New Construction Woa

MattCoops

I've been getting alot of new construction in this big development.
The thing that urks me is how the finish guys install baseboard trim before tile, or any other floor covering is laid.

It makes more sense to me, as a flooring guy, to have tile laid, then install baseboard trim. You wouldn't need a quarter shoe then. And edges would look much happier.

Another thing I hate bout new construction is everybody leaves everything all over floor. Nails, screws, drywall mud, miscellaneous debris, chew, cigarettes, lunch, drinks, piss.

Tile Installer / Janitor

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

Teetorbilt

DUDE! I work for a few national co's and have never seen what you are describing. I'd hit the home office, pronto!

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

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mdshunk

That's why God invented back charges.

MattCoops

The first job I just pulled out the flat bar and ripped off all the base trim. Grabbed the sup, and told him to get word to the trim guys that I properly installed floor, can they install base trim after tile.

Second job I just told a trim guy he'll have to go behind me and install a quarter shoe after I tile cus he couldn't wait til tile was laid.

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

joasis

I might be the lone ranger here, but if carpet is going down, base goes on before the carpet...and after we tile...simply due to we do our own tile, but we don't lay carpet. I have done tile for another contractor after the trim guys were finished, and the base was spaced correctly for the tile..I don't remember it being a problem.

I have seen it done this way a lot....and if anyone ever took a nail bar to something in a house I am building without telling me first, they won't ever have the problem again on my job site, since they won't ever get there again...I would probably resort to violence if I caught a sub tearing anything up.

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cssconstruct

We always put the base down. I tell the guys what flooring type is going into each and they set the base accordingly. I want the floors as the absolute last thing(other than shoemold). We have had to go back too many times and replaced flooring where one of the subs has dropped, poured, something on the floors. Just a personal preferance, but I can understand how if not done properly it is a pain for the flooring guys.

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maj

For me, it's this order......

1. Cabinets & vanities get set
2. tile,hardwood,laminate,etc... are laid
3. Doors are hung & cased
4. Baseboard is installed complete
5. All milwork is finished & nailholes filled
6. Carpet is laid

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The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

MattCoops

baseboard should be nailed after floor covering. Otherwise a quarter shoe is needed. Not all trim guys get right clearance for tile to slide under. For instance on this job they used spikes as shims.
I've seen it set too high also.

Baseboard trim has a purpose, it isn't simply for asthetics.
It should be installed after floor covering.
With carpet, I don't think it's a big deal.
But with wood or tile, yeah, install the trim after.

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
(978) 601-8774 | cupantile@gmail.com | view tile pictures and more

joasis

Everyone obviously does things a little different, most of us are well aware of this fact...maj and I could be brothers in contruction, but we differ on this. Scott (css) and I agree...but one thing about this topic proves, is we won't change...maybe someone can show me a rule book, besides IRC, that shows how we "should" do things! I don't think the wisdom of the building codes has been directd at trim yet.

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Zatol

I'm curious... What purpose does baseboard have, besides aesthetics, that is applicable to tile or wood, but would not apply to carpet?

I am a builder in your backyard and I agree with with those on here who install baseboard prior to tile.

However, with hardwoods, I install the flooring even before the drywall. Unless it is pre-finished flooring. In which case, I install after baseboard is installed and before lock-out...

mdshunk

I don't want to derail this thread, but there's a term I'm not famaliar with. What is "lock out"? Is that the point in the project where the real locks are installed on the doors, and nobody except the builder has the keys? Or perhaps something else. Curious.

Tom R

Well, - - let me de-rail the whole thing then, - - on a quality job, - - baseboard and tile belong in separate rooms . . .

maj

Nobody is right or wrong on this topic, as Jay stated. There is only ONE reason to do various trim & millwork procedures......... It is what works for you!

I like to have the tile & hardwoods laid before hand so I can set the door jambs & casing on top of the tile, rather than having the bottoms of the jambs & casing butchered by the floor guy with a careless jambsaw. I also like to scribe the base with my portable 6" belt/disc sander, to match the irregularities of tile floors.

In the case of installing base before the tile,No matter how good the trim guy is at leaving an even space between base & floor, the tile guy will not have a perfectly tight fit with his tile to the base. And I have seen alot of scratches on nice baseboard from the tile guys trowels & floats also.

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The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

Tom R

That's the best thing about doing it (all) yourself, - - ya' get to pick 'n choose your own order . . .

maj

Ya got that right.

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hjm

I always install base first the set my tile, Then 1/4' round, never heard or seen differently in my area. That way I can repaint my base from any scratches that may occur. Everybody is different I guess, atleast one.

maj

That may be the deciding factor right there...... I would say less than 1% of all millwork in my area is paint grade. Almost all millwork is stained or natural wood here. Quarter round or base shoe is not heard of.

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The views expressed in this post are merely opinions of named poster and in no way shall be deemed meaningful by members of the herd. By no means does anything posted by named poster mean a damn thing for anyone else partaking in this thread.

Brushslingers

It's all different in areas, new homes here the base is laid in first.. mostly to get it to line up with the carpet areas so the hacks can run it in one day and not have to rip the base to fit.

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415moto

We do base after tile or any other flooring for that matter, other than carpet. If carpet is going in,then we do base first and its painted too.

I cant see doing base before other flooring and having a tight fit all around. Especially if there is going to be mud or any underlayent on the subfloor before tile. Compensating for irregularities and for finished thickness across the walls would be hard to make perfect. As opposed to setting base after, where i know ill be flat on the floor for sure.

415moto

I rip my base to match up between tranisitions like that. Somehow Im always stuck with a few long 15 footers that need to be ripped 14' 10".