So Sh*t Hit the Fan
We're Still Here to Help.
Nightmare scenario: you've taken the time to pick the perfect floor, it's better than anything you could have dreamed; then out of nowhere: BAM. Panic. "Why does it look pink?"; "This is not the size I chose!"; "The sample didn't have this pattern!"; "This carpet has a streak through it"; "The back splash was supposed to be straight lay".
1) Find your inner calm. As much as it may feel like it, flooring is not a matter of life and death. It's a huge investment and in this scenario it has gone tragically wrong. That IS stressful, but we deal with this stuff often enough to know what steps to take next and how to get the problem rectified. Take a breath, slam a shot of whiskey or espresso or whatever you've got to do before step two.
2) Whatever step the work is at, put on the brakes. Don't wait until it's all installed thinking "maybe I will get used to it when it is up" or "well it's kind of close". If your gut says no, just hold off. Waiting to say something NEVER makes it easier, it always complicates things. ESPECIALLY when you get involved with manufacturer issues. You are not a crazy person, problems happen. Our installers will understand, we will understand and bottom line we all just want our customers to be happy.
3) We'll come check it out. We will want to see what the problem is, depending on the issue, sometimes we will bring the product rep or the installer for another set of eyes. Every flooring issue falls into one of three categories: Environment, Install, maintenance. We usually try to get on site as soon as possible, sometimes that means the same day and sometime that means within the week. When on site, we make our own assessment of the problem, sometimes compare with the store's sample, sometimes measure for replacement, sometimes scratch our heads and figure out who else we will have to call.
4) We work with you to figure out a game plan. This part can take the longest. I usually start by asking my customers "in an ideal world, how would you like to see this work out?". It can take a lot of different parties working in concert to get anything completed. Sometimes the solution involves getting the supplier to manufacture new product, sometimes waiting for a different installer to be free, sometimes for the customer to decide on suitable replacements. It really depends on what the problem is initially on how long it will take to fix.
5) we fix it. Flooring is a long term product for your home and worth taking the time to get it right. I always try to communicate during the entire process about timelines and expectations. A lot of our customers leave happier after an issue than when there is not one, we go the extra mile to make it right.
We always find a way to keep our customers coming back and happy. It's never easy or comfortable to fix these kinds of issues. They don't happen often enough for us to have a "one-size-fits-all" solution, it takes time and brain power. We are smart people and custom is what we do, we're not afraid to get our hands dirty figuring out the tough stuff. If you have any questions about your flooring issues, please ask away in the comments.