Creaking Floor - new build - really getting up my snout !

[clubsport911]

Have a problem with new house. It has a concrete floor and I had an engineered wooden floor laid:-
Kars Classic Oak, 14 mm engineered, Gold Delux Underlay, 100 gauge poly DMP.

The floor looks fantastic but it creaks like I cannot believe !

"They all do that sir" came the reply along with:- "It will settle down"...

Hmmm..

Well, I would believe this, but the neighbour had EXACTLY the same (in a different colour), installed by the same people - we didn't realise at the time).

Their floor is silent !

So, the fitters have returned to my house and are now saying:- "the floor is out of level - hence the creaking"

They are blaming the builders and have suggested they remove the floor, level and re-lay.

Apart from all the fuss / mess and kerfuffle, what's the view from the experts

1) Surely, a decent flooring company should have spotted that and either levelled the floor or not laid it until it is level ?
2) Have they used the right underlay ?
3) Is there some sort of wax / liquid or oil that could be applied to the wood to somehow (?) stop it creaking
4) Since the flooring company was recommended by the builder and they work together, should I just throw the whole lot back at the pair of them ?

I have yet to pay the balance of the costs for flooring so I do have some leverage left...

Thanks for your help !

 

[WoodYouLike]

1) Surely, a decent flooring company should have spotted that and either levelled the floor or not laid it until it is level ?

During installation you notice if the floor isn't as level as expected. Small dips are normal, hence the fact we always have extra thin underlayment with us to add underneath it.
Or if the dips are too deep, or when there are 'hills' in the concrete other measures should have been taken.

2) Have they used the right underlay ?

Doesn't matter, no underlayment on its own could 'fill' deeper dips.

3) Is there some sort of wax / liquid or oil that could be applied to the wood to somehow (?) stop it creaking

That's not the solution if the creaking is caused by the unlevelness of the underfloor

4) Since the flooring company was recommended by the builder and they work together, should I just throw the whole lot back at the pair of them ?

Definitely! Let them fight it out amongst themselves

 

[clubsport911]

Thanks for the replies - for some reason, I missed it.

The reason I ask about the underlay, is that in B&Q there are some soft woodchip like materials claimed to alleviate floors being out of level by as much as 3mm. - sounds good to me

However, the underlay that I can see is green and almost like a foam - I doubt if it has anything like as much "give"