The installer is responsible for installing the product in a professional manner. By what you say I can only assume that the flooring was installed over the existing lauan underlayment panel. That can be risky, because there are a few types of that product, and some are not suitable to install vinyl over. The installer may not be able to discover the type of lauan that was installed. However, if the installer goes ahead and accepts the existing surface as suitable, then the installer is responsible for problems with the floor associated with the underlayment or the preparation of it.

The bumps, lines bubbling you mention could either be from an unsuitable lauan plywood or a poor skim coat job.

Can't tell you anything about skim coat pricing, other than to say that I usually charged about $1 per square foot just to skim coat an existing floor.

This is part of the living room floor which was supposedly skim coated.

This is part of the living room floor which was supposedly skim coated.

{{!gwi}}

This is a photo of the underlayment that I took in March of 2013, when the installers came back to re-glue the vinyl because of bubbling and creases. I paid for this entire underlayment to be skim coated back in July during the original installation of the vinyl (note: I was not present when the alleged skim coating was done) but it looks to me as if the underlayment a) looks smooth and required no skim coating and b)was not skim coated.

This is a photo of the new vinyl removed so it could be reglued in the hallway. This area did not have luan but had old linoleum. I was charged for this hallway to be skim coated, but it does not appear to me as if it was. In fact, the current problem areas are in the same areas where there appear to be areas of degradation in the old linoleum. (The installation of the new linoleum was not inexpensive. I was charged $16.50 per square yard for labor.)

It is difficult to see and hear of stuff like this. it seems obvious to me that you did not get what you contracted for, especially with the skim coating that obviously wasn't done. And, if I am correct in what I see in the pics, the patching that was done at the panel seams is white and probably a gypsum-based patch and not cementious , as it should be. I only know of one white cementious patch and that is one by Ardex that I have to special order.

As for skim coating in general is concerned...most manufacturers advise against even patching plywood panel seams, as that can result in the patch being forced up when the panels expand and that can telegraph to the flooring surface and appear as a line across the floor where the seam is.

Thank you, Glennsfc! I don't even know if that white patching was done the day my new vinyl was applied or if that's from years ago. I'm guessing the Store figured I'd never find out that the floor hadn't been skim coated so they might as well charge me for it. They couldn't have imagined that not only would the installers have to pull the vinyl up due to problems, but also, that I'd be there taking photos. They probably also didn't expect me to demand a breakdown of the costs, which is the first time I was informed that the surfaces had been skim coated. If they did this to me, they've probably done it to other people. The entire job cost almost $6,900. At the very least I'm hoping to recoup the cost of the skim coating. Not sure how the salesman can continue to tell me the surfaces were skim coated when he's seen the photos. Thank you kindly. Your response is very much appreciated. I'm posting a photo of one of the current problem areas, but there are many.

Here's a raised area in the vinyl in the dining room. The installers, on their 5th time here, lifted up part of the vinyl (again) and reglued it and tried to smooth out the lines with a hammer.

And here's the floor in a bedroom, viewed from the doorway. Prior to the vinyl having this vertical line, they had come back to reglue it because it had two large bubbles running horizontally. They successfully got rid of those bubbles but now I have this. The salesman has said that this raised line is not the fault of the installation but that the problem lies in the structure of my home's floor.

Quite frankly, they are full of it. You should not be getting any of these problems; they are the professionals and should have done everything necessary to give you an acceptable job. They accepted the jobsite conditions, so any attempt to claim that the problems are a structural fault of your house and not their problem is ridiculous.

Now that you have addressed your dissatisfaction with the floor with them and gotten their response, your next step is to request an inspection by the flooring's manufacturer's representative. You do that through the flooring dealer. If you aren't contacted to set up an appointment to inspect the floor in a timely manner (two weeks maximum), then you contact the manufacturer directly in writing. When you request the inspection through the dealer, follow that up in writing as well.

Thank you. I actually contacted the manufacturer of the vinyl flooring that's in my DR/LR/Hall in June because when I asked the store's receptionist why the Owner/Mngr wasn't returning my calls, I was told he had contacted the manufacturer and was waiting to hear back from them. Well, I called the manufacturer and it turns out they hadn't been contacted by anyone from the store. After I shared this revelation with the store's receptionist, the salesman called me back and set up an apt to come to my home to look at the floor. It was during his visit that I showed him all of my photos. He also explained to me what luan is and why it's installed, so at that point, I still thought they had installed luan back in July (because "install new luan" was on the contract). Again, no mention of skim coating. Just an acknowledgement that there clearly is a problem but that it's probably caused by the structure of the home. He left and said he'd discuss it with his Mngr. A few days later when I called for an update, he said the installers will come back to cut the vinyl slightly away from the walls (something which had not been done though I read in the manufacturer's instructions that it should have been done). When the installers came back, they did cut the vinyl away from the wall on one edge and did a very sloppy job. I'm glad they decided not to do the same on any of the other edges since they did such a careless job.

