Help! My contractors broke my baseboards.
We’re replacing old crummy floors in our newly-purchased condo, and our contracter just let us know that they broke our baseboards while installing, and want another $1400 to buy and install (not prime or paint) new ones. I was expecting maybe 1 or 2 to break, but this is over 15% above the quote they…
We’re replacing old crummy floors in our newly-purchased condo, and our contracter just let us know that they broke our baseboards while installing, and want another $1400 to buy and install (not prime or paint) new ones. I was expecting maybe 1 or 2 to break, but this is over 15% above the quote they gave us.
Also, the other contractors we didn’t use said they would replace boards they broke for free.
Is this a normal expense I should have expected? Or am I getting my head bumped?
Can i install them myself without too much trouble for less money?Can broken boards be fixed? I really dont have the budget for this added expense.
It’s really not that hard to install base yourself. I’m assuming if it is a historic building that you have a higher and a more detailed base. The same look can be accomplished by combining different styles of moulding with regular boards. If you want to go for cheap and easy, they do make a pre-primed fiberboard base, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You will need the following to easily and accurately install you base personally:
1. A miter saw, hand or electric, so that you can get accurate corner cuts.
2. A coping saw, if you choose to do this you can get directions online and it gives you a better finished look
3. A nail gun, nails, hose and compressor; you can rent these for a day or borrow them from a handy friend.
4. Wood filler or spackling compound to fill your nail holes before priming and painting
5. A measuring tape and a hammer
As a side note, you usually have to replace most or all of your base when you are installing new floors. Base just isn’t that easily removable and tends to look pretty crappy when re-installed. I do think the contractor was a little sly in not telling you this added cost, but I will chock it up to inexperience in construction on your part for not asking. You could take him to small claims court, but you’re asking for more hassle than it’s worth generally, and there’s a good chance that they’ll ask you why you didn’t ask about the base in the first place. Good luck with you base and if you have any more questions, please give me a call at (404) 218.0477. Thanks!
He broke the baseboards and should replace them especially if they werent old to begin with and especially if he didnt advise you of the possibility.Do you have a contract?He probably realized that he didnt charge enough. Well, you either use him and tell him you are not paying extra and chance him not doing a good job or you foot the added bill.Good luck.
If you have never hired a contractor before, don’t think you are going to replace baseboards for the first time either. Have you ever done any trim carpentry? Do you have the tools? Do you have any idea how much time it’s going to take you vs a carpenter?
And if the floors you replaced were really that bad, were the baseboards any good? I don’t see how you could get the old flooring out and the new flooring in without redoing the baseboards too, as they should in theory be sitting on top of the flooring, tight to the flooring.
good luck.
From the first paragraph of your 3:57 post, the contractor must have included in his price for removal and presumably re-installation of the boards if undamaged. I would interpret that the greatest possible cost to you should be no more than the material cost of replacing broken boards which I don’t think should be much more than around $3.50/LF, probably less. As Denton says, check at Dykes or wherever. I don’t really understand Denton’s proposed arrangement with the contractor though. I would say to him, “Here’s the replacements that I bought for the base you broke, get going and install it; it’s part of your quoted scope; no ups, no extras.”
Installing baseboard is not that hard if you have a smart helper. Of course you have to go buy it. It may be that the stuff there before was cheap garbage, nevertheless that should have been your decision to make.
If it was me, I’d go shop for new BB, Dykes, Sackett Street Lumber, Lowes, etc., so you know what it costs. You’ll also have to prime and paint it.
I’d then tell the contractor you will deduct the materials from his bill, but will supply the labor to install (why would you want this guy to do it anyway?)
To me, that would be a fair and reasonable compromise and may keep you out of court. Your GF is correct, of course.
I hope you have your keys back.
Thanks everyone.
So to clarify, the contractor mentioned that it was possible that they may break “a baseboard or two” when removing them and we’d have to buy a new boards to replace them.
But when I arrived today, all the boards from the 1st floor were gone – they’d been thrown out. The 2nd floor boards looked mostly usable, a few needing to be replaced, and a few that were cracked but probably usable. My girlfriend is furious and feels we’ve been taken advantage of. I just was wondering how common it is that all baseboards need to be junked when redoing floors. This expense wasn’t included in our quote, and we were anticipating maybe another $200 for replacement boards, not $1400. I don’t want to screw over the contractor, but it seems a little strange to me that they threw them all out and told us about this problem later, rather than when they encountered it.
So how difficult is it to put in your own baseboards? If i had someone with carpentry skills helping me out?
its ridiculous to be talking about suing anyone at this stage. the OP hasn’t even discussed this with the contractor.
I wanted to let you know that if you decide to sue instead of dealing with small claims court you can file a complaint with Consumer Affairs. Not many people know that they have there own court. I personally have a court date scheduled with them.
last resort…….take photos to small claims court. Remind judge new baseboards was not in the contract and you did not consent to have them.
Sneaky contractor.