Is this acceptable?

[Cynan]

Hi everyone.. apologies if this isn't the right forum but it seemed the best fit.

I've just new joists and new floor boards put down in my house, along with a new kitchen window and window sill being fitted, and the walls plastered.

Now I'm no expect (and why I'm asking you guys!) on what's acceptable or not but I'm getting earache at the moment from the misses and things don't look that right to me either, but if they are then fair enough.

Anyhow...

The new floor boards are showing splits in them. Is this normal or should I get my builder to sort it out? The old boards that came up had been in for 50+ years and didn't have any in... (reason for new ones were some joists were rotton and needed replacing).

The boards aren't all level either. What I mean by that is if you run your finger across one board to another then there is a ridge on some of them. Others it's smooth.

The window sil that's been put in has been done after the plastering and you can see a 1 - 2.5mm gap around the edges where it meets the wall. All my other window sills look burried into the plaster and I would have thought this one should be too. I suspect if I mention it to him he'll just put sealant round or something but it doesn't seem quite right to me.

As for the plastering parts of the walls are smooth, others not - has it not been polished correctly? There are also a few scratches - tool marks? - on the surface too and in one area it has an obvious bump where it goes from one piece of plaster board to another. Again is this acceptable? I told the guy I was painting onto the plaster directly before anywork was started and that was the reason why I wanted nice flat, perfect (if you can have such a thing) walls.. but as it is I think you'll still be able to see the marks even after I've painted them.

So should I leave it and pay him the rest of the outstanding money or ask him to correct it?

Thanks guys.

 

[FourFootMedia]

If you're not happy with it, speak to your builder about it.

 

[noseall]

Will the floor boards be visible, on show?

Window boards should be plastered-in, or at least, skimmed-in and not fitted after skimming. that is just shoddy.

The finished plastering should be smooth and blemish fee.

It sounds like you have a bit of a bodger!

 

[Cynan]

I was considering staining the floor, seeing as they would be new and in theory, look great. When the wood arrived and it was going down and made comment about this and he said then that if I had said before he would have used red wood, rather then the white wood he'd purchased.

I asked what the difference was and he said that the red wood wouldn't have knots in. I said I didn't mind knots as it adds character.

I have since thought about laminating on top which would cover up the cracks but that's an added expense and I'm concerned that if they are cracking now what will they be like in 6-12 months?

Thanks for the feedback on the window sil and plaster. I will speak to him tomorrow about it and see what he says.

 

[noseall]

if you wanted 'select' planks then you should have said, or he should have asked about the floor finish. shakes and knot's are not a problem if a carpet is being fitted though we do try and cut the worst bits out.

we always ask the customer about their choice of floor finish and lay the flooring material accordingly. i.e. ply, t&g pine floorboards etc.

 

[mattylad]

Can the floor nails be knocked in a bit further the the whole floor planed to sort this?

 

[Cynan]

This may be a dumb thing to say but I really had no idea I should have said which type of wood I wanted or that I needed to say I needed select planks. I stupidly thought that a floor was a floor.

Sanding down to get rid of the different height edges sounds a good idea. Won't sort out any of the cracks though. Still not spoken to the builder yet but will keep you posted.

 

[big-all]

i am assuming the ones that are cupping are not realy cracking
i am also assuming the ones that are cracking are fairly flat!!
are the boards txg or plain edges!!

 

[noseall]

I was considering staining the floor and as it was going down made comment about this

A wee bit too late to make a comment me thinks.

The floor finish should have been discussed WAY before actual laying.

For a timber floor, that is on show, to be successful the boards need to be seasoned and acclimatised to the room. this process takes quite a bit of time and can not be decided upon a whim.

 

[Cynan]

I don't think that's fair. It wasn't a whim as such and if I'd had known something different had to be done I would have said earlier. If I'd been asked I would have definately said I was considering it.

I've just spoken to him and he's explained that you do get movement and that wood is dried out so fast these days that it happens and there is nothing you can do about it with white wood.

I discussed the plaster issue and he said it's the best you're going to get and it just needs sanding down, which he'll do.

Talked about the window board and he's going to re do it.