- INTRODUCTION - 2

 

This document is intended to give you more information about what to expect when a solid hardwood floor is installed, and contains our terms of business, so please read it carefully, and feel free to contact us if there is anything you would like to discuss in more detail. Things you need to know...

 

- ABOUT SUBFLOORS -

* UPSTAIRS FLOORS When nailing down a floor where there is a ceiling on the underside of the floor joists (e.g. upstairs rooms) there is a possibility that the ceiling beneath may suffer some damage, such as cracks, nail heads showing on plasterboard ceilings, etc. If the ceiling is in very poor condition there is even a possibility that it could be seriously damaged. We will not be responsible for the cost of repairing such damage, but if you think this might be a problem We would be happy to discuss alternative installation methods to minimise the hammering or vibration, such as gluing down instead of nailing. * WOOD SUBFLOORS If the new floor is to be installed over old floorboard / chipboard / ply board then the new wood covering will follow the contours of the floor (if you wish to fix it, it need to be done before we start installation, otherwise we will not be held responsible for sorting it out after your new floor is installed), also in wood based subfloors we are doing our best to fix all loose boards within old subfloor, but with time boards within your subfloor may produce noise, unless we have constructed whole subfloor, we can not be held responsible for noises caused by your old subfloor, we also reserve the right to charge an extra for any subfloor remedial works undertaken, if required during installation (customer will be informed about situation, and what additional work we need to undertake). If there is also crawling space under the subfloor it is necessary that suitable air vents are in place to reduce humidity getting into your new floor through sub-floor, and assure that sub-floor will be healthy, free from any moisture related fungus (rotting) and serve you well in years to come. * SOLID SUBFLOORS If the new wood floor is to be installed over a new concrete sub-floor, this will take many months to dry out, even if it appears to dry out on the surface quite quickly. The new wood flooring should never be stacked directly on a new concrete sub-floor. We recommend that subfloor consisting of sand / cement screed should always be prepared with a minimum 3mm levelling compound. Please note: levelling compound is not truly levelling (as in most cases the cost is very high) but it follows the contours of the subfloor. Excessive moisture is distorting new floors, so we need to use liquid DPM (Damp Proof Membrane), which is protecting your new floor against it. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 3- BEFORE WE START - * ROOM/HOUSE CONDITIONS If we find that once on site conditions are not correct for us to carry out works we reserve right to charge for our loss of earnings and will add this to final bill. We will return at given date to be decided once conditions are correct, for example: plaster works need to be dry, areas need to be completely cleared (unless arranged with us in advance that we will shift things out), doors and windows installed and the property is sealed. If the property is new, or if substantial building work involving wet trades (plastering or screeding) has been undertaken, delivery of the wood should be postponed until after all such work has been completed and the house has dried out (with central heating running). * DUST Although the modern floor sanders we use are very efficient at collecting dust, the installation of a solid hardwood floor will still create some dust, and we strongly recommend the removal of curtains, pelmets, etc, and ornaments on shelves, etc. If you require us to undertake any sheeting up please discuss this with us in advance, so that we can come prepared. There may also be an additional charge for this service. * DECORATIONS Installation is a heavy construction process, and the sanding machines are heavy and powerful, so some minor bumps and scrapes, particularly on skirtings, may occur. Also, if we are installing skirting boards (whether new or re-fitting existing) both the wall and the skirting boards themselves will need to be re-finished afterwards (we do not undertake decorations ourselves). We will not be responsible for any cost of redecoration, but we do take care to minimise any such damage. * INSTALLATION DATES When we advise installation dates, these are provisional. It is possible that they may have to be altered, for example if a previous job takes longer than anticipated or if there are delays in obtaining wood. Fortunately we are almost always able to stick to dates originally advised, and if any changes in dates become necessary we will advise you at once but please bear this in mind if arranging time off work, or holidays, around the installation. Similarly, we can never guarantee to complete jobs by a specific date, as there are too many factors beyond our control. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 4 * OTHER TRADES Wet trades should be finished in advance, and the work (plaster on walls etc.) should be dry. When there is necessity of other people working in the same area, when we need to install the floor, it is crucial that we will have whole floor exclusively to ourselves (otherwise it will cause delays), as its extremely difficult to work around other people, because we aim to provide highest standards to our customers. Sub floor should be left clean and dry after completion of other trades. * PREPARATION BEFORE FITTING It is important that any rooms in which we are going to install a wood floor are completely cleared of all furniture in advance of our arrival, as it is not possible to work around items. If you do want us to move furniture or other effects please arrange this with us in advance, and we cannot accept any responsibility for loss, damage or breakages, as we are not insured for removals. * SERVICES (ELECTRICS/GAS/WATER) We are not qualified to disconnect any gas powered or permanently wired appliances. It is customer responsibility to arrange for qualified trades person to disconnect and once the floor has been installed reconnect the appliances. Access will be needed to an electric power supply (230V) as professional tools are available only in 230V version, also we will need to know position of the fuse box, as some tools trip fuse occasionally. The Client is responsible for re routing of all cables, wires etc. that may run