By Bob Blochinger
As a flooring contractor, project quotes are typically made from a plan and not always a physical jobsite review. Because we haven’t done a walkthrough yet, we do not know the substrate’s condition—surface profile, overall appearance or potential hidden moisture issues.
This is just one example of the unknowns that can lead to change orders. Coming from a subcontractor, change orders can be a financial headache for the owner, and an aspirin will not make it go away.
When you are given a contract by the owner or general contractor, it is prudent to consider inserting a pre-loaded change order. When reviewing plans, you can formulate an average budget for any floor preparation, as a line item, to allow room for negotiation. This may just set you apart from other contract submittals, with the final cost dependent on the condition of the substrate after review and testing.
Items to consider for the change order include:
- Uneven surface, not flat to manufacturer’s guidelines
- Steel troweled surface too smooth for adhesive bond; scarifying required
- Contaminants from other trades require removal
- Visible moisture issues
- Flooring manufacturer requires moisture testing prior to installation, then determining which test protocol to use based on the flooring and substrate (metal pan base, on grade, post tension, precast, gypsum with Portland cement, additives, etc.)
- Substrate is wood and wood-framed with gypcrete covering
- What is the floor joist spacing? 16”, 18”, 24”? More deflection can occur with wider spacing
- If a sheet product is used, is the substrate composition ply, wafer, chips, concrete, gypcrete, composite, etc.?
If a pre-loaded change order is not acceptable due to budget constraints, at least the issue has been addressed. However, additional preparation work is still unresolved. Another approach is including a disclaimer in your contract addressing unknowns, such as the substrate needing to be acceptable prior to product installation, along with any specific remediation that may be required for resilient or moisture-sensitive flooring.
If the substrate is not acceptable upon review months later, the change order is already a budget consideration. Since it has already been negotiated you also saved the owner some money from last-minute surprises. If the substrate is acceptable, additional savings are presented.
If the substrate is proclaimed ready “as is” by the general contractor, be careful. Your workmanship, quality and standards must reflect the floor covering manufacturer’s guidelines. After all, the manufacturer is ultimately providing the warranty, based on their instructions—not anyone else’s.
Once the substrate is evaluated and a change order is needed, consider the time frame from submittal to approval and execution when compared to the production schedule. Will premium time be needed? Almost all construction-related trades use change orders as the project continues. Keep in mind flooring is one of the most visible for negative issues.
