ComplaintsforL.W. Mountain, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  08/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had your product installed through **** flooring two years ago. About six months after installation I started noticing small separations at some of the vertical seams. I was willing to overlook small movements in the flooring but after another six months, gaps up to 1/4" was all over the place.Not only gaps but your flooring is bulging and warping at all the seams. Your bradstreet warm grey is installed in my living, dining, kitchen and laundry room. I contacted **** and they filed a claim on my behalf but was denied because, get this "These are site related damages " because of moisture content. Your letter states that the moisture needs to be between 6_12% but not what your acceser reading was. I personally stood over him and his highest reading was 2.7%. I personally installed Traffic master luxury vinyl flooring in my foyer 144sf and my entire concrete basement 1700sf and there is no gaps, warp or separating flooring. I've been in construction for 31yrs and I've never seen anything like this. How does moisture separate and bulge your flooring like that. Our heat and AC stays 70 degrees at all time. Even if you submerge your flooring in water it should not behave like that. It is clear that you have a inferior and defective product but you continue to sell it. All these complaints on BBB are all similar to mine so I'm assuming you are aware of the problem yet you reject my claim. That is being dishonest and you should not take advantage of people that way. I'm not a ****** home owner so I'm very versed into what a building product should and should not do. I've done both invasive and non- invasive moisture testing on my flooring and your claim of moisture in my house is laughable. All levels of my home has conditioned space. Please provide me with your sub contractor moisture reading.

  

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  We are only given a limited amount of information to make determinations on claims for ****.

  We have requested further information on this claim

• Initial Complaint

  07/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We had a home built in 2016 and builder installed an Engineered Hardwood Flooring from L.W. Mountain, Inc. Three years ago, the flooring started to delaminate at the surface. Flooring came with a 50-year finish wear-through warranty. On 05/30/2024 we filed a claim with L.W. Mountain, Inc. using the form they provided as well as multiple photographs. Flooring is happening in the kitchen, den, living room, entry way, master bedroom and bedroom hallway. In late June, ***** ******* came to our home and took additional photographs. ***** is the General Sales Manager with L.W. Mountain, Inc. ***** tells us the claim must be approved by a *** ********. We have both emailed and called *** for an update on our claim and those requests for an update have gone unanswered. We have spoken to his office at ************ and they have told us that *** does not have office hours, but he will be given the message to call us. *** had our email as well as my cell phone and my wife's cell phone. No response what-so-ever. We would appreciate any help we can get to have this resolved.When we had the house built for us in 2016, we specifically asked if the engineered hardwood floor was better than a natural hardwood floor and were given an affirmative answer that it was much better. That has not been our experience here. The flooring was installed by the builder, so we do not know the value of the flooring as it was part of the total house package. We took possession of the home on November 3rd 2016 (day after the **** won the World Series).

  

  Business response

  08/16/2024

  On June 21st, 2024, a representative from **** Mountain visited the home in question. This was his response:

  All the high traffic areas in the house from the front door to the back door are scratched. The area that are not high traffic area that the dogs are not running on looks fine.

  There are two large dogs in the home. Over the years, they have damaged the finish with their nails allowing moisture penetration. This is what has caused the finish to prematurely wear. This is a site related condition. The homeowner has failed to follow proper care and maintenance as described in the warranty.

  Warranty states: Larger pets should have their claws trimmed to avoid scratching floors. LWM warranties do not cover indentations, scratches, or damages caused by negligence, exposure to extreme heat, dryness or water saturation, accidents, abuse, misuse indentation from stiletto heels, stains as a result of chemical or industrial products, improper installation and maintenance, insufficient protection or improper alternations of the original manufactured product.

  Customer response

  08/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 22005766
  
  I am rejecting this response because the flooring has delaminated in multiple areas of the house including closet areas.  In addition, we specifically notified the seller that we had dogs in our home and asked, prior to installation, if the flooring would hold up dog traffic better than a solid hardwood floor and they affirmed it would.  It has not! Furthermore, my wife and I are both animal scientists and take great effort to maintain the health and well being of the animals in our care including nail maintenance.  We will gladly send pictures of the dog nail length to whomever wants to see them.  If the dog nails where in fact the issue, the area at the foot of our bed would be worn the most since the dogs would be jumping off the bed from a raised height directly onto the floor.  Fortunately, that area of the floor is showing no wear.  We will certainly allow the flooring company to photograph that area as well as demonstrate having the dogs jump on and off the bed in that area. 

