Part 2 – How to Deal With a Problem and Get What You’re Entitled To

In the previous part of the we talked about the importance of being careful when hiring the contractor, as finding the right flooring installer is as important as choosing the right material. New hardwood floors are a big and important investment and you need to make sure that your risks are minimal and that if something goes wrong, you will be compensated.

We covered the main differences and advantages of hiring the licensed contractor, such as warranty protection and quality of work. We have also mentioned how to check if a contractor has a license via CSLB website. Now let’s move on!

So you checked for licensed contractors nearby, you weighed the offers and found the one that suits you most. You decided to go with a smart option and hired a licensed contractor, but somewhere along the way, a problem occurs. What to do now? How to get the quality  you’re entitled to? 

Call a Flooring Detective!

Well, that’s when the flooring inspector steps in. If you have a problem with your licensed contractor, you can (and should) hire an inspector who will go through a number of tests in order to find out what is the cause of problems with the flooring. After the on-site inspection, as an objective side, the flooring inspector will give you a report regarding whether the contractor did a correct job or not, and inform you about the next steps based on that.

If a NWFA Certified flooring inspector, such as Flooring Detective, does find that flooring failure is a result of a faulty job performed by the contractor, he can guide you with  actions you should go with in order to protect your investment and recover your money.  Even though it may be your initial reaction, you shouldn’t litigate right away, as it would most likely be just a waste of both time and money for all the parties. The best way to resolve a dispute is to stay out of  court if possible  and try to solve the problem with the help of a mediator.

Mediation

As a neutral party, a certified mediator, like California flooring specialist Jeff Meltzer, would handle the problem and try to settle the issue with his unbiased and fact-based conclusions. In most cases, reasonable minds will prevail and the problems will be solved out of court, thanks to professional mediation and floor inspection services performed by flooring inspectors. 

Expert witness

However, if the dispute still isn’t resolved, charges could be pressed. In that case, you should use flooring inspector services too! Experienced flooring inspectors could serve as an expert witness in the courtroom, presenting the objective facts and findings of the performed floor inspection to the judge. The best way to solve a dispute is to settle it out of court, but in case there’s no other option, the flooring inspector would help you protect your investment.

Conclusion 

If after reading this you understand the importance of choosing licensed contractors for your hardwood floor installation, our article served its purpose. Imagine wanting to buy a car for you and your family, and instead of going to the authorized car dealer you go to the local used-cars trader and buy a car with no warranty. Yeah, it’s cheaper, but is that really a risk you’re willing to take, especially if you’re about to drive your kids to school in that car? 

The same applies when choosing the right contractor for your floors. Hardwood floors are a big investment, and not only that they would increase the value of your home, but they’d also increase the quality of life for you and your family. So if you decided to invest that much in a perfect wood flooring, would you risk it all with an unlicensed contractor? You never know what can go wrong, as you cannot look into the future, but you can do the smart thing – choose a licensed contractor and be calm. You’ll have a warranty and if something goes wrong, don’t hesitate to contact a certified flooring inspector such as Jeff Meltzer!

In the next part of the series, read more about how to protect your investment with the help of a flooring inspector. Check out how flooring detective Jeff performs the inspection and how can he assist you in solving the dispute with a contractor.

Also, check out the following video for more information about licensed and unlicensed contractors!