The Purchase of your new floor

     The purchase and selection of Hardwood Flooring is difficult considering the various species, installation techniques and construction of hardwood flooring.
     Certified Flooring Inspectors are available to assist you in the buying process.
     A Certified Flooring Inspector can help you decide what species of wood, decide between types, solid wood flooring, engineered wood, or floating wood floors.
   The inspector will also assist you in the proper installation methods for your particular application; nail down, glue down or floating.

-We will check subfloors and concrete for high moisture levels,
 Moisture conditions in underfloors and concrete slabs will ultimately  create moisture problems in flooring
-We will test the pH levels of the surface to be interfaced
-We will find accurate flooring manufacturers' recommendations for the  definition of what qualifies as "acceptable moisture content," as well  as for which type of moisture testing each manufacturer prefers.
-We recommend testing slabs for moisture condition not only in the  body of the slab, but also on the surface(some moisture meters do  this non-destructively).
-The determination of moisture content in under-floor is an essential  part of quality control within the flooring installation process. This will  determine if floorboards and slab/subfloor are dry enough for  installation to  proceed.

Insure proper installation and Building Environment Conditions

     Wood flooring products require:
-A proper building environment before the wood is brought in
-Acclimation to the normal living conditions
-They should be installed to the specification outlined by an Architect or   Manufacturer.

     Flooring Inspectors are often commissioned to perform tests on a radiant floor, underlayment, under-floor or sub-floor and wood flooring prior to installation, and then monitor the levels during the installation process. This has proven to save time and avoid costly failures.

I WILL:

-Perform an on site evaluation
-List detailed observations of problem areas
-Perform and record field tests results
-Collect samples for lab testing, if applicable
-Photograph, or video tape areas of concern

     A typical evaluation would provide qualitative moisture content of the wood flooring and/or the concrete slab, determine if the subfloor/substrate was properly glued, screwed and/or nailed, inspect for adequate expansion space (may require Destructive Testing and additional costs), determine if the site is properly acclimated to normal living conditions before installation and note the overall conditions of the building and construction environment.

     Flooring is meant to provide you with years of service, however; circumstances may arise such as installation errors, product failure or poor site conditions, resulting in an Expense that will be unacceptable to anyone involved.

-Monitoring to insure installation procedures meet manufacturers  specifications.
-Monitoring to insure the Architect's, Contractor's or Owner's  confidence of their pursuit of a Quality Product
-Testing Wood Subfloors during adverse conditions, such as flooding   during installation or sanding

-We can assess when to proceed sanding after intense water  exposure
-We can also help decide when a second coat of finish can be applied

-We can assist in accurately assessing water damage to wood flooring, stairs and subfloors.

NEW HOME SALES and RE-SALES:

     Certified Wood Flooring Inspectors are similar to Home Inspectors. Flooring Inspectors offer peace of mind to buyers when their wood floors are inspected for unknown or undisclosed issues.
     The inspector would note conditions on the exterior of the house and below the floor in areas such as basements and crawl spaces, to insure the required environment, that will not affect the installation in the future.