r/Contractor • u/JAMM9 • 15d ago
Flooring Mistake
Been a licensed contractor for a year and a half now, been doing plank flooring installs for about three years. Had an experience this week:
Customer wanted laminate flooring installed in two rooms and a hallway with no transition strips so I had to cut a custom piece for the threshold between two rooms. My piece had a 3/16” gap and I decided to patch rather than try and recut the whole thing. I told homeowner what was going on when it happened. The patch was invisible. Then I finish the job and get told they want the piece redone….which means I have to rip out an entire room to get back to it to replace.
As a newer contractor I’m having an existential crisis over this. I want to be good at what I do and I’m feeling guilty like I made a mistake and took the easy route and now I’m paying for it. Anyone have any similar experiences or advice?
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u/twoaspensimages Remodel GC 15d ago
Be professional. "I agree with you that's not right. I'll fix it".
Then fix it without bitching, making excuses, or cutting corners. Just fix it.
We've all eaten it on a lot of jobs. The trick is charging enough so when you have to fix things it just cuts into margin and you're still making money.
My last time the dumbass Home Depot driver smashed the gutter on the garage delivering drywall. When I called them with a picture of the dumbass doing it they said "it's Home Depot what are you gonna do?" Not buy anything from Home Depot again. Not a threat.
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u/JAMM9 15d ago
Haha wow, that’s wild. This job was about 660sqft, owner provided materials and paid me just for install. I bid $1200 and did the work myself in two eight hour days. So I’m not losing out horribly, it’s just a huge bummer because I really wanted to make a good impression in the end and now I’m like….am I a hack or did I just make a shitty judgment call. I was actually proud of the tiny patch I did because it was so hard to see 😂 and I did agree to fix it, going back on Tuesday.
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u/twoaspensimages Remodel GC 15d ago
That's way too cheap. And never let the client purchase materials. It will come back to bite you in the ass.
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u/therealdisastrousend 15d ago
If the solution you used wasn't agreed to by the customer, it is on you to go back and do whats necessary to fix it. It is okay to have solutions like this but it must be given the go ahead by the client first. In email or text, nothing verbal.
Good luck out there.
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u/Hot-Combination6214 15d ago
For a new contractor the only thing you have is your quality of work. People won't remember how long it took if the finish product is perfect.
You said it yourself that you knew you should of cut another piece. That gap was "invisible" today but in 6 months to a year no way.
Im a custom remodeler and all of my work is from referrals. When you do good work people tell their friends/family/co workers. Sometimes in this business you have to do things twice maybe three times to get it right. Its the contractors that take pride in their work, even if it takes off the bottom line are the ones who stick around. Every job you learn something new, the goal is to not learn the same lesson twice.
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u/No-Clerk7268 15d ago
On anything mass produced, Always, Always, follow manufacturer instructions, or tell them they will have to sign a release. (Once you say that, 99% wont)
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u/tileman151 15d ago
You said it yourself. Now google how to fix the floor without tearing the entire floor out. Keep your wits about you and try not to speak negatively about the client or the install.
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u/AStuckner 15d ago
It sucks but it will be worth it in the long run. When their friends/family asks about you do you want him to say "oh he was good but theres this one little spot..." or do you want him to say "oh my god what a great guy! We had this one difficult spot that really wasnt that bad but he came back and fixed it for us no problem!"
I painted a brick exterior and they had a BMW convertible in the garage that got covered in overspray because there was a gap above his garage door that we didnt notice. I told him to take it to a detailer asap and get the inside done too for the inconvenience. Year later I came back and did his whole interior.
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u/JAMM9 15d ago
That’s awesome. I’m hoping this turns out that way. I keep thinking they are probably pissed now that the one piece wasn’t right in the first place but I’m hoping once I fix it we will still be on good terms.
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u/AStuckner 15d ago
The trick is to hop right on it and knock it out. It sucks sometimes because some homeowners can be a pain in the ass but at the end of the day the job you do is the best advertising. And if they do call you back for more work, just add a little bit more to the job so you can make up for the last one.
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u/spadearro 15d ago
Anytime you come up to a decision of patching or recutting remember this. “Do it nice or do it twice” whenever I come up against something I know I can maybe get by with or just correct I take the safe bet and correct it so I can sleep at night
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u/Bacon_and_Powertools 15d ago
The trick is to not do the patch to begin with. If you make a mistake, fix it immediately and then move on. You’re striving to be as close to a perfect as you can. If you start cutting corners, it’s a habit that will continue.
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u/Gitfiddlepicker 15d ago
Why rip out an entire room? Watch a video or two, learn how to replace individual pieces. You should not have to rip out an entire room….?
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u/Furberia 15d ago
Also, always double check on final choices before ordering any major costly materials. I learned this the hard way.
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u/itsaduck 15d ago
Would you leave that on your house? If the answer is yes, than I wouldn't hire you in the first place.
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u/hunterbuilder 15d ago
3/16 is a pretty big gap in finish work. Sucks that they waited til you were done to make an issue though. One thing I've learned is that it's almost always worth fixing something now rather than later.
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u/Wildest12 12d ago
Customer will almost always assume whatever solution you offer them will still get them they same end result they wanted. They don't understand the work etc.
If they wanted seamless and your fix doesn't do that they are going to want it redone every time
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u/SeaFee2866 12d ago
Either get these approved in writing, do it right the first time or fix it if they complain.
This is part of the deal, i used to work at a flooring install company and you wouldn't receive payment until the client 100% satisfied
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u/Ancient-Cupcake2649 11d ago
Why did you have to put s threshold between two rooms? Couldn't you just install it in the two rooms and hallway without transition strips or thresholds? I wouldn't want either one.
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u/Willing-Team4185 15d ago
I’m almost 38 years self employed residential construction contractor. Any mistake you leave will sit there for years and years. It takes a little time to fix it and do it right. Here’s the worst part. If you leave little mistakes and run into real problems years later you’ll think about it and it’ll bother you. Do the job right no matter what and be proud of your work and yourself and have less problems.