Do Not Buy From Build Direct!!!

[writersbrother]

I am living a nightmare since I installed flooring that I purchased from this online retailer. August 2011 I purchased about 2000 sq feet of Build Direct Vanier Cosmopolitan Santos Mahogany engineered hardwood flooring. About a week after most of it was installed by a professional installer, it began to crack and delaminate. Installation was stopped, Build Direct was notified, and then waited and waited and waited for inspector from Build Direct. All during this time, more and more of the floor cracked and dozens of planks delaminated.

After weeks an inspector showed up for about 35 minutes. He wrote one paragraph "report" with no conclusions or determination of cause of delamination. Build Direct came to their own conclusions blaming installer errors.

I hired my own independent certified (court expert certified) inspector who did a very thorough 3 1/2 hour examination of the flooring. His conclusion was that delamination was manufacturing issue, and that the initial cause of cracking (checking) was manufacturing issue as well.

Thus bottom line is that the only opinion of a certified wood flooring inspector is that there were manufacturing issues causing my floor to delaminate and check. Build Direct has only offered to sell me DIFFERENT wood at a discount. It will cost thousands and thousands of dollars to tear up the existing defective flooring, repair the damage to the subfloor from this, purchase new flooring, and have it installed.

Do not repeat the mistake that I made. Do not buy from Build Direct. They sold me defective flooring which was determined by a certified wood flooring inspector who thoroughly inspected my flooring. Build direct does not support their product. The product is made in China, and Build Direct is based in Canada making a lawsuit very difficult to pursue.

 

[Nick]

Take them to court .

 

[Ernesto]

Yup, not manufacturerd to https://www.hpva.org/product/hard-c...ngineered-wood-flooring-ansihpva-ef-2009-12pp

They try and get away with it by claiming it is voluntary standard. But thats often the case with some foreign engineered hardwoods.

Try filing a complaint with the BBB http://www.bbb.org/mbc/business-rev...uilddirect-in-vancouver-bc-1171748/complaints

 

[havasu]

The product is made in China, and Build Direct is based in Canada making a lawsuit very difficult to pursue.

caveat emptor = Buyer beware!

 

[writersbrother]

Thanks Ernesto: Yes I have already filed a complaint with the BBB in Vancouver. I have already filed a dispute with the credit card companies.

 

[Nick]

BBB here don't do anything . You need to get a lawyer and take them to court with your inspector .

Just appeared in court as a expert witness on a $50,000 floor that did the same thing . mill offered them $200.00 and a few boxes of wood to replace the ones that cracked .
The Judge saw it different .

 

[TNT]

I find that this a great example of buying low-end products. Sorry, but true. BBB does well for me .. as long as I give the supporting info, they keep me at an A+. Let's face it, there are bad customers. Went ahead and told one today to go elsewhere. Didn't do it lightly, but they have been on me forever on things not my fault with the hard surfaces, so didn't want to deal anymore on the basement carpet. Wish them luck.

Tia

 

[writersbrother]

Let me clarify that the product i purchased was defective, but it actually was priced ABOVE the cost of the products offered to me by both of the installers. I chose the BuildDirect product because it had a larger wear layer, 4 sided beveled edges, and a good aluminum oxide finish. So this story is not about buying a cheap product, this was about buying a defective product.

 

[TNT]

Let me clarify that the product i purchased was defective, but it actually was priced ABOVE the cost of the products offered to me by both of the installers. I chose the BuildDirect product because it had a larger wear layer, 4 sided beveled edges, and a good aluminum oxide finish. So this story is not about buying a cheap product, this was about buying a defective product.

If this situation is going to cost you money and has been determined to be a manufacturing defect, then by all means, take them to court.

Tia

 

[writersbrother]

I have actually been in communication with an attorney since this issue started. She was not optimistic about pursuing a lawsuit against a company based in Canada. At this point I am hoping to have a successful credit card dispute, and take that money and repair the damaged flooring and hopefully not end up spending ALOT more although it will definitely cost more than the original project cost.

