Is noisy chipboard normal?
I recently had a long conversation with a new client. He had moved into a stunning property just six months ago. However, the honeymoon period was quickly over because the floors were already making a racket. Consequently, one of the first things he asked me was: Is squeaky chipboard normal?
To put it mildly, the noise in the home was horrendous. Furthermore, since the house was virtually brand new, the owners assumed they were covered. Most new builds come with a guarantee backed by the NHBC. This usually covers structural failures. As a result, my client naturally thought his noisy floors would be fixed under this warranty.
The builder’s excuse
Unfortunately, it isn’t always that simple. In fact, there is often disagreement about what officially counts as a failure. For instance, we have heard from past clients that inspectors often dismiss the issue. Shockingly, they explain away the noise as simply ‘aesthetics’ or, unbelievably, ‘character.’
In this specific case, the builders visited the property themselves. Their explanation was that the issue is ‘normal.’ Although it sounds like a cop-out, let’s look at the dictionary definition. Normal means ‘conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.’
From that point of view, perhaps they are right. Is squeaky chipboard normal? Sadly, in modern UK construction, it is very common. Therefore, it is ‘typical.’ However, that doesn’t mean you should have to be happy about it.
Normal vs. acceptable
I think the real question we should be asking is different. The title of this article should probably be: Is noisy chipboard acceptable?
First, we need to clarify what we mean by noise. We aren’t talking about the odd tiny creak here and there. On the contrary, we are talking about chronic noise. This is the kind of sound that wakes the baby or annoys you every single time you walk across the room. Ultimately, it is a disruption to your day-to-day life.
So, is that acceptable in a brand new property? No, it certainly isn’t. You have paid for a quality product. Therefore, you shouldn’t have to put up with ‘character’ that sounds like a haunted house.
We can fix it
You don’t have to accept this low standard. There is help available. We have spent years fine-tuning our solution to this exact problem. We don’t just patch it up; we fix it properly.
Our system is designed to remove the noise for good. You can have the silent, solid floors you expected when you bought your home.
To request your free online quote to permanently remove the noise, contact us using the button below.