Questions To Ask Your Floor Sanding Contractor
Given that the floor is an expensive installation, and the renovation job- from the sanding to the refinishing, will be a huge project, you want to ensure that it is in the right hands. Mistakes made will be costly to resolve. Poor finish results that require the task to be repeated, to structural damage due to faulty equipment or low skill level of the technicians- these will exasperate you. Here are aspects that you need to have clarified:
- How do you deal with the dust?
Sanding dust is one of the most problematic issues about the floor renovation process. As the old finish coats are ground away, so much of it will be generated. This dust is a mixture of the different treatments that had been used on the floor, from the wood stains, sealants, to the varnishes that one had applied. The dust poses different concerns. First is the mess that is created. The dust gets everywhere. The light fixtures, in the kitchen cupboards, the sheets and towels that are in the closet, suit coats, the blinds and drapes, gets into the electronics and even the sockets, the ducting of the building, and even the sink. The walls, countertops, chandeliers- pretty much anything can be covered in the particles. When dust gets into the heating and air conditioning systems, the particles will keep being recirculated into the indoor air space. The dust is actually one of the main reasons why people put off the floor sanding. So how does the contractor intend to handle it? The conventional sanders come with dust bags, which- as if often quickly realised by DIYers and rookie contractors, still allows plenty of dust to escape. What’s more, the low capacity of the dust bags means that they will require to be emptied multiple times in the middle of the job- which includes untying them from the sanders and transferring the contents into garbage bags- a process which also raises another cloud of dust.
Dustless floor sanding systems come in as an effective way of controlling the loads of dust generated. Here, vacuuming systems are connected to the sander through a series of hoses. Powerful suction is then used to pick up the dust particles the instant that they are ground off the floor- preventing them from escaping into the airspace and covering the surrounding surfaces. Both fine and coarse dust particles are captured, and then directed out of the room into containment units, where they are safely held awaiting disposal. This also makes it a safe process, given that the sanding dust is a flammable material, and you don’t want a fire incident cropping up in the middle of your building maintenance project.
With the dustless floor sanding, the clean-up that will be required after the process will be minimal. As such, the rest of the finishing gets to proceed on schedule. It also reduces the expenses and energy that would have been spent on the job. Then there is the quality of the original finish. With dust particles in the indoor airspace, when the treatments have been applied onto the floor, the particles gradually settle down on the coats, distorting the appearance. This is worsened by the fact that the finish will be wet, and the dust particles will get to adhere to the coats. This situation is avoided using dustless floor sanding services right from the word go, that way you won’t compromise on the aesthetic appeal of the final result.
So why don’t all floor sanding companies use this approach? Well, for one, it is a major investment. The dustless floor machinery, incorporating the sanding units, hoses, vacuuming and containment systems to the truck mounted units- it’s expensive to purchase and maintain. More investment also needs to go into training the staff how to properly use them. The setup process also requires high skill level, adapting it to the different building requirements. As such, companies may choose to skip out this process- but you end up paying for it in the long run due to the frustrations that result from the messy outcome.
- Who will be sent to your premises?
Whether it’s your home or business centre, you want a professional crew handling the task, and one that you can trust on your property. Different companies operate with different structures. It may be an individual contractor with a sole proprietorship, or one who works with a small crew to get the task done. It may be a business with multiple teams that provide services that take care of the entire floor renovation process. Does the salesperson you’re engaging work for the floor care company that has a massive workforce, complete with the entire structure- from the management, crew leaders, salespeople, and the on-site technicians, or are you dealing with a sales rep for a company that will outsource the task to subcontractors? The different kinds of business will bring different experiences for your floor sanding and refinishing project. A site visit will be needed to accurately determine the scope of the project. At this stage, you also want issues such as the exact methods that will be used for the process clarified. Any reservations, queries about the job, specific areas that you want to be attended to, structural damage that needs to be addressed- getting these covered beforehand and getting a detailed quotation will enable you to know full well what you’re walking into. Customer service is a part of this- as you want to have a pleasant experience as well.
The track record of the company- what its current and former clients have to say about its services, is key. There are various areas where you can check out the reviews that a business has, from social media platforms, to business directories that provide the feature. When going through the reviews, be keen to observe how the negative ones were handled. Sure, there are cases where it’s a case of trolls simply out to ruin the name of the company- who are simply ignored. However, how does the company handle genuine complaints? This will give you a perspective on the company’s commitment to ensuring customer satisfaction.
