[CC Solutions]

First off, WELCOME SurfaceSteve!!!

And good points.

I am not an installer but I can promise you I would take a $30 reader or two and put it in the slab before I put down a $75,000 floor....
1. To save my butt, and
B. because the flooring manufacturer expects the installer to verify the floor is ready for flooring.

We expect the installer to do this because they are the ones there at the moment, and they have the experience to advise. When a guy says 'Gee if we thought there would be a moisture issue we would have tested', that tells me the guy is ignorant of the major issue in the industry (does he ever read a trade magazine) or he slaps down product and collects a check and never uses the old bean.

I don't accept excuses from installers. It gets me in trouble, but I can handle it. As a professional installer you have to know you are doing the job correctly, and some testing is part of that.

Okay installers. Begin blasting, but remember I am on your side unless you just blindly toss down flooring and run.

[CCR]

I welcome the day we see third party testing on most specs. Hope it's before I'm too old to carry around a hammer drill!

Many installers don't care. Too many. I met one just last week who thinks nothing of spreading Feather Finish over thick adhesive residue and contaminents. His exact words were "It ain't my company and I don't give a s*#! So I blame the owner for even allowing this guy on a jobsite (and he was the foreman).

Where do they come from? We can only hope they don't reproduce.

[CC Solutions]

A lot of guys are 9-5. At the end of the day they are done. I envy them for that!

My days never end, and that takes its toll. And when the job is finished it really isn't. I just replaced a section of flooring I did the prep on 4 years ago, wasn't even my fault, but it was good customer service to do so.

9 to 5 has its benefits.....

[CCR]

I'm with you. But being your own boss has more benefits in the end. And when it comes to standing behind your work for a good customer, ya do what ya gotta do.

[surfacesteve]

Thanks JD, I agree. I am not an installer either. However, I do owe my career to flooring contractors and installers. Most installers want to do good work and most do! It is unfortunate that they dwell in a highly competitive environment and its certainly not their fault that construction budgets do not allow enough money for them to protect themselves. One of our objectives is to do our part in changing the status quo and providing services that protect the installation industry as well as all party's involved.

[CC Solutions]

Construction budget or not, the installer can protect themselves. But they have to have the nads to do it.

Taking an RH test is easy and inexpensive. Turning down the job may be the best money they ever lost.

[CCR]

Right you are, JD. More installers need to grow a pair. That's what I like about testing. I work in a black & white world. Ya do stuff right or don't do it at all. And it's nice to be in a neutral postion to tell it like it is...all in an effort to protect the GCs, installers and owners.

[CC Solutions]

Yep, and then installers that think they can get away with a signed waiver from an owner or GC have a big surprise waiting for them if it goes to court....

It's best to point to the problem and say 'I didn't cause it, but I can fix it", and then let the chips fall where they will.

The real problem is the installers that come in afterwards and pound the floor in anyway... Then the floor fails and they are gone, probably changed their name and skipped town.

[CCR]

When the owner opts to not address the moisture problem, I include a risk assessment statement in my report based on my readings in an attempt to create a buffer for the GC or installer. Not sure how much weight it would carry as I have never had one of my testing jobs go to litigation. However, it certainly gets noticed and it's better than nothing. Fact is, it proves they were made aware of the problem and "forced" the installer to proceed.

[CC Solutions]

Excellent idea. Is it standard verbiage? Anything you could summarize and let us see?