Avila Wood Floor Consultants
Avila Wood Floor Consultants is a wood flooring consulting and inspection firm that specializes in commercial and residential projects. We have over 91 years of combined experience in the wood flooring industry and are experts in design, installation, and construction defects. We also offer expert witness services for wood flooring litigation disputes.
Our Services
- Design Consulting: We work with clients during the design-build process to ensure that their wood floor meets their needs and budget. We also review construction documents and specifications to make sure that the wood floor is properly designed.
- Specification Development: We work with clients to develop wood flooring specifications that meet their specific needs. We also review and approve wood flooring products and materials to ensure that they are of the highest quality.
- Project Management: We manage all aspects of wood flooring projects, from start to finish. This includes coordinating with contractors, suppliers, and clients to ensure that the project is completed on time and within budget.
- Quality Assurance Inspections: We conduct quality assurance inspections of wood flooring projects to ensure that they meet industry standards. We also provide recommendations for corrective action if necessary.
- Floor Failure Prevention: We work with clients to identify and prevent potential wood flooring problems. This includes providing recommendations for subfloor preparation, moisture control, and installation methods.
- New Project Scope Development: We work with clients to develop new project scopes for wood flooring projects. This includes identifying the project goals, budget, and timeline.
- Document Review: We review construction documents and specifications for wood flooring projects to make sure that they are accurate and complete. We also identify any potential problems with the documents.
- Failure Investigation: We investigate wood flooring failures to determine the cause of the problem. This includes collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and conducting laboratory testing.
- Materials Consulting: We provide advice on the selection of wood flooring products and materials. We also help clients to understand the properties of different wood flooring products.
- Nondestructive Testing: We use nondestructive testing methods to evaluate wood flooring without damaging the surface. This includes moisture testing, sound testing, and vibration testing.
- Lab Services: We use laboratory testing to evaluate wood flooring samples. This includes testing for moisture content, hardness, and dimensional stability.
- Species Identification: We identify the species of wood used in wood flooring projects. This is important for determining the properties of the wood and for making recommendations for maintenance and care.
- Repair or Rehabilitation: We repair or rehabilitate wood flooring that has been damaged. This includes sanding, refinishing, and replacing damaged boards.
- Concrete Moisture Testing: We measure the moisture content of concrete subfloors to ensure that they are dry enough for wood flooring installation.
- Calcium Chloride Vapor Emission Testing: We measure the level of calcium chloride vapor emission from concrete subfloors to ensure that it is not a risk to wood flooring.
Our Credentials
- Our inspectors are NWFA Certified Inspectors, which means they have met the highest standards of education and experience in wood flooring inspection.
- We have extensive experience in commercial and residential wood flooring projects.
- We have a team of experts with over 91 years of combined experience in the wood flooring industry.
- We are nationally recognized as an expert witness firm in wood flooring litigation disputes.
Contact Us
If you are looking for a wood flooring consulting or inspection firm with the experience and expertise to help you with your project, please contact Avila Wood Floor Consultants today. We would be happy to discuss your needs and provide you with a free consultation.
Many of the projects Avila Wood Floor Consultants completes whether it’s pre-construction consulting or inspections takes us to projects all over North America. Our clients expect the quality of their wood floor to perform as it was intended. The consulting projects involve meeting with clients during the design-build process and review of all the construction, wood flooring specifications, environmental and subfloor testing requirements.
Once the wood floor type is selected, we work closely with the installation team to ensure the best possible installation.
Inspections
When the flooring fails whether it’s for one reason or another we work closely with the insurance companies construction defect teams or law firms preparing for a construction defect case.
As a NWFA Certified Commercial Inspector, we complete a detailed forensic investigation to identify the causation of flooring failure.
Once the investigating is complete, we compile a comprehensive investigative report.
Listed below are many projects we have completed in the past.
1 wall Street
New York New York
Design Consulting
· Design Consulting
· Specification Development
· Project Management
(Quality Assurance Inspections)
· Floor Failure Prevention
· New Project Scope Development
Document Review
· Floor Manufacturer Specifications
· Finish Manufacturer Specifications
· Adhesive Manufacturer Specifications
· Construction Documents
· Design Documents
Failure Investigation
Materials Consulting
Nondestructive Testing
Lab Services
Species Identification
Repair or Rehabilitation
Repair or Rehabilitation
Concrete Moisture Testing
Calcium Chloride Vapor Emission Testing
· Quantitative, per ASTM F-1869-04
· Qualitative
· In-situ Concrete Relative Humidity Testing,
per ASTM F-2170-02
· Surface Alkalinity Testing
· Meter Survey
· Tramex™ Concrete Moisture Encounter
Inspections
National Wood Floor Consultants inspectors are NWFA Certified Inspectors, they also hold numerous other certifications and are seasoned professionals.