  Specific to floor care, we use BONA to clean the floor.  That is what the supplier told us to use for the floor care product.  If that is not the correct floor care product, their distributors are giving out inaccurate information to their customers.

  We do invite LV ********************** to come back in and take additional pictures of the multiple areas the floor as failed and not just the specific area noted in their response. We would also invite them to see the dogs first hand as they are actually medium sized dogs and not large dogs as they claim in their response.  They can even give the dogs treats as the wonder through the home to see them in action. 

  If there is a method of repairing the floor, we are very open to that but we do not accept the response that this is a dog issue and not a flooring issue.  A well designed engineered floor should handle the traffic of a household that has dogs without exception.

  We are not seeking to have the whole flooring replaced.  Just the area of delamination repaired.  If, after doing so, it is recommended a flooring sealer be applied to prevent this from happening again, we would looking into that as it is our intent to stay in the home for a long time as well as continuing to enjoy the company of our dogs.

  We do recommend that this product not be marketed to dog owners as well going forward, as noted in our original complaint we were told this would hold up to dog traffic and shared multiple pictures of our dogs to the distributor that told us to use this product and part of the home build.  It is not as though this was an afterthought to us as we had the same sized dogs in our previous home with solid hardwood floors for 11-years and that flooring held up without exception.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

  

  Business response

  09/09/2024

  We will arrange to have an independent N.W.F.A. (**********************************) Certified Wood Flooring Inspector inspect the flooring. They will contact the homeowner to schedule the inspection.

  Customer response

  09/10/2024

   
  Complaint: 22005766
  
  Thank you for allowing the independent contractor to come on site. That is acceptable to us.  Please call my cell at ************ or my wife at ************ to do so.  They will have to leave a voice mail, and we will call them back. 

  We would like to keep this compliant open pending response of the independent contractor, but it appears the only option is to accept or reject the response.  So, out of an abundance of caution, we reject the response but appreciate that the vendor is moving this to the next step.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******* ******

• Initial Complaint

  11/03/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I had Acacia Hardwood Flooring installed in almost every room in my house. It was installed beginning on Oct 31, 2022. On August 16, 2023 I reported to the company that installed the hardwood that I was seeing numerous planks that were splintering down the middle and in all areas throughout the house ( at least 20 planks). The installers came out and took a look and said they have never seen anything like this. There is a 50 ************ Warranty and in the box the paperwork states floor care and product. It says It must be maintained at 35-55% humidity. I have kept my house at 55% humidity since the time I had it installed. I showed proof of this to the installers. LW Mountain hired the inspector who stated he works for them and he gave details that were not all correct as I believe they did not want to take responsibility for or to be liable to fix this issue of course as it is expensive. They gave a date of 9/18/23 it was reported 8/16. I showed the inspector the text. Inspector did not show up until 10/10. They said their meter showed the wood was 71 to 58 degrees depending on the room he tested. We have a humidifier. He took pic and measurements of most of the fractures and cracks and all due to moisture content for which they take no responsibility for environmental conditions that cause excessive expansion and contraction. I set my temperature to 69 in winter and 73 in summer, humidity stays at 55%. Warranty states it does not cover indentation, scratches or damages due to negligence. exposure to Extreme heat, dryness, water saturation, accidents, abuse, misuse indentation from stiletto heels, stains as a result of chemical or industrial products, improper installation and maintenance, insufficient protection or improper alterations of the original manufactured product. This is ridiculous that they are putting the blame on us. Does the company have temperature controlled storage or temp control trucks for delivery? Make sure the receiver has temp control?

  

  Business response

  11/09/2023

  The person who inspected the flooring does not work for our company. He is a Certified Independent Inspector. He happens to be be one of the most experienced and respected inspectors in the ********, ********* region. He uses state of the art measuring devises. His report stated that the cause of the flooring issues was due to the environment of the home. 

