Below you can read the response from Mr Nick H., Building Services Technical Director from GAB Robins Ltd to ust:
We have now received confirmation that the flooring sub-contractor will provide a 3 year guarantee on their workmanship, in addition to which the products and materials used do have their own individual guarantee periods, with these having been/being laid from 1) to 5) :
- SCREED REPAIR: Ardex Ardurapid A 45
- NEW SCREED LAYER: Ardex Arditex NA
- DPM: F.Ball F76
- LATEX: F.Ball Stopgap 300
- ADHESIVE: F.Ball B92
The checks to which you refer below were only ever going to be checks undertaken by the flooring specialist to satisfy themselves that each of the products laid on 14 March, 17 March and 18 March were dry and suitable for receipt of the next layer/coating to be applied. At no stage was any indication, or undertaking given that any further separate specialist company would be engaged to take actual meter readings, nor do we believe this is necessary.
OUR COMMENT: Mr Nick H. on his email on 10th March 2014 he stated: “…the floor to be inspected for dryness and suitability on Friday 14th March 2014 for it to then receive the new DPM & latex”
What is the point of trusting the contractors for doing the checks especially after the last two condensation fiascos?
Whilst The Revival Company were previously involved, I understand this was specifically to diagnose a defect/problem which had arisen [ie condensation which had appeared in the flat], culminating in the report they produced – ie they were instructed after a problem had materialised & the cause of this required determining after the condensation had appeared.
OUR COMMENT: The Revival Company was involved because the floor contractors did not installed the Stopgap 300 properly twice and because the windows had not been installed correctly.
In relation to laying of the eg DPM/latex etc on 14, 17 and 18 March, there was no immediately pre-existing humidity/condensation issue & hence there was no reason for readings to be taken on any of these dates as these would merely have confirmed what was already known, being that there was no suggestion of any increased moisture/humidity level. Instead the floor / products laid were inspected for dryness and suitability to receive the next layer and we understand the flooring specialist carried out what was regarded as the required level of visual appraisal to satisfy themselves, such that they are now offering a 3 year guarantee on their workmanship.
The Ardex Arditex NA that was laid on Friday 14 March & as expected cured fully last weekend and was found by the flooring specialist to be dry on Monday 17 March, such that the Stopgap F76 DPM was then laid on 17 March as planned, with no evidence being detected to suggest any humidity or condensation issue.
We have been advised by the main contractor that they then undertook their own inspection yesterday afternoon which confirmed that the heating was on and there was the required ventilation and that in their opinion the flooring was/is being laid to a professional standard using professional materials/tools. In addition our own surveyor is undertaking an inspection this morning of both the Stopgap 300HD laid on Tuesday 18 March and of the parquet flooring where laying commenced this morning.