I have contacted a couple of class action lawsuit attorneys because I think retailers who sell their products to arid parts of the country are scamming. These retailers know that in arid parts of the country that virtually no one (even those with whole house humidifiers) has a relative humidity level of 35-55% in their homes as recommended, so that they will always claim that this voids their warranty. They are knowingly selling to parts of the country where the environmental conditions technically voids their warranty. At the very least, they need to issue a disclosure of this fact to their buyers.

 

[Ernesto]

I have actually been in communication with an attorney since this issue started. She was not optimistic about pursuing a lawsuit against a company based in Canada. At this point I am hoping to have a successful credit card dispute, and take that money and repair the damaged flooring and hopefully not end up spending ALOT more although it will definitely cost more than the original project cost.

I have contacted a couple of class action lawsuit attorneys because I think retailers who sell their products to arid parts of the country are scamming. These retailers know that in arid parts of the country that virtually no one (even those with whole house humidifiers) has a relative humidity level of 35-55% in their homes as recommended, so that they will always claim that this voids their warranty. They are knowingly selling to parts of the country where the environmental conditions technically voids their warranty. At the very least, they need to issue a disclosure of this fact to their buyers.

I'd be careful about that depending on where you live because I can hit that rh mark in my house. Might not be possible in all houses, nonetheless it is no reason for it to delaminate, split and check, ye but not delaminate.

 

[writersbrother]

The inspector that examined my floors stated to me that he has done hundreds of inspections in the Las Vegas area where the house is located, and he can count on one hand the number that fell within the recommended range (even those with whole house humidifiers). Thus once again, I think that the retailers are knowingly putting consumers at risk since they should either not be selling these products in arid locations or issuing a disclaimer. Lastly yes from everyone I have talked with that delamination should not be happening despite being in a very dry climate.

 

[writersbrother]

I posted examples of what is going on in my BuildDirect flooring in the gallery.

 

[TNT]

If the inspector said anything at all, you should worry about the validity of the inspection. Wish you the best!

Tia

 

[Ernesto]

After weeks an inspector showed up for about 35 minutes. He wrote one paragraph "report" with no conclusions or determination of cause of delamination. Build Direct came to their own conclusions blaming installer errors.

I hired my own independent certified (court expert certified) inspector who did a very thorough 3 1/2 hour examination of the flooring. His conclusion was that delamination was manufacturing issue, and that the initial cause of cracking (checking) was manufacturing issue as well.

It's OK for your own inspector to talk to you.

Those brokerage firms keep pumping out inspectors with no clue and are simply hired guns for the man. It's getting to be that time of the year when all these types of complaints hit the forums.

 

[TNT]

IMHO, a true inspector shouldn't say a word to the consumer, because he's supposed to be IMPARTIAL. If he's not what I said, then he's not a good inspector.

Tia

 

[Ernesto]

IMHO, a true inspector shouldn't say a word to the consumer, because he's supposed to be IMPARTIAL. If he's not what I said, then he's not a good inspector.

Tia

Hard to argue with a woman but I'll try again. If you hire the inspector, he can tell you anything. Your paying and getting the report aincha?

Your thinking of the inspector sent out by the manufacturer thats supposed to be the impartial one.

 

[TNT]

Nah, you're fine to argue with me. Yes, I am mainly thinking of the ones the manufacturers send, who won't talk to me or the consumer, just send a report. However, I've also hired inspectors for the store's behalf who will also not discuss their opinions, readings, findings with me until the report arrives. In my mind, it was the industry standard. Of course, my experiences may not be accurate of what is "supposed to" take place.

We had hail damage on our house siding this year, and the first inspector gave me a few hundred dollars. I then demanded a second inspection (adjustment) and got about $6,700. However, neither one of them gave me any indication of where they were leaning, with the exeption of the second one being much more thorough and taking samples for the lab.

Go figure, there are good ones and bad ones in every industry.

Tia

 

[Ernesto]

Oh well that......thats just because they don't want anyone shooting at them. Like people do to Lee.

 

[Nick]

He has been a target on a number of occasions .