The Kitchener store was great, until we put down a deposit, and then dealing with them became a nightmare.
When we first went in to look at floors, we were told that it would take a month to have the floors installed. We eventually put a deposit on our order on March 24 and have it in writing that we would get an April install. We purchased vinyl plank flooring for our basement, and the salesperson recommended that we glue the planks down because it would be better than snap together planks for some of the gym equipment we keep in the basement. He also gave us a choice between metal and wood nosing for our stairs, and we choose the wood.
A week later, he called us and told us that the installer didn’t think we should be using glue because of the risk of water damage. Although we are glad this was pointed out before the installation, this is something that should have been pointed out at the initial point of sale.
Two and a half weeks after our purchase, the salesperson contacted us to tell us that he could not find matching wood nosing, but, there was vinyl nosing available that would match exactly. We are dumbfounded that this wasn’t initially offered to us. We absolutely would have taken this from the start (once it arrived, it looked ok, but was not exactly what we expected). We inquired what the price difference would be, and was told he didn’t have pricing and would adjust our total when it was available. At this point we realised that there was no way our floor would be installed within the month we discussed.
On the 19th of April, 4 weeks after we had purchased, we contacted the store as we hadn’t heard any updates from them. We expressed our concern that it was unlikely that our floor would be installed in April as we were told. The salesperson informed us that the supplies were going to arrive in store that Friday, and that there was a very good chance that his manager would contact us on Friday to set up an install the next week. This didn’t happen.
Finally on the 27th of April, 5 weeks after our purchase, we were contacted to set an install date, even though both the 4 weeks and April install date that we discussed had passed without any updates from the store. The manager told us he was calling to book the install. We asked what the earliest possible date was, and were put on hold so he could look the date up. We do not understand how you can call a customer to book a date, and not have the available dates in front of you. The earliest date was May 9 and four days were required for the installation. This meant that from the time we put down our 50% deposit to the point the floors were installed would be 7 weeks, not the 1 month that was discussed, and the installation would not be in April.
Once the supplies were in stock, we contacted the salesperson to find how the change from wood to vinyl nosing would effect our price. He claimed that even though the product was in his store, he still didn’t have pricing, but he would update me as soon as he knew. On Friday May 5, we still hadn’t been updated, and our credit card would be charged the following Monday. We called the store, and were told that our balance was a price that sounded far too high. After leaving messages and calling multiple times, we finally got hold of our sale person who confirmed the price. After we asked several questions, he ran the numbers again and realised that we were being overcharged.
When we selected our flooring, the salesperson made a point of telling us several times that we had made a good choice because Mannington was a good quality. During the two months while we were waiting for the planks, we couldn’t find any reference to the flooring on Mannington’s website. When the installers arrived, we realised that was because they were not made by Mannington, they were made by Melmart. This distinction would not have changed our choice, but, the incorrect information provided by the salesperson is infuriating.
When the installers arrived, we asked if the floor needed time to acclimate to our basement. The installer told us that was only for hardwood and laminate but not vinyl. A quick look at the instruction provided by the manufacturer states that 24 hours of acclimation are required.
When purchasing the floor, the salesperson explained to us the importance of the floor being flat, and explained that a skim coat would be needed. This was the primary reason we decided to pay for installation, because we knew that we did not have the patience to get this correct. During the first day of work, the installer coated a few cracks in the concrete and filled in holes around the edges left by old carpet tacks, but didn’t seem to do anything to flatten the floor. Now that the floor is installed, there is at least one area where planks sag when stepped upon. I pointed this out to the installer, and he told me there wasn’t much that could be done and the floor might not be perfectly level underneath. If this is something that is expected (it doesn’t happen with the other floating floors in our house), it was not explained to us. Had it been explained, we would definitely have chosen either to take the risk of water damage and glue the floor down, or, save several thousand dollars and install the floor ourselves.
Two weeks after the install, the salesperson contacted us to follow up on the installation and we mentioned the sagging planks. He promised to follow up with the installer and get in touch with us. That was six weeks ago, and we have not heard a word since. We have given up any hope of hearing any feedback.
Through the entire process, my requests for an itemized statement were skillfully avoided. We believe that the final price we paid is roughly a fair value, but, the unwillingness to provide us with an itemised receipt makes us sceptical.
Overall, we’re happy with how the floor looks, and we would give the installers an 8/10 as We believe they did what the store expected them to do. This review is not meant to reflect poorly on the installers in any way.
