Certified Flooring Inspections

Wood Floors and Crawlspaces

• Homeowners
• General Contractors
• Restoration Companies

• Property Managers
• Property Appraisals
• Claims Adjusters

• Flooring Manufacturers
• Flooring Distributors
• Home Inspectors

Contact Us

Is Your Hardwood Floor Failing?

For years you have enjoyed your gorgeous hardwood floors. But lately you are noticing something isn’t normal. They don’t look right or feel right anymore. Upon a closer inspection you notice a few planks are wavy and display a rippled effect. Some of the floorboard are raising in the room corners.

What’s happening to your beautiful flooring? Can the problem be stopped and reversed?

Carolina Flooring Inspections is certified by the NWFA and IFCII to inspect all hardwood flooring for residential and commercial applications.

Inspection Report Got Flooring Done Correctly

I wish I were writing a good positive review for my insurance company and their selected contractor - but His Inspection was the only good thing to come out of an unfortunate situation. When battling the insurance company and contractors it was a good feeling to have a 3rd party (who isn't worried about an expense or time) to see and understand exactly what we have to live with. His certified report justified exactly what we were trying to express with our claims and frustration. Anyways, it's finally over and flooring done correctly, and was all because of you....Thanks again!

Michael Weller Jr via Google

Highly Recommended

We were very fortunate to have selected Carolina Flooring Inspections to determine the issues with our flooring. Andrew Linford, the owner, came all the way to Charleston, SC, to help us. He immediately identified the cause for the issues and discussed our problem in detail. His report included this information. We hope that it will help resolve the question of what, and who, was at fault. Can’t recommend him enough.

Marion Sullivan via Google

Thorough and Knowledgeable

Am very thankful to Mr. Linford for his prompt response to request for an inspection. He was thorough and knowledgeable. His inspection report let me know everything I had been saying about my wood floor was exactly on point.

Frances Robinson via Google

Very Professional

Very professional and knowledgeable. If you have problems with your floors, give Andrew a call.

Peggy Cheadle via Google

Our Service Area

North Carolina

South Carolina

Eastern Tennessee

Eastern Georgia

Lower Virginia

Lower West Virginia

Why Hire a Certified Floor Inspector?

A certified wood flooring inspector knows how to detect and determine if a hardwood floor was installed properly because they are trained to understand many different types of issues related to flooring methods and industry standards.

• Acclimation: How much time was allowed for the wood to properly acclimate prior to installation?
• Moisture Testing: What type of moisture testing method was used? What were the moisture content (MC) readings?
• Installation Procedures: Was the proper installation method used? Were there sanding or finishing errors?
• Substrate Preparation: Was the substrate or subfloor properly prepared prior to installation?
• Job site Conditions: Were all required jobsite conditions met before the floor was installed?

We Inspect Wood Floor Problems

When specific conditions are not met or procedures ignored, problems will occur. The results can be disastrous. Below are just a few of the many side effects from an improper floor installation we encounter during a hardwood floor inspection in our service area.

• Cupping Floors
• Crowning Floors
• Gapping Floors
• Buckling Floors
• Sagging Floors
• Flat Floors
• Popping Floors
• Squeaking Floors

Even if we determine the wood floor installation was done correctly, the problem may originate from improper care and cleaning, or the material itself. While defective flooring is generally uncommon, it has been known to occur and product recalls are issued. Remember what happened in 2016 when a major hardwood retailer agreed to “recall to test” possibly contaminated floors made in China.

Because we are a certified flooring inspector, we are required to know all common manufacturing issues associated with wood flooring systems, plus all phases of design, construction, milling and finishing.

Home Inspections Overlook Potential Floor Problems

If you are like most home buyers you use your home inspection report as a negotiation tool. Hopefully your report includes a section about Flooring. The typical home inspector will only take a cursory look at the floors and provide a short description. On the surface you may think that’s enough. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. What the report does not provide are expert flooring insights that may reveal hidden problem after you move in. 

Most home inspection reports do not describe the floor’s condition in detail. A typical home inspector is not trained by the NWFA how to detect and determine wood floor issues. For example, a cupping wood floor may be a symptom of a moisture issue stemming from the crawl space or slab. The home inspector will probably not have a moisture meter to take a reading and further investigate the floor problem.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that inheriting brand new wood floors is without any problems. In addition to having a floor inspection, you will want to know if the installer provided a warranty that’s transferable to the new homeowner.

A properly installed and maintained hardwood floor increases home value, so we recommend getting a dedicated flooring inspection in addition to your general home inspection. As a new home buyer, the last thing you want is repairing a cupping floor after moving in because you didn’t have it inspected by a specialist!

We Inspect All Types of Hardwood Floors

Carolina Flooring Inspections is certified by the NWFA and IFCII to inspect all types of hardwood flooring for residential and commercial applications.

• Solid Wood Flooring
• Engineered Wood
• Bamboo Wood
• Laminate Flooring
• Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)
• Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)
• Site Finished Floors

Expert Witness Analysis & Testimony

If you plan to sue a flooring contractor that botched an installation that resulted in damages, we can be hired by the plaintiff or their attorney as a flooring expert witness to provide expert analysis and testimony in court.  As a NWFA certified floor inspector, we have the credentials to assist a legal team that needs unbiased, evidence-based answers. We are ready and willing to help answer causal effect questions that can support negligence arguments. We can usually assess the cause of an improper floor installation by examining the structural integrity of the manufacturer’s materials, the extent of the damage, and the quality of the installation.