  Customer response

  11/09/2023

   
  Complaint: 20822114
  
  I am rejecting this response because: There are several statements in the response that were incorrectly stated by *************. I reported the flooring issues in August 9 months after installation not one year. The inspector made the appt to come out to inspect on 10/10 2 months after I made the complaint. I took a picture of the humidity that my thermostat stated was at 55% humidity on the day I made the complaint and sent this to the installer. I also had it showing as 55% humidity on my thermostat the day the inspector came out. The installer was there in the home also at the same day as the inspector and he can verify this. The inspector showed a reading of 58% on one of the readings from a meter that was placed on the floor in one of the rooms, but my thermostat keeps the humidity at 55%.  Just as the room temp will go up or down a degree before the heat or air kicks on to regulate the house so will the humidity at any given time during the day fluctuate to a small degree until it sets to the temp and humidity that is set on thermostat. This is normal for every household. The cracks and splits in the flooring are not caused by the 1-2 points of difference while the thermostat regulates control. This is just a ridiculous reason for not following the warranty they profess to abide by. I do not know one household with hardwood floors that the owner places meters on the floor to check the humidity in the home it is always regulated by the home's thermostat and mine is set at 55% all the time and that is exactly what showed on the day reported and on the day the inspector was there. It is the normal air humidity in the home. This report is paid for by the company so they are found not at fault. If you look at the other reviews lo and behold they are facing the same thing. The company absolves it self from taking responsibility even tho they have a 50 year limited warranty. The humidity was 55 % according to my thermostat and that is in line with the warranty. The installer also thought that the wood may not have been seasoned correctly and that is why the wood was sapping causing the splints. 
  
  Sincerely, *************************
  
  *************************

  

  Business response

  11/30/2023

  L.W. Mountain, Inc. and our retailer have agreed to a solution that will correct the issues. The homeowner has accepted.

  Customer response

  12/01/2023

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *************************

• Initial Complaint

  03/28/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had a new home built in mid 2020 with the hardwood flooring installed late 2020, didn't think much about some of the issues as it was a new floor and knew hardwood needed to go through a cooling and heating cycle. Late 2022 I noticed some issues with the hardwood (large gaps, planks splitting, uneven widths of the planks.) I originally emailed LW Mountain with no response from them, I then called stating my concern. They told me I needed to call where I got the flooring to make the claim. I submitted some photos to the location where I bought the flooring in regards to large gaps, nickel wide/bigger, plus showing the floors milling was not even. The claim sat with no word, I then reach out to LW mountain direct again for an update, they pushed me on to a guy named *** who never once answered my emails. I was then told I don't have a claim. No one even stepped foot in my house to look at the flooring. I had two independent flooring companies tell me it was material quality, not installation. This company does not stand behind their warranties and sell an inferior product. I have a two year old floor with multiple issues, costing over $7sqft, and this company can't even send someone out to look. They seem to know their HOBO quality flooring is not correct for the price point they are selling to other companies and are making the homeowners suffer as a result.

  

  Business response

  04/21/2023

  Good morning,

   

  I apologize for my delayed response. I have been away from the office recently with limited access to a computer.

   

  ********************* flooring was purchased through a home improvement store named Schillings. Schillings is our customer. In the wholesale flooring industry, it is customary for consumer claims to be submitted to the retailer who then submits them to us. After I received Mr. **************;first email, I forwarded it to Schillings because I had never received anything from them. They informed me that they were aware but had determined that the issue was site related and that they would be informing the contractor to inform the homeowner. That was the end.

   

  Wood science dictates that if the floor was installed in Mid 2020 and the issue occurred in late 2022, the issue is site related. A common issue in the Midwest is lack of sufficient humidity in the winter months. 

  Customer response

  04/24/2023

   
  Complaint: 19863090
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This is an incorrect statement. Based on the attached email. ***, from LW Mountain, was made aware of the issue on 2/20. Toms response was it was related to the weather and not having a home humidifier. If LW Mountain would have come out to my home, they would have known I have an April **** 700 series whole house humidor with external thermo sensor. The home stayed between 40-45% all winter long unless temps dropped below zero. The system was installed in March of 2021, we moved into the home Feb 20th 2021. Again, this is an error by LW Mountain. I had flooring companies come out and verify the humidity in the home back in February 2023. The company stated the gaps are well beyond the standard wood dry out. The boards should not be cracking in the centers, and the planks uneven cuts are because of milling issues.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

  

  Business response

  05/01/2023

  First, I will correct your inaccurate statement. I was made aware of this issue on February 20, 2023 by ********************** email. ********** had never contacted me about before that date. I then forwarded ********************** email to them and began the discussion. Once again, I was informed that the builder and all involved believed it was site-related and that it why I had not been contacted. They then sent me the information and I agreed with their original conclusion.

