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ABOUT US

About
Floor Detective

FloorDetective.com is a comprehensive diagnostic tool designed to assist flooring retailers, inspectors, claims analysts, regional sales reps, interior designers, builders, and consumers, understand and more accurately identify complaints associated with flooring products.

30+ Years of Research
Independent Certified Professionals
Flooring Diagnostic & Claims Resources

One Platform. Complete
Flooring Resources.

This single tool is a resource for diagnosing issues, citing detailed information for claims, finding local inspectors, and more! The information provided in this application has been created by top industry leaders and contains over 30 years of research.

Diagnose Flooring Issues

Diagnose Flooring Issues

Resource for identifying and understanding flooring complaints.

Find Certified Inspectors

Find Certified Inspectors

Connect with independent certified flooring professionals.

Research & Claims Information

Research & Claims Information

Access detailed information and resources for flooring claims.

Find an Independent
Certified Flooring Inspector

Whether you are a Homeowner, Flooring dealer, Manufacturer, Claims Analyst, Attorney, General Contractor, Builder, or Installer, Floor Detective gives you complete access to a Master List of every Independent Certified Flooring Inspector throughout North America.

01

Enter Location

Type your city or ZIP code in the inspector search area.

02

Select Flooring Category

Select the flooring category that needs to be inspected.

03

Choose Search Radius

Select how many miles out you would like to search from that area.

04

Request Inspection

Choose an inspector and click the "Request Inspection" button on the inspector listing.

DEFECT CLAIMS LIBRARY

DEFECT CLAIMS LIBRARY

Floor Detective also has an extensive “Defect Claims Library” that provides extensive information and illustrations related to the most common flooring claims from all flooring categories including, Carpet Claims, Concrete Claims, Hardwood Claims, Laminate Claims, LVT Claims, and Tile Claims.

ACCESS DETAILED
CLAIMS INFORMATION

This Defect Claims Library is available to premium subscribers including Flooring Inspectors, Flooring Manufacturers, Flooring Dealers, and other Flooring Professionals, Simply click on the Membership tab on the homepage to join and gain access to this wealth of flooring claims information.

MANUFACTURERS CLAIMS
MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Floor Detective provides a comprehensive claims management software solution designed for flooring manufacturers and larger dealer networks to more accurately understand, evaluate and resolve flooring claims.

Search for qualified flooring inspectors by city or ZIP Code, review their credentials and experience, and then commission the inspector directly through the “Request Inspection” button on the inspector listing.

Commission Inspectors

COMMISSION INSPECTORS

Find and commission qualified flooring inspectors for your claims.

Request Quotes

REQUEST QUOTES

Request and compare quotes from qualified inspectors.

Manage Claims

MANAGE CLAIMS

Track, manage and resolve claims efficiently in one central system.

Inspection Report Writing Program

In 2021, Floor Detective launched a brand-new state-of-the-art Floor Covering Report Writing Program and Flooring Claims Industry Standards Library.

This program allows inspectors to write their inspection reports using one of seven inspection report forms that were created for various types of flooring including Carpet Inspections, Hