Source
r/HomeImprovement•
brownstuff007

Hardwood floors damaged by contractor

We just had a contractor finish up putting a new bathroom on the second floor of our cape cod where it was just unfinished attic space. The other room on the second floor is our master bedroom, which has hardwood floors. We had spray foam insulation done so they had to open up the walls/ceilings in our bedroom as well.

In addition to repairing the drywall in the bedroom after the spray foam was done, the contractors used the bedroom for a lot of the work they were doing in the bathroom (cutting material/staging equipment, etc.) They put down ram board and plastic on some parts of the floor, but not until later in the project and it didn't cover the whole floor.

They just finished up after working for two months, and now the floor in the bedroom looks horrible. There's tons of visible scratches and it looks like the finish was worn away in a lot of spots. Possibly from water or just wear?

The project manager is coming by tomorrow to go over some outstanding tasks and other things we would like to get taken care of before we make the final payment. Is it unreasonable to ask them to refinish the floor or even carpet the room? We don't think it's acceptable the way the floor looks and it certainly didn't look like this before they started.

TL/DR: Contractors kinda messed up our hardwood floors, should we ask them to refinish/carpet it? Multiple pictures in link.

https://imgur.com/gallery/m8fB0zc

Posted Jan 28, 2021, 8:40 PM UTC

211
Unhappy_Ad_3323•

They damaged it they fix or refinish

5
rtcwon•

looks more just dirty than damaged, maybe the pictures don't show well but the only real scratches appear to be right at two doors, kinda looks like long term wear to me, I would expect fresh damage to really stick out but as long as you're positive it was caused by them, absolutely they need to repair, their choice how but if it is wide spread and they would need to refinish the whole room, I think carpeting could be cheaper for them so definitely mention that after it's agreed it's their damage & it's widespread

3
brownstuff007OP•

Yeah the scratches are more so secondary to how it looks like the finish was just worn away. It is kind of hard to see in the pictures but where it looks more gray-ish is wear it looks really worn

1
rtcwon•

looks like drywall dust, has the floor been cleaned?

two months seems to me too short a period to cause wear but anything is possible, hopefully the project manager was there before they started, because he or she wouldn't be directly responsible, more likely to be honest

2
brownstuff007OP•

Yeah they vacuumed it and then wiped it down with a sponge and water. They left, we vacuumed and then steam mopped and it still looks like this. Looking closely you can tell it's pretty much bare wood

1
rtcwon•

as long as it wasn't like that before, don't pay until they fix it, if there's a project manager, they should also have a budget & process for things like this and again if it's the whole room, carpeting may be cheaper for them

1
FucciMe•

They do the damage, they pay for the repair.

Sometimes you can't avoid damage, and you discuss this with the customer prior to proceeding, floors being scratched because they didn't put anything down, is not one of these cases.

With that said, I wouldn't ask for carpet unless the floor cannot be fixed, and needs to be replaced, which likely isn't the case.

3
Owie100•

I once had a plumber ruined my countertop and my insurance covered it your insurance could should cover that.

3
brownstuff007OP•

Interesting, did not think of that. Did that make your rate go up at all?

1
Owie100•

No it didn't

1
decaturbob•
  • its the contractors RESPONSIBILITY to protect the owner's property
1