ComplaintsforOttawa Diamond Flooring Inc

• Initial Complaint

  26/06/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased hardwood flooring for 3 room including installation in Jan 2022. I selected this company because they had installed a hardwood floor in my family room and although they were not the cheapest, I was very pleased with the previous installation. In my opinion the quality of the new installation was unacceptable. I have identified the following categories of problems in order of importance. 1) There are 10+ examples of where the gap between boards is excessive, where I can insert a coin (dime, loonie, and even in places even a toonie). 2) in many cases, the gaps between the boards is such that the white, un-painted sides of the boards is visible given a white border around many dark stained boards. 3) There are many areas where there are ends of the boards are at different level. 4) One of the rooms has a very pronounced squeaky sound when walked on. I am not an expert on hardwood flooring but I do have as a reference the previous installation to compare it too. My conclusion is that we unfortunately got different and un-experience installers, the junior member of team who did the squeaky room admitted to have less than 6 months experience. I must point out another member did a very acceptable job in our hall way. My first and major complaint is it took almost a month before the company showed up to inspect the job ( the lead installed never actually came back to site). We in turn supplied photos and called and emailed for support almost daily. Secondary after several discussions, the company claimed 1) the white border was an optical illusion or dusk or lack of humidity and they would come back and clean the floors. 2) the squeaking was normal. and 3) they would replace a maximum of 5 boards. In return I was to pay the 25% of the monies held back. This would basically have me pay more money and leave me with a mess. I expect an installation of the same quality I received from them several years earlier.

  

  Business response

  29/06/2022

  We are disappointed to hear that the customer is continuing to claim his job is unfinished due to warranty issues as the job is complete and have addressed these complained with him on several occasions.
  
  The customer also knows the original lead installer had contracted covid and was on mandatory self isolation and not able to attend for the site visit. Subsequently the owner of Ottawa Diamond Flooring attended the site to do an inspection and when the customer was not satisfied with the results we contacted the manufacture to do another site inspection. The findings of this are below to address the issues in the complaint and have previously been given to the customer. 
  
  Manufacture performed a site visit to inspect the gaps in the boards. The manufacture determined when on site that "Pursuant to your request concerning gaps and visible white lines between boards, **** ******
  and ******* ***** went for a visit to customer's house on April 28, 2022.
  **** and *** took readings of the Humidity level and temperature of the house. Temperature
  was 20 degrees, and humidity was 32 %, which is a little too low.
  We believe that gapping and white micro bevels visual effects are both environmental issues,
  possibly related to a certain lack of humidity. We have a few suggestions that can help settle the
  situation.
  First, as explained on our documentation, the humidity rate must be between 37 to 45% to
  ensure the internal stability of the wood. On the environmental level, wood is physically a
  hygroscopic material, that is to say it absorbs or expels ambient humidity, depending on the
  temperature and humidity rate to which it is subjected.
  Even with a good installation, floor movement can occur, depending on the season and
  variations in the heating of the house. It therefore becomes imperative to maintain an ambient
  heat and humidity rate that will allow it to reach a point of equilibrium, and prevent it from
  undergoing a dimensional change.
  Depending on the season, a dryer environment will tend to bring out the humidity inside the
  wood ( regardless of the wood species) which can cause the wood to shrink, resulting in the
  appearance of openings ( or gapping) between the boards. The wood then sometimes takes on a
  convex shape. Planks located near a heat source can also be affected if a lot of heat is released
  for a continuous time period, especially during the more intense heating periods of the winter
  months.
  Ex: Wood stoves or fireplaces, heaters, floor grates, parts of the floor under which pass heating
  ducts
  On the contrary, a more humid environment will cause the wood to expand, even lifting some
  boards in some cases. The wood can then take on a more concave shape. This is also the reason
  why an expansion joint (usually 3/4'' on each side, and 1/4'' at each end along the length) is kept
  around the floor installations to allow the possibility for the floor to expand slightly when the
  ambient humidity exceeds the desired humidity level.
  To avoid this situation, it is necessary to aim for the dimensional balance of the wood by
  maintaining humidity and temperature at the desired levels, all year round. Nowadays, the
  various air exchanger systems, geothermal energy, air conditioners, a humidifier or a
  dehumidifier, a good hygrometer, etc... are technological tools helping to achieve this balance
  more easily."
  2) "micro bevels white effects. We want to inform you about the situations encountered with white micro bevels (visual
  effects in the bevels, micro V in our internal jargon). We understand that many consumers have
  difficulty understanding why this phenomenon occurs.
  According to our experience, it is a phenomenon optimized mainly by the reflection and the
  deviation of a light on an inclined surface. Sometimes a little disturbing for the eye, obviously,
  but it is not a defect of the product, the finish or the installation.
  Essentially, it's a "backlighting" effect on the micro bevels. The color of the coating as well as the
  gloss level of the finish can also amplify this illusion. If your client encounters this situation, it is
  difficult to change this optical illusion."
  3) Ends of boards can be slightly raised from board to board based on the level of the floor and the raises were inspected by the manufacture and deemed within tolerance.
  4)   For the squeaking floor this had been inspection and determined the existing joists for the new installation are 2x10 at 16" which are larger spacing with more deflection and are loose, creating the noise on the floor. The subfloor was screwed to the joists to assist in noise removal but, this doesn't guarantee against noises as homes shift and things can loosen over time. This is not an installation deficiency.
  The previous floor in the sunken room has joists 2x8 with 8" spacing and joists are tight; this is why it does not demonstrate the same noise as the new install. The customer was advised he would need to have the joists looked at by general contractor to correct the movement to address his noise complaints.
  
  In good faith the customer was offered to have an installer come to change up to five of the board he disapproved of the most. He was not satisfied with this offer, indicated to one of the sales people that he would not pay the balance after the service and  continually sent emails repeating the same issues even though they had been inspected by the manufactured and deemed not to be installation or product related issues. It was at this time the customer was reminded his installation was complete and was asked to pay the balance owing and advised we would have to pursue other avenues if the balance was not received. The balance remains unpaid. ell us why here...

  Customer response

  30/06/2022

   
  ********* ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

   

  Have you inspected the photo's I provided? I stopped counting after highlighting 30 flaws. Does it appear to you the gaps are illusions? 

   

  It appears the company is just repeating the responses i attached in my records and email.

   

  Exactly what more can you do?

  
  Sincerely, ***** ******

  

  Business response

  30/06/2022

  We have done the necessary inspections on customer's claims and they have been deemed not installation/product related issues and explanations for this have been provided to the customer in several emails as well as the previous BBB response. At this time there is nothing further we can say to the client as he chooses not to accept any of the findings. 

  Customer response

  04/07/2022

   
  ********** ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely, ***** ******

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