Anyone had any success in lifting & refiting section of laminate floor?

[Pickwickpick]

I've had a call of a customer that wants me to replace some radiators for them. They weren't particularly clear over the phone and I'm due to go out there tomorrow to see in person and clarify exactly what they want but it sounds like one of the radiator swaps will involve having to move some pipework in a room that has got laminate flooring.

I'm thinking if I remove the skirting board on the relevant wall I should then have enough clearance to lift the laminate boards adjacent to the wall, and lift the underlying t&g floorboards, relocate the pipework, replace the t&g floorboard and then put the lifted laminate boards back using the cutout for the new pipe location to 'plug' the old redundant cutouts.

Has anyone had an success with this? Is there a better way to do it? Or would you not touch the laminate and alter the pipework above the floor?

 

[townfanjon]

Can be a bast*** but if you are careful you will get them up , just be aware the very first laminates were glued together.
Other option is tell them its not a plumbers job and get a joiner in , but we all know we can do anything a joiner can do lol

 

[ShaunCorbs]

i wouldnt touch it could snap and break, could be glued down if its the cheap stuff

 

[Aire]

Done it a few times, the dry fit stuff should be fine if your careful. I'd just tell the customer before hand and get it in writing that any damage to the boards and the decor from removing skirting boards etc are not your responsibility.

 

[Harvest Fields]

I have never had a laminate floor that has sat right after being taken up.

 

[Scott_D]

You have to take up a line at a time, can be a two man job getting it back down

 

[Harvest Fields]

You have to take up a line at a time, can be a two man job getting it back down

So a hammer, chisel and crowbar are not the right tools for the job?

 

[rpm]

So a hammer, chisel and crowbar are not the right tools for the job?

One of those three might be required, I`ll let you decide which.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Thanks for the lightening fast advise, sounds like its as much of a gamble as I was worried it would be.

Think I'm going to advise that the safest option is to alter the pipework above the laminate. If he's insistent on wanting it done that way I will have to make it clear I can not guarantee it will go back down seamlessly/be damage free and get him to sign a waiver as part of the quote/contract. Have got into the habit of getting this sort of thing in writing & signed after a oh so friendly and understanding customer completely shafted me fairly early on into my self employment!

 

[Deleted member 32524]

Do not forget to number them or similar. Easier to get back down quickly and keep them in order. Done it loads only had a few that were not quite right at the end, mostly bits of damage I caused.

 

[Deleted member 96286]

I just take off the skirting boards and run the heating pipes behind them. There's usually a wee gap between the bottom of the wall and the floor and this can be easily widened if pipes don't fit. No way would I fart about lifting laminate.

 

[JCplumb]

Unless you're desperate for the work, I'd tell them the flooring needs to be lifted prior to your visit.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Or that you take no responsibility for the flooring what so ever. As you mentioned above. Disclaimer.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Do not forget to number them or similar. Easier to get back down quickly and keep them in order. Done it loads only had a few that were not quite right at the end, mostly bits of damage I caused.

That's a good idea

Or that you take no responsibility for the flooring what so ever. As you mentioned above. Disclaimer.

This is what I'm planning on doing, unless it looks like a right nightmare/customer is a right nightmare, in which case I will walk away.

Unless you're desperate for the work, I'd tell them the flooring needs to be lifted prior to your visit.

Don't think this is going to be an option as he's got tenants due to move in in about a week's time so trying to get someone in to do the floor before hand might be cutting it tight.

Will see how the visit this evening goes anyway, might be one to walk away from depending on what he's like (not someone I've worked for before) and fact he's left this so late is already raising some red flags.

 

[Deleted member 96286]

Watch this job pal, my spidey senses are tingling and he may use the laminate against you so as not to pay you. I'm thinking that he could say the laminate isn't put back right and go on and on nit picking about it so as not to settle up with you. Yet again I may just be paranoid, but I've been in this game long enough to have had more than my fair share of chancers. Honestly mate, don't touch the laminate with a barge pole, it will never go back down 100% the way it was fitted. Do as I do and run the new pipes behind the base of the skirting boards as these are a dawdle to remove and refit.
Just my tuppence worth and thinking out loud, but hate to see any fellow plumber get done.

 

[rpm]

Watch this job pal, my spidey senses are tingling and he may use the laminate against you so as not to pay you. I'm thinking that he could say the laminate isn't put back right and go on and on nit picking about it so as not to settle up with you. Yet again I may just be paranoid, but I've been in this game long enough to have had more than my fair share of chancers. Honestly mate, don't touch the laminate with a barge pole, it will never go back down 100% the way it was fitted. Do as I do and run the new pipes behind the base of the skirting boards as these are a dawdle to remove and refit.
Just my tuppence worth and thinking out loud, but hate to see any fellow plumber get done.

How would remove what is there coming up through the floor?

 

[Deleted member 96286]

How would remove what is there coming up through the floor?

I chase the pipes back to the wall by cutting a very small groove with a multi tool and either bend the pipe or solder an elbow on to run it along the groove at the base of the skirting board. Very simple and quick to do and have done this for many years. Pipe holes coming up in the base of the laminate if they are an issue can be filled with a circle cut from a spare piece of laminate.

 

[firemant]

All as above - but in writing and signed.
Chances (3/1) are , though, that the boards under the rad are at right angle to rad, or the board was the first laid.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Apologies for the delayed update, been drowning with work and my phone's touchscreen is so knackered writing anything more than a line or two is a torturous task, so needs doing when I can get onto the laptop.

There's only one of the rooms where the laminate flooring was an issue and convinced him its not worth risking trying to lift it up and to leave it until he's ready to replace the flooring.

Working for him for the next couple of days and he's been ok, not a professional landlord, its his personal house that he's renting out until the property prices go back up and refreshingly he understands that going for the cheapest quote is false economy!