Timber holds the promise of a beautiful, functional and long-lasting floor. Everyone involved hopes that the floors will go on to be problem-free following their completion, and perfect from the first day onwards.

Unfortunately, the beauty of a natural product also comes with both technical and maintenance requirements that are not always fully understood by tradespeople and consumers. This means that it is not uncommon that problems can arise from time to time.

The Wood Flooring Association’s (WFA) inspection service can assist by investigating possible causes of problems and provide advice on the required remediation.

This service is commonly used by insurance companies needing advice on remediating a floor after a flood, fire or other incident.

It can also be applied by flooring companies and contractors who have an issue with a floor and are uncertain of the cause and how to rectify the problem. Consumers can also call on this service from the WFA if they are dissatisfied with the floor and feel that the contractor is unable to address their concerns.

Floor reports are provided by highly experienced and qualified flooring professionals who are objective and reference the Australian standards, manufacturers’ instructions and other documented sources.

The reports are highly detailed and include photographs to illustrate each point, expressed in plain English (no jargon!).

Inspectors working through the WFA can also provide expert witness statements, suitable for VCAT and to appear at VCAT hearings if required.

“The WFA is very proud of its reporting service,” said President Peter Van Den Berghe.

“We believe that our team is highly professional and very well qualified to provide this expert evaluation.”

Although it is unusual for WFA members to require reports, one half price report each year is available as part of the membership package.

“We would encourage members to think about the reporting service prior to starting a job that may seem to be technically challenging or present exceptional circumstances,” said Peter.

“Often it is better to make a small investment before starting work than to be faced with major issues at the end of the job,” he explained. Any company or person requiring a report can find information at woodflooringassn.com.au or contact the WFA office.