Lightweight Concrete Question

Snood

I was sent yesterday to install laminated flooring over existing ceramic tile in a kitchen.

Simple enough one would think.

Upon arrival, I noticed that several areas where the tile had cracked. Perhaps four or five. I also noticed that there were several drop offs or sags. Not in the whole floor, in areas.

Mannington allows for a 1/8 inch drop over a six foot span. In one area the floor starts to sag in at a point and runs across the room for about 8 feet. When I took my straight edge and layed it across perpendicular to the sag the floor had a 1/2 inch drop between a 20 inch span.

This is a lightweight concrete floor with another residence underneath it. I have seen this stuff cracked on many occasions but this was the first time I had ever seen one drop off and sag like this.

I'm being told that this is not really any issue for concern and that I should have just preped out the floor to bring back to level and proceeded.

I'm not buying it. I'm no expert on this particular structural technic but this whole situation stikes me as having some kind of serious defiiciency.

Opinions? Insights? Knowledge?

TY

Floordude

Sounds like you know more about it, then the guy telling you to go ahead and hang yourself.

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Bud Cline

What does the Techie at the flooring manufacturer company tell you?

Snood

I haven't spoken to any reps.

I'll try to make a short story long here.

When I posted I had just received a phone call stating that I was released because of this.

I've been subcontracting off of this company for about 12 years with no problems. This just came out of no where and I really haven't a clue as to what the cause was.

I was sent in on this blind to the issues and got ambushed by the customer about his concerns.

He wanted to know whether installing the laminate was going to resolve the issues. NO, floor would have to be brought back to level.

He wanted to know if by just prepping could I assure him he would not have any further issues. NO, I could not give him assurances without knowing cause.

I felt he had been sold a bunch of goods by the builder ( I did not state so) just to get the problem covered and he had done some of his own investigating and knew what questions to ask.

So now, I'm in the unenviable position of not knowing what conversations have taken place up to that point, what actions had been taken (if any) and
who made the decision to proceed in the manner listed on the workorder.

I excused myself and informed him I was going to make a call and get a field rep from the company I was representing over there to look at the problems, answer his concerns and try to find a suitable remedy.

I am not authorized to go beyond what's listed on the WO or alter it without approval.

Field rep shows up. Claims it's a sagging floor joist in largest section sagging. Has no other explanations as to why the other areas are sagging. Tells the customer prepping will resolve the issues and gives him assurances it will all be ok.

We leave because I am not equiped to do all things necessary beyond original WO requests. After we get outside I ask him if he was aware that the sub was lightweight not ply or OSB. Look of puzzlement, "You sure?"

Phone call came this AM. Job scheduled for today cancelled. Couple hours go by, phone rings agian and I'm informed by a field sup that my services will no longer be requested.

I'm 44 yrs old. Twenty-six years in the business. When I get a gut I want to check deeper before proceeding. I guess I was not suppose to do that here.

Oh, did I fail to mention the HO is a Business Litigation Attorney.

I think someone's about to have fun and it ain't going to include me.

Demonseed

If you have worked for them as a sub for 12 years, and they are using one job to can you, it was not the one job.

Do not take this the wrong way, but they wanted you out before you ever went to that job.

Snood

There's only one way to take that, but that's cool. If I were on the opposite side of this screen I'd conclude the same likelihood.

The big guy is a major league @!%#. Definate anger management candidate.
I'd always managed to steer clear of him by doing my job with little or no complaint and by solving my own problems. It's since been brought to my attention the field rep is the instigator behind all this. Words have been placed in my mouth that were never uttered. He bunked the whole thing up and has used me as a scapegoat.

I'm going to take this as a blessing. I have a firm rep and this particular company has been increasingly doing things that strike me as shady. Contracts have been lost and they've started letting other builders persuade them to doing things improperly out of fear of angering them and losing their business too. I'm not going to be a part of that and end up seeing my name attached to a suit.

Floordude

Go file for unemployment, and list him as your last payer. Seriously, do it!!! The SH*T will hit the fan!! Then file an SS-8 to the IRS!!

Your going to thank me for it later!!

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Tscarborough

Sounds to me like you won the lottery. Where is the problem?

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