I will see if I can get a rep from each of the manufacturers to perform an inspection. At this point, I have zero faith in the honesty/integrity of the store from which the flooring was purchased. (The installers were subcontracted by the store.) Thank you!

You are going to have to be proactive in contacting each of the manufacturers. And if they don't respond, you will need to hire an independent certified flooring inspector for a report on the issue. Then you can possibly take them to court. You'd need to check the limit of the small claims court in your state though as $6900 is probably over the amount. If that's the case, it's a war of diminishing returns paying for a lawyer to go after them for that amount.

Thank you, Live_Wire_Oak. I hear you. Right now I'm thinking of filing a complaint through the Consumer Affairs Dept of my County. Not sure I have the strength to bring this to Court. I definitely don't have money to hire an inspector. Hoping the Consumer Affairs Investigator will get the store to do the right thing. This situation has created so much stress for me. It's bad enough to have ongoing problems with the new flooring, but to know I was charged for something they didn't do (skim coating)makes me feel like salt has been poured into my wound.

Bottom line is the floor is unacceptable to you. They have made good faith attempts to fix the problems, but they have been unsuccessful. It is time for the manufacturer's representative to inspect the floor and give you the findings in writing. Then, considering those findings, you discuss the situation with the dealer. If that proves unsuccessful, then file a complaint with the Consumer Affairs Department of your County. You paid for a floor which would be serviceable and not have glaring visual and safety defects. You did not get that.

Thank you. I will heed your advice. When the vinyl flooring was installed last July, I'd not yet moved in. So there was no furniture and no cats. Every time they've come back it's been a major headache. First time they pulled up the vinyl (in January) it came up so easily I probably could have pulled it up. Last time (June) it was very, very difficult for them to pull it up. In fact, one of the installers told me that if there are additional problems, it's unlikely they'll be able to pull the vinyl up again. They insisted the problem is my subfloor and not their work or the product. They said it might get worse from people walking on it. Not sure how I can avoid walking on my floor. Only one human being lives here and she weighs less than 145 pounds. Not exactly heavy foot traffic. I could live with some of the problem areas, but not the most glaring ones. And knowing I was taken advantage of just makes the whole situation more upsetting. I haven't yet heard back from the store but I'm guessing they are going to insist I'm wrong and that the subfloors were, indeed, skim coated. Huge lesson learned: Never have any work done unless I'm there to witness it. Again, thank you so much . I really appreciate it.

A few last words here: I ended my last post to you by saying the floor has glaring visual and safety defects. I really ought to have emphasized that your floor has 'serious' safety defects. Those buckles and raised areas present tripping hazards for anyone walking on the floor. You contracted for a smooth, flat and attractive result...you got none of that. And 'that' is what you need to explain to the dealer, the manufacturer's representative and the Consumer Affairs Department of your county.

And, again, the flooring concern is supposed to be run by professionals and trained professional installers. They are responsible to assess your jobsite and provide for an acceptable substrate on which to install the flooring. Once they start a job, they have accepted the conditions as suitable and take on liability for an acceptable end result. You did not get that.

Even if it is discovered that the problems you are having with the floor is a manufacturing design defect or a defect in your particular piece of flooring, it is still the responsibility of all parties who did business with you to see that you get what you paid for. Hopefully, your Consumer Affairs Department of your county will be able to lend you assistance if the manufacturer and dealer are unresponsive.

Good luck.

Glennsfc, I can't adequately express how grateful I am to you for imparting your wisdom and support. Regarding safety, it's interesting that when I was first told two Sundays ago that the floors had been skim coated before the vinyl was installed, the salesman said this was done to ensure a level surface, especially in light of the fact that I have a slight mobility issue. (I walk with a cane.) My response was that I'd think anyone would expect the surface of their floor to be level and smooth, whether they have a mobility impairment or not. I think he was just trying to come off as warm and fuzzy to distract me from the problems at hand. (I had a stroke two years ago, but my abilities to think and reason are intact.) Thank you so much for your help here! It was more than I could have hoped for when I posted my question. Best wishes to you.

Although I am not a certified flooring inspector, I have 45 + years in the flooring business and am now a flooring consultant. Feel free to convey my comments to anyone you want regarding your flooring issue. My best wishes for you also.

Glenn E. Sohm
Sohm Flooring Consultants