Floor sanding company- not recommended

[on_the_hill]

Following the recommendations from the forum I contacted three companies mentioned here and decided to accept a quote from Alex @ Heron Floor Sanding.

I would not recommend them. He has just cancelled the job we arranged back in January at 1-week's notice, letting me know via email, that he is not interested anymore because "his patience is already tried, before the work has even started".

This email was his reply to a message I sent him on Friday where I asked in very polite terms for his opinion about filling the gaps in between the boards, as we've just learnt from our neighbours that they regret not having done that, as a lot of dirt gets in there and it is not easy to clean. I of course made it clear that if he suggested gap filling we will pay more for his extra time, and work around his diary to fit the extra work in.

To be honest I am still totally baffled by his rude answer, his email was very aggressive and he has let me in a very difficult position in terms of how we have timed all the other tradesmen working in our house.

I therefore cannot recommend Alex, purely based on his lack of professionalism when dealing with customers' questions and for failing to carry out work agreed several weeks in advance. Very disconcerting when companies behave like this.

[corinne R]

I have used Tom Buchanan of Toms Wood Floors three times 07815 807872. He does get very busy but he is nice and an expert. It may be worth giving him a try - he will tell you if your gaps need filling - he filled mine, without me even getting involved.

[gingertop]

I highly recommend Dan at Alpine flooring,

very polite, brilliant at his job a pleasure to have do the job.

[www.alpinewoodflooring.co.uk]

0208 301 2078

[Gerrard]

I would like to second gingertop's reccomendation - Dan at Alpine flooring did a fantastic job of our floorboards.

[on_the_hill]

Thank you everyone. Got in touch with Steve from Back to Wood. Very patient at discussing gap filling, whether doing everything in one go or not, etc. It makes a big diference when people listen and are ready to share their expertise without complaining of their patience being tried.

[EDOliver]

on_the_hill Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Following the recommendations from the forum I

> contacted three companies mentioned here and

> decided to accept a quote from Alex @ Heron Floor

> Sanding.

>

> I would not recommend them. He has just cancelled

> the job we arranged back in January at 1-week's

> notice, letting me know via email, that he is not

> interested anymore because "his patience is

> already tried, before the work has even started".

>

>

> This email was his reply to a message I sent him

> on Friday where I asked in very polite terms for

> his opinion about filling the gaps in between the

> boards, as we've just learnt from our neighbours

> that they regret not having done that, as a lot of

> dirt gets in there and it is not easy to clean. I

> of course made it clear that if he suggested gap

> filling we will pay more for his extra time, and

> work around his diary to fit the extra work in.

>

> To be honest I am still totally baffled by his

> rude answer, his email was very aggressive and he

> has let me in a very difficult position in terms

> of how we have timed all the other tradesmen

> working in our house.

>

> I therefore cannot recommend Alex, purely based on

> his lack of professionalism when dealing with

> customers' questions and for failing to carry out

> work agreed several weeks in advance. Very

> disconcerting when companies behave like this.

Having personally used Heron Floorsanding twice and know of at least three of my friends who have also used them I'm amazed by these comments. Alex and his team have always been brilliant and their workmanship is second to none. Why would anyone say they're "losing their patience" when no work has been done? Very strange.

[on_the_hill]

To EDOliver,

I'm glad you've had a good experience with Alex, I do agree with you that it was totally strange that Alex used those words even before he started. I can only asume he cannot cope with customers who are not sure about what they are doing and need some coaching and help when making the right decisions. I am always up for showing my ignorance and asking the experts for advice, i.e asking Heron floors to advice about filing gaps or not and whether they can accommodate extra work and charge for it. I cannot comment on the quality of their work as they cancelled at very short notice, can only say that they really upset the timing of the renovation project in my house.

Thankfully I found Steve Loftus and Nicola from Back to Wood - also here in the forum and can only second all the other reviews in the forum. He has just finished my living room, study and landing to excellent standards, it is just so beautiful. He and Nicola where very dedicated, trying to fix several damaged boards and very patient showing us different stains as we were finding it difficult to make our minds up. They totally understood our indecision and if they were ever feeling annoyed they did not show it! Also - there was no sign of dust at all in the evenings after they had finished. Totally recommended, both because of their customer service and their work. They will be doing the master bedroom and dinning room over the next couple of weeks and I'll carry on updating.