Hello,

I am getting my carpet replaced with hardwood floors. The installer who gave me a quote noted that they are not responsible for cupping/movement after 2 weeks of installation. Is that the usual warranty?

thx
-t

I would be nervous about this fellow. An expressed warranty that exclusionary sends a lot of red flags. Obviously, you sensed that too. Hence your post here. I am afraid this installer has no clue what the jobsite conditions are or perhaps even the moisture content of the wood. Therefore, his business plan is to walk away if there are problems. If that is not the intention this is a poorly worded explanation of the warranty.

I agree!!! This is not the installer for you!!!

He does not know what causes the wood to cup or shrink, so He expresses it won't be his fault if it happens.... I beg to differ!

He should know exactly why, and what to do to prevent it or keep it very minimal.

This guy knows how to cut and nail the wood, and that is about it. He is no better then a DIY'er, getting paid to gamble with your investment.

Thanks for the replies! The statement of warranty is exactly as I worded. I have some confident in the installer thru some knowledgeable references. I talked to him about this and he definitely didn't sound clueless. He said he uses moisture meter himself and makes sure the moisture of the subfloor is compatible with the wood. He said that he puts this in the contract mostly for new construction but since my house is already conditioned and heated, nothing should happen. He said that usually the moisture related problems show up in 4-5 days. If 2 weeks later something happens then it must be a leak somewhere.

I think I can probably get him to extend the written warranty to a month or so but my question is what is the usual warranty from installer. Does any installer warranty his/her installation for longer period of time (in written)? This is the first time I am dealing with an installer.

Thanks,
-t

You could install it now, and be fine for 6-9 months and without a leak the floors cup, or god forbid, buckle.

If it is just for new construction, then have him revise his proposal/contract to reflect the omission.

Why would the floor installer need to express in his warranty that he is not responsible for leaks. He is not the plumber.

This fellow might be a very knowledgeable and competent installer. But he should be able to stand behind the basics in the sense of jobsite conditions as they relate to installation, and those might take a while to develop. A warranty that would cover issues related the installers responsibilities should not be unrealistic to request.