  Now, you have given me the information that the humidifier was not installed until February 2021. The flooring was installed in October 2020. This means two things. One, the flooring could not have been properly acclimated before installation. Two, the flooring was subjected to uncontrolled conditions for an entire heating season.

  L.W. Mountain, Inc. Installation Guidelines state:

   Make sure the room environment is set at a normal living range 55 80 degrees and 35 55% humidity.  Normal living conditions should be achieved and maintained a minimum of fourteen days before flooring is brought into the living area for acclimation purposes. It should be maintained during and after the installation as well. Proper acclimation is not a measurement of time; it is a measurement of moisture levels. It requires taking moisture readings of the flooring and the subflooring. The flooring is acclimated and ready for installation when it has reached a moisture level consistent with the job site and normal living conditions. Using a moisture meter, test the subfloor and hardwood flooring for moisture content. Moisture content of the subfloor should be 6-12%depending on your area. When wood flooring is produced for the North American market, it has a moisture content of between 6-9%. For solid strip flooring (less than 3 wide), there should be no more than 4 percent moisture content difference between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials.For wide-width solid flooring (3 or wider), there should be no more than 2 percent difference in moisture content between properly acclimated wood flooring and subflooring materials.
              The customer is responsible for maintaining normal humidity conditions (35-55%)within the home throughout the year. L.W. Mountain, Inc. is not responsible for environmental conditions that cause excessive expansion and contraction. 

  The issue of the flooring is not manufacturing related.

   

  Customer response

  05/02/2023

   
  Complaint: 19863090
  
  I am rejecting this response because: Once again there is inaccurate information by LW Mountain. Per email that was attached to the last rejection it pointed to Schillings sending LW Mountain, ***, an email with photos. *** then said it was a moisture issue and someone at Schillings agreed. Everyone involved in the flooring process did not respond. If anyone responded it was *** stating moisture issue, Schillings passing it through, and the builder will never take responsibility. I had the installer of flooring out to my house before starting the claim to see if this was a moisture regulating issue. The gaps in the floor are not all same sized, or spaced, the milling of the planks is also inconsistent.The flooring company also has the humidity test results from when the flooring was installed and the moisture fell within the range it needed to install. 

  Any customer focused business would have sent a representative on the first complaint on this site to look at the issue based on the fact that they did receive a notice from Schillings, and they dismissed as moisture. the issue was also never just about gapping. The wood is literally cracking in the middle of the boards, pieces are flaking off. Not having a humidifier for 4 months out of now 28 months of the flooring being install with a humidifier and having these issues happen is unacceptable. Also the fact its been 2.5 months since the original claim, yet still no one has made an effort to physically come out and look at all the areas in question shows any type of warranty for the consumer is a sham. Over $16k in material, not including install, and this floor looks no different than a something LW Mountain used to sell at HOBO for $2.

  Sincerely,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  09/26/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I scheduled a consultation with ************** from Empire Today because I was interested in having new flooring installed. Mr. ***** assured me that the material I selected was life-proof, which was important to me because I have children and dogs. I had the flooring installed and after awhile I noticed that the flooring on the steps was becoming discolored and had started peeling. I contacted Mr. ***** and he directed me to the warranty department. When I called the warranty department, they told me that it was a manufacturing defect and that I needed to call the company directly. I called **** Mountain and was informed by them that I needed to go the Empire and that Empire would send the necessary paperwork to them directly. I went back to Empire and after several months, they finally sent someone to access my flooring. The person told me that they had never seen anything like this before and that it had to be defective. He took pictures of the issues and said that he had to go back and write up a report to send to **** Mountain and that I would hear back from Empire once all of that was done.I received word from Empire that LW Mountain rejected my claim stating that the damage appears to be site related which is untrue. I followed all instructions on proper care of floor. If that was the case, then all of my flooring would be damaged and not just my steps. I feel that LW Mountain sold faulty flooring and now will not honor their warranty for the flooring.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