well. Like I said, try to schedule the work when you would typically be away. That seems very fair to me.

Oh I dont want to stick it to him, he is a good guy but we are not taking a vacation this year as we are saving to pay for a retaining wall in our backyard and some landscaping. In fact we could probably stay with family for a week or so. I just want them to have all of our furnishing moved and stored. I thought maybe one of those PODS might work but I want them to handle that part. I dont have the time to deal with it as I have my own small business that demands much of my time.

Thanks!

Do a google on the UCC. Universal commercial code. I believe it is called. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

There was an article in a recent flooring specific trade magazine, on this very subject. The contractor had to put them up in a hotel, and pay for a mover, then replace the floor on his dime, also. But like Gary said, it did get strung out in litigation.

I might be able to live w/ a few holes.

But 75 drill holes? Your floor will look horrible with putty holes everywhere...unless they plan on refinishing the whole thing.

I am experiencing the same thing right now. We had our Armstrong engineered wood floor put in 1 month ago...it is popping all over. I had the contractor out and he said he has never seen anything quite like it...it is popping in about 30 places with a few loose boards in places too. We used Lowes...who in turn used a contactor. We are now waiting on an inspector set up by lowes to come and see the problem. They tried to say it was walked on too soon...but that is not the case...it is popping even in corners and closets and we didnt walk there. I was quite anal about that...they then asked what i was cleaning it with...I have'nt and even if I had it is even popping under the rugs and I can assure you I am not that great a housekeeper. Everbond glue was used and the contactor said he got a moisture reading of 4.46. I saw him use his meter in one place. not saying he didnt use it all over...he also said he had never used that particular glue before but that it was the recommended glue. There is a years installation warranty on this...what should we expect next. It is keeping me up at night with worry. We had saved like hell to put it in and were so excited only for this to happen. Please Help!!!

If it's popping up all over, sad to say, it will probably need to be replaced. The inspector ( if he's good ) will likely find the cause of failure.

But what should I expect from Lowes under the warranty...these floors had been in less than a month. Surely if they are to be replaced it should not cost me...other than pain and suffering? Their installer should have made certain that conditions were favourable. The installation warranty is 12 months and satisfaction guaranteed....
what should my expectations be?

Have your expectations set on a lot of dragging feet.

I realise that but is it ultimately their responsibility and where would I stand legally under these so called satisfaction guaranteed warranties. I am quite obviously not satisfied and the person who came out from Lowes said he wouldnt be either....so apart from dragging feet....who is at fault? Surely not me.

It will drag on until you give up, or file a law suit, then they will settle it with you. That is how I have seen it all go down, in my experiences, hearing the consumers complaints over and over.

Probably the same thing as mentioned before.

Sloppy installation w/ not enough glue used.