Reclaimed parquet and the problem of getting it past the builders.
A bit of background on reclaimed parquet
I believed it was time to turn our focus towards what retrieved parquet really is. And why it is important to persevere if you would like to have a reclaimed floor in your property. And how to not allow your builder make you feel like you're mad for needing to install it.
The parquet that we recover stems from public buildings assembled in 1900s to 1970s. The reclaimed materials are of a good quality and usually intriguing wood types. Some of these timber types are extremely rare. Since the tree is already cut down, it's almost a criminal act to waste the wood. So we applaud customers who want reclaimed parquet, not only for budgetary reasons but for principled motives too.
The Frequent problem
The problem we find however is that many clients who instinctively want to reclaimed are often discouraged by their overall builder. We hear it over and over:
The customer says:"I would like a reclaimed parquet flooring, I have always wanted one" and the builder says,"Oh it will never work, reclaimed materials are moist, they will warp, you'll need to purchase 25% additional because there will be so much that you can not use, I have stripped out better stuff and put it in a jump" etc. etc. etc!
But if the customer insists, the builder will frequently agree to fit it after using rubbished it!
Don't panic
Then we get phone calls whereby, on coming of the pallet, the builder refuses to do exactly what he promised. This despite having noticed the sample.
Because:" It is has bitumen on it needs to come off and also the quotation did not include for cleaning." Or"It is all various cube, and he has put better stuff at a skip" etc.. !
None of that by the way is accurate. It's possible to lay parquet with bitumen on, you just require compatible glue. We make it very clear that for a neat fit, the tongues do need cleaning. This ensures that an entire floor for the client. And yes, the parquet would certainly have become numerous skips if we hadn't reclaimed it but that does not mean it is a bad substance!
Carry on regardless
I surely do. I must calm down clients from time to time that are completely wound up with their mischievous contractors. The bare truth is contractors are not flooring fitters exactly like joiners are not cabinet makers. Parquet floor-fitting can be carried out by your overall builder, indeed by a competent DIY person but you want to have the open-mindedness, guts, patience, experience and skill sets to perform it.
Through time we have discovered to make our customers aware of the kind of tyranny. The contractors who want to utilize new materials only will never get the idea of reclaimed parquet. They can become intimidating dictators. We know there are fantastic builders out there who are not like that. They work collaboratively and will go the extra mile to provide the customer what they need. These are the ones to treasure and nurture. If you've got one like that, you too can have a reclaimed parquet flooring.
We can help
If you do not possess a co-operative builder, then there is a moral to the story. You ought to find a floor-fitter with expertise with recovered materials to provide you exactly what you always wanted! That's where we can assist -- why not try our Premier Service?
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