across the subfloor before installation of new floor covering. There is possibility also to run cables around perimeter of the floor where the expansion gap is available, but we do not accept liability if any of the cables is not working, it's customer responsibility to check before we cover the cables, that all of them are working properly. In case when there are pipes(gas or water) hidden in places that give no indication of those being there, then we will not be liable for any damage to such pipes. The customer is responsible to indicate clearly to fitter / installer the position of all water pipes, electrical wiring, alarms and telephone/network cables. We will not be held responsible for any damage incurred to these if not clearly marked. If we have to move and thereby disconnect any plumbed in equipment such as washing machines, dishwashers etc. or any large items like refrigerators etc, while care will be taken, we can not be held responsible for any damage caused or subsequent leaks from the same. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 5 * SITE SURVEYS We will provide free site visits to estimate what is necessary to do the work required. If at the time of the initial visit to estimate we were not able to inspect the whole of the floor (for example, if carpeted) then we will have based our figures on the assumption that there are no problems with any uninspected areas. If, subsequently, any problems requiring additional work are discovered, we will inform you immediately with a revised estimate (fortunately, this is extremely rare). The same applies to any unforeseen problems or changes in instructions, which may result in increased costs. - ABOUT WOOD - * ACCLIMATISATION BEFORE INSTALLATION The flooring is kiln dried, and acclimatization is not usually necessary, but if delivered before installation the wood should be stored in the room in which it will be installed if possible. It must never be stored in a garage, cellar, loft, or other part of the house, which could have a different humidity level to the installation site (e.g. unheated room in winter). If the property is new, or if substantial building work involving wet trades (plastering or screeding) has been undertaken, delivery of the wood should be postponed until after all such work has been completed and the house has dried out (with central heating running). * GRADING There are different grades of wood available on the market. The most common and default for most of suppliers is Rustic Grade, this class contain lots of colour variations, knots, splits, rough patches, pin holes etc. this is normal and does not subtract the quality of hardwood flooring. Prime grade is less common and in most cases available to order only, it is more colour balanced, do not contain bad knots (sometimes it have minor knots). People have different tastes so please specify clearly what you expect the floor to look like. Wood is a natural material containing distinctive differences in colour, grain configuration and natural characteristics such as mineral highlights, knotting and pin holes. It is these differences caused by nature that creates the warmth, beauty and uniqueness of each hardwood floor. Your floor may contain varying amounts of these naturally occurring characteristics. As with any wood products, shades and tones can vary with age. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 6 * WOOD BEHAVIOUR Wood will expand and contract in line with the humidity levels in the surrounding environment. In a centrally heated house, the internal humidity levels are high in summer, and low in winter, so, broadly speaking, floors will expand in summer and contract in winter. The degree of expansion and contraction will differ from house to house, and depend on the levels of heat in the room and on the species of wood, but it is normal to find some small cracks open up between individual boards in winter. These will close up again in the summer, and are not a fault in the floor. There is also a possibility of some degree of “cupping” and “crowning”, where the boards tend to curl across the grain. These effects will vary with the humidity levels and will be more noticeable in floors with wider boards. There are particular requirements for installation over under floor heating – please see our separate leaflet about this. * INSTALLATION Installation is carried out by our small team of experienced fitters, and individual jobs are allocated near the installation date, depending on the number and type of jobs in hand at the time. If you would prefer a particular member of our team to undertake your installation (by recommendation, for example), please let us know as soon as possible and we will try to accommodate your request. * AVOIDING POTENTIAL PROBLEMS During installation, we will be using power tools, adhesives, lacquers, and other products that can cause damage to clothing and furnishings. It is the customer’s responsibility to ensure that members of the household, and others with access are aware of the potential dangers, and stay out of the working area (particularly children and pets). When the finishes are applied to the floor there will be a period of time when the floor cannot be walked on, so please plan for this, particularly in the case of a hall, or other area in the house that is critical for access. If you have particular requirements about timings when the working area must not be out of use please discuss them with us in advance so that we can organise the job most efficiently. If restrictions are imposed on us that significantly extend the time we take to complete the job we reserve the right to make additional charges for the delay. * DEALING WITH PROBLEMS We always aim for the highest standards in the work that we undertake, and if there is anything wrong we will ensure that it is put right. However, our liability is limited to the remedial work required, and we cannot accept liability for any consequential losses, whatever the cause. We must be given the opportunity to inspect and put right any problems without delay. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 * 7 CONDITIONS IN SERVICE Wood flooring is kiln-dried to a moisture content suitable for a dry environment which is heated to normal domestic levels. The conditions should be between 15 and 25 degrees centigrade, and 50-65% relative humidity. It may be helpful to keep a small digital thermometer / hygrometer in the room, which will display the relevant information. We can supply these at cost if required. If any area in which a wood floor is installed is left unheated in winter it may suffer irreversible damage. * PROTECTING THE FLOOR The floor can not be covered before curing time of the finish applied as it will cause damage to the protective layer. With manufacture finishes floors can be covered the next day after completing installation. The best way to cover the floor is cleaning it from all the debris on surface as bigger lumps will scratch the floor first, then using 6 mm / 10 mm foam underlay as first layer and next 6mm ply as protective layer against dropping tools, tape all joints avoiding taping to the floor. If skirting is to be installed, leaving band of 150mm - 200mm of the edge to allow installation and possibly decorating of skirting afterwards. If just light foot traffic will be necessary, without tools which dropped could dent(screwdrivers, hammers etc), or dragged can gauge the floor(ladders etc.) then you can use correx - protective sheets to cover floor on footpaths tape sheets together but not to the floor. * GAPS/JOINTS FILLING DURING FLOOR RESTORATION The most common filler used to fill gaps, joints and cracks within the wooden floor is the resin mixed with the fine wood dust. This filler is very tough once dried but unfortunately it is not reflecting the wood behaviour described in the above paragraph „WOOD BEHAVIOUR”. That means that when excessive wood movement is present, the filler can crack, loosen up and fall off from the wider gaps/joints. This is not a fault in workmanship but the natural consequence of the excessive movement. We will not be held responsible for floor losing filler. When the excessive movement within the floor is present seek the alternative gap filling options. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 8- ABOUT FINISHES - * STAINING Staining is a slow process when lighter wood appearance is changed (dyed) to different colour, usually much darker than original wood species appearance. We are always working to minimise marks to skirting, but strong colorants are usually used to dye the floor and it is difficult to avoid minor stain marks on skirting. Some species take stain better (oak, pine) than others (maple, beach, birch), but in all the cases stains tend to have unpredictable results when being applied, possible bleeding effects, or colour variations even overlapping, we are always doing our best so the results are of the highest standards, but as this finish is hand made the result will vary on different floors. Sometimes old floor re-sanded and stained afterwards can show evidence of chemical contamination or water stain within the wood which is showing as different colour(usually darker), even if it did not showed through clear finish (we will not be held responsible for unpredicted effects). There are also different ranges of stains (oil based, solvent based etc.) and are subject to which finish will be applied as protective coat. We can use our knowledge to help you in choosing the best option for you. Always before final decision we are making sample patches on your floor so you can see how those will be looking in your house, you have to keep in mind small patch tends to look lighter than it will be looking overall. * CLEAR FINISHES We can provide you with clear finishes, tailored to how you use your floor. We work with our customers to give them highest quality hand applied finishes which will last for years to come. The most important is that clear finishes change the appearance of wood slightly, giving it protective layer, available in different sheen levels. Most common is silk finish which is the middle ground between matt and gloss so if you will not indicate what sheen level you prefer we will apply silk version. * PREFINISHED There is huge range of prefinished wood to choose from, those are factory finished, and are the best for people who want the floor finished immediately after installation. As it is factory finished we will not be held responsible for appearance especially if customer ordered the wood, but we will reject boards with defects, unless the floor supposed to be distressed and made to look old, then we will need more details what the customer is expecting to achieve on his floor with distressed flooring. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 9 * SAMPLES Samples are for guidance purposes only, sample is only small piece of wood which is not truly representing whole range of characteristics represented by whole range of boards. - ABOUT MONEY - * GUARANTEE We guarantee our work for one year against defects in our craftsmanship, as long as you will maintain the floor accordingly with maintenance instructions given by us at the work completion. We will help you with our knowledge and strongly advise insuring your house against random accidents (floods, leaks etc.) as our guarantee is not covering such incidents. All furniture legs should be fitted with felt pads to prevent scratching, dents and wear. We also advise against abrasive / chemical cleaners of any type on your floors. If those conditions are not met we will not be held responsible. * QUOTATIONS We provide free quotation which is valid for 60 days only, after that time we will need to confirm price given for specific service. We reserve the right to withdraw quotations at any time. * DEPOSIT / PAYMENTS INSTALLATION: We ask for a deposit of 10% at the time of placing an order, on receipt of which we will book in the installation. The balance will then be due on completion. We may request a larger deposit in some circumstances – for example, where materials are specially ordered. SUPPLY OF WOOD: We ask for a 10% deposit with order, and full payment on delivery. The wood will remain our property until paid for in full, but the risk in the wood (and any other materials delivered) will pass to you on delivery, so please ensure that they are kept secure, and insured. Additional stage payments may be required. Costs given are for continuous working during normal hours(Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm). * LATE PAYMENT We reserve the right to charge interest under the provisions of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 on any sums not paid in accordance with these payment terms. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218 10 * PRICE CHANGES All prices quoted are subject to change. - GENERAL - These terms apply to all the work we undertake, and cannot be varied otherwise than in writing, signed by both parties. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you. CRAFT Hardwood Ltd 78 Draperfield, Chorley, PR7 3PL Company registration number: 13034218