Flooring & Balustrade issues

[DaveDaveDave]

I have just recently had some building work done and one of the jobs was to install a new upstairs balustrade. This work has been completed however i have im not sure if its been done correctly.

From looking at it, the base rail appears to be too small leaving no space for flooring to be laid neatly against it. If anything the carpet + underlay will go above the rail!

The builder says the balustrade is fine and fitted correctly and is adamant a carpet fitter would just need to trim the underlay back a bit and put beading down along the edge.

Attached are 2 pictures however i dont feel they give a good view of the issue. The base rail has a 1cm flat edge and then curves inwards. My thought is this would be fine if i was having polished floorboards but thats not the case. I believe the baserail should have been thicker to accomodate flooring of placed on top of an additional piece of wood.

Im hoping some of you can provide advice on this situation and if what the builder says is true.

Many thanks.

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[freddiemercurystwin]

Well, I'm no joiner but even i know that's no baserail, its just a timber batten, this is a baserail which is a lot more chunky:

A good carpet fitter should be able to fit the carpet neatly gainst it but as you say its too slender and may look pants. Getting your builder to admit he's trying to pull a fast one is your next challenge.

Do a google with him and show him this https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=...pw.r_qf.&fp=da58eb5a71bea57d&biw=1014&bih=641

then ask him to find a situation with just a batten

 

[DaveDaveDave]

I do know he got all the parts from Howdens and looking at what is on their website I believe the below is what he has used.

By comparison, it is far slimmer!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ahh, my bad, OK looking at your overall picture you can just see it is a proper baserail, just so low that you can't see it very well. He should have fitted it a bit higher though. Just needed to pack it up a bit higher. Lazy tis all.

 

[DaveDaveDave]

I believe there should have been another 1" thick wood under this rail to put it above the flooring line, especially after looking at the google images of other installations.

Am i in any position to challenge this further with him or is what he has installed valid?

 

[crazydaze]

A fitter will be able to get an acceptable finish, it won't look unusual or out of place. A thinner but very hard wearing underlay may help, something like Duralay Treadmore Crumb underlay would be ideal and is excellent for heavy wear on stairs etc anyway.