Having a wood floor problem is heartbreaking for anyone who just spent thousands of dollars on their new wood floor. Frustration rises when the involved parties (installer, retailer, general contractor, etc.) play dodgeball and pointing fingers at fault relating to your flooring concern. At this point, you may feel you have nowhere to turn to get help. Regardless who is the faulty party, it will be required to have your wood floor professionally inspected by an NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association) certified wood floor inspector. Before hiring just any inspector, we encourage you to look at their credentials, ask for their CV or look for their years of hands-on wood floor experience. Many inspectors have multiple floors covering certifications for inspections which makes them knowledgeable but do not have the years of experience dealing with your wood floor claim.
Feel free to download my Curriculum Vitae. You will see I have 21 years of experience dealing solely with wood floors and have hands-on experience in manufacturing, installation, sanding, and finishing as well as wood floor inspections. If you would like to have us inspect your wood floor, please contact us directly at 908-232-6600 or send an email to Joe@hugginsflooring.com The other option is to complete the online short form, and someone from our office will get back to you within 48 hours.
Thank you for the opportunity to inspect your wood floor.
Expert Witness
Education
Virginia Tech
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Wood Adhesion Course, July 2018
IICRC 2013-2014
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FCT Certification, Dec 2013
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WFMT Instructor, 2014
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WLFI Certification 2011
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Train the Trainer, Aug 2013
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ISSI Certification, June 2013
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Ardex Certification, June 2013
National Wood Flooring Association 2004-2018
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Certified Wood Floor Installer, Mar 2010 License #441210
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Certified Wood Floor Sand and Finish, Mar 2010 License #521710
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Certified Wood Floor Commercial Inspector, Nov 2009 License #701709CCI
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Certified Wood Floor Residential Inspector, May 2004 License #CP1250204
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Train the Trainer, Dec 2013
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2018
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2017
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2016
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2015
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2014
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2013
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2012
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2011
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2010
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2009
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National Wood Floor Association Educational Symposium, 2008
National Wood Flooring Technical School Seminars, 2001
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Wood Sales
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Professional Sanding and Finishing
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Installation, The Next Step
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Finishing, The Next Step
National Wood Flooring Association Training Seminar, 1995
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Advanced Custom Unfinished
Alexander Ramsey High School, 1972
HWFS is nationally recognized as an expert witness firm throughout the United States and Canada. Our leading expert is ranked one of the top 3 Certified Professionals in the National Wood Flooring Association, the wood floor industry’s governing organization.
The testifying expert’s role is to help make sense of technical or complex scientific matters and explain how these complexities fit into the case at hand. HWFA services include mediation, arbitration, and litigation consulting and testimony for wood flooring design, flooring construction specifications, insurance, and installation compliance claims. The |HWFS team of experts are highly experienced in all facets of wood flooring applications and work closely with attorneys, litigants, and courts to help resolve all types of wood flooring litigation disputes. As a consultant, we can assist the litigation team in developing its strategy by providing professional input on the core issues of the case that may not be apparent early in the litigation process. This may include assistance with identifying the proper wood flooring manufacturing material, installation procedures, sanding/finishing procedures, warranty coverage, forensic evidence gathering, quantification of damages, and preparation for depositions and discovery.
HWFS has extensive experience and expertise in performing wood floor evaluations and inspections including forensics, diagnostics, and investigations related to design, installation and construction defects. Our team brings over 91 combined years in the industry. This experience provides us with the technical insights required to identify the real causes and effects of wood floor failures properly. Knowing where to look can also be critical. The professionals at HWFS can help ensure that your construction claim covers all wood flooring defects—not just the obvious ones.
As expert witnesses, HWFS’s certified professional not only brings the depth of experience and qualifications needed – we also bring a great deal of focus and professionalism to the task at hand. As a testifying expert witness, we understand client needs and objectives and are prepared to help clients navigate the complexities of the flooring/construction litigation process.
Contact Joe to discuss how to retain HWFS as an Expert Witness.
Click to download to complete Curriculum Vitae here.
Instructional Videos
There are16 instructional videos from the National Wood Floor Consultants “How Wood Floors Respond to Their Environment” workshop. Roy Reichow explains how floor splitting, cracking, and the environment causes cupping it’s placed in. While engineered flooring typically is more dimensionally stable than solid, it is not infallible. The wood wear layer still expands and contracts with humidity and moisture content fluctuations. Such imbalances can potentially lead to problems such as face-checking/splitting, delamination, and end-gapping. And because the flooring was maintained in an environment outside of the manufacturer’s acceptable range, the failures won’t be covered under warranty.