Elysium Interiors

8/20/2023 Update Elysium has told us not to call them anymore and only talk with their lawyer. So we are now having to prepare a Breach of Contract lawsuit. Since I posted the original critique, we have had two independent companies review the floor install work. Both assign 100% of the floor problems to installer error and 0% to site or manufacturer error and Elysium still won't take responsibility. Excerpts from the reports are below. Report #1 "We found that the wood flooring was installed without proper spacing from the wall. Most cases it was tight to the wall. We talked to the manufacturer and they said that the hickory flooring leaves the mill at 9% moisture. The wood is currently between 13 and 15%. The plywood below the hickory is 13 to 20%. The concrete is also above normal moisture content. Our conclusions Wood was not acclimated long enough inside the home before installation began. Concrete was not properly sealed. All they used was some black plastic. This is not sufficient and not to manufacturers requirements. Plywood was nailed to concrete instead of glued which would break the waterproofing barrier and is also not to spec. Our opinion is that since the concrete was not sealed and the floor was stained and varnished and the fact that the floor was not acclimated properly the moisture was trapped below the floor. Therefore the plywood and the hickory floor took on moisturizer and expanded. Since the floor was installed tight to the wall it could only go up creating the buckling in the finished floor. One other observance was that the installer did not use enough glue to attach floors. On wide plank solid hardwood you have to apply full cover glue. No bare spots. " Report #2 Conclusions Manufacturing Related Issues Observed: No manufacturing defciencies were observed Site Related Issues Observed: No site-related issues were observed Installation Related Issues Observed: 1) The Plywood subFoor is at a higher moisture level that NWFA recommendations. This can cause cupping in the installed plank. 2) Lack of expansion throughout the installation. From pictures provided by the consumer and contractor as well as easurements taken during the inspection show the recommended expansion was not kept causing the expansion of the floor to develop cupping. 3) Plank measurements show growth on both the first and second floor areas. The first floor grew an additional 1/4 inch most likely due to the moisture levels in the subfloor. 4) All concerns observed are installation related.