Complaint Review: L & N Services Inc. - Allen Texas

Soon after installing Trafficmaster Laminate Flooring in my home- purchased from Home Depot- I noticed that multiple corners were raising and that this was occuring almost exclusively on the bottom right corners. The locking system was not failing. The corners were lifting and it appeared that the laminate was peeling slightly from the layers underneath. They could easily be pressed back down but would not stay.

I started a claim on the flooring with Home Depot who referred it to the manufacturer, KronotexUSA. Kronotex paid for and sent out an inspector who spent an hour taking pictures and measuring "problem areas." The inspector was a gentleman from L & N Services Inc., based in Allen, texas. I live in California.

His final report concluded that there were multiple "site issues" which voided any warranty that Kronotex offered. The problem was that his report was dishonest, ambiguous, ommitted crucial information, highlighted areas that had nothing to do with the complaint and had no bearing on the problem.

For example, he took photos of laminate that was "cut close" to the wall supposedly not leaving enough expansion room which could lead to product failure. He did not name the location of the photo. I found that it was in the back hall where he had removed the baseboard without my permission or knowledge. He omitted the fact that the wall did not meet the concrete and that there was plenty of expansion room on both sides of the hallway. Since there were no problems in the hallway, it was interesting -to say the least- that he felt that this should be noted.

He further described incorrectly placed transitions (plural) as another site issue. I was aware that the one (1 only) of several transitions was incorrectly placed and I had specifically brought it to his attention stating that I had placed it only temporarily as I did not know if i was going to have to remove the flooring and i needed to make the entry into the bathroom safer for the elderly disabled client that lives in my home.

He described a "bounce" in the hallway that did not measure what he claimed it did. He took photos of a chip in the living room with a magnified lense and high lighting- without using a coin or other size regulator- and called it "chipped and light edges" as if I had done a sloppy job installing the boards. I, in fact, had pointed out the chip to him and told him I had no claim concerning that chip because I had accidentally done it and I would repair it. These statements I made to him were left out of his report.

Further he minimized my actual complaint- only taking one very poor photo of the raised edges that didn't clearly show them. This inspector clearly wanted to find in favor of the manufacturer and was dishonest and biased. When i tried to contact L & N and left a message, they never returned my call.

I had followed manufacturer's suggested guidelines for installation in all major areas of concern and I had only cleaned the floor with a vacuum and Bruce laminate cleaner. Kronotex has offered a settlement to me to help replace the most affected areas without admission of any product liability.