As I write, I am as depressed as the UK economy - here’s why. On Tuesday night I got home from work to find the new vinyl flooring laid in our recently re-fitted kitchen. The flooring fitters B.W. Male & Sons of Daventry had laid one piece of continuous vinyl through the kitchen, utility room, downstairs toilet and airing cupboard.
My tasks for Tuesday evening included bringing the tumble drier, full height fridge and washing machine back in from the garage (and conservatory) and installing them into their temporarily vacated utility room slots.
The tumble drier went first and was successfully installed. The fridge was next and help was recruited in the form of my next door neighbour to carry it in and position it. All went well! The washing machine came in last and once again I had help lifting and manoeuvring it.
With the pipes located all that was required was for Graham (my neighbour) and I to move the machine into place and this is when it all went horribly wrong. The washing machine feet tore two holes into the newly laid vinyl. Frankly disastrous - the floor had been down for a matter of hours and was already ruined! You can see the pictures. I could have got cross but the actual feeling that washed over me (pun intended!) was more like despair - it felt like my whole body was deflating.
In all my years of moving houses and moving appliances, I have never damaged a floor covering be it vinyl, Flotex, carpet, laminate or tiles and I didn’t expect last night’s tragedy either. A floor covering with a ten-year warranty was ruined on day one by an appliance being moved, how can that happen? Surely that means the flooring is not fit for purpose! Or of course it was laid badly, or rather not glued down properly and therefore at greater risk of damage? But what on earth can I prove?
For reference, the Flotex that was down previously, and was 15 years old, was unmarked when the washing machine was removed.
In all of the process of selecting a vinyl, having the space measured, agreeing quotations and getting the job done was there any advice given about the vulnerability of the floor to tearing. Should I have absorbed this insight by osmosis, is this knowledge common and I have been ignorant of it? Should I feel worse than I already do?
A call with Males, perhaps expectedly, had the salesman shrugging his shoulders, saying tough and recommending an insurance claim. We had already paid so I don’t know why I even hoped for a better result. The company begrudgingly agreed to come back to the house on Friday to have a look but said ‘don’t expect a more positive outcome’ – who knows perhaps another repair/restoration solution will present itself – fingers crossed.
The salesman was obviously keen not to accept any kind of responsibility which I can kind of understand but what annoys me immensely is that it’s all smiles and nicety when all is going well and then shutters down when something goes wrong. Decent customer service is of course defined by what happens when there are problems.
The salesman has backtracked and claimed that we never discussed moving appliances across the flooring and that he would have given some advice if he had known (it’s a kitchen for crying out loud) and perhaps recommended something different. At the time of course it was all ‘good choice’ and ‘that’s a popular one’. All bollocks and nonsense and all the more depressing for it.
An insurance claim may well prove necessary.
This is the product we purchased and the text below is the copy from another site.
Ultragrip Studio XL (Sacramento 909E)
An exciting new range for 2012...Studio XL is a collection of popular wood, stone and tile designs. This super 3mm thick cushion floor is hard wearing, slip resistant and has added anti-bacterial properties.
Available in 2, 3 & 4m widths with an impressive 10 year guarantee.
Hard wearing – well I’d have to challenge that!
The guarantee – the flooring is apparently not guaranteed not to tear so not sure I’d view the guarantee as impressive at all.
My recommendation to any reader is buy something else.
What this space for further updates on this flooring saga.
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My tasks for Tuesday evening included bringing the tumble drier, full height fridge and washing machine back in from the garage (and conservatory) and installing them into their temporarily vacated utility room slots.
The tumble drier went first and was successfully installed. The fridge was next and help was recruited in the form of my next door neighbour to carry it in and position it. All went well! The washing machine came in last and once again I had help lifting and manoeuvring it.
With the pipes located all that was required was for Graham (my neighbour) and I to move the machine into place and this is when it all went horribly wrong. The washing machine feet tore two holes into the newly laid vinyl. Frankly disastrous - the floor had been down for a matter of hours and was already ruined! You can see the pictures. I could have got cross but the actual feeling that washed over me (pun intended!) was more like despair - it felt like my whole body was deflating.
In all my years of moving houses and moving appliances, I have never damaged a floor covering be it vinyl, Flotex, carpet, laminate or tiles and I didn’t expect last night’s tragedy either. A floor covering with a ten-year warranty was ruined on day one by an appliance being moved, how can that happen? Surely that means the flooring is not fit for purpose! Or of course it was laid badly, or rather not glued down properly and therefore at greater risk of damage? But what on earth can I prove?
For reference, the Flotex that was down previously, and was 15 years old, was unmarked when the washing machine was removed.
In all of the process of selecting a vinyl, having the space measured, agreeing quotations and getting the job done was there any advice given about the vulnerability of the floor to tearing. Should I have absorbed this insight by osmosis, is this knowledge common and I have been ignorant of it? Should I feel worse than I already do?
A call with Males, perhaps expectedly, had the salesman shrugging his shoulders, saying tough and recommending an insurance claim. We had already paid so I don’t know why I even hoped for a better result. The company begrudgingly agreed to come back to the house on Friday to have a look but said ‘don’t expect a more positive outcome’ – who knows perhaps another repair/restoration solution will present itself – fingers crossed.
The salesman was obviously keen not to accept any kind of responsibility which I can kind of understand but what annoys me immensely is that it’s all smiles and nicety when all is going well and then shutters down when something goes wrong. Decent customer service is of course defined by what happens when there are problems.
The salesman has backtracked and claimed that we never discussed moving appliances across the flooring and that he would have given some advice if he had known (it’s a kitchen for crying out loud) and perhaps recommended something different. At the time of course it was all ‘good choice’ and ‘that’s a popular one’. All bollocks and nonsense and all the more depressing for it.
An insurance claim may well prove necessary.
This is the product we purchased and the text below is the copy from another site.
Ultragrip Studio XL (Sacramento 909E)
An exciting new range for 2012...Studio XL is a collection of popular wood, stone and tile designs. This super 3mm thick cushion floor is hard wearing, slip resistant and has added anti-bacterial properties.
Available in 2, 3 & 4m widths with an impressive 10 year guarantee.
Hard wearing – well I’d have to challenge that!
The guarantee – the flooring is apparently not guaranteed not to tear so not sure I’d view the guarantee as impressive at all.
My recommendation to any reader is buy something else.
What this space for further updates on this flooring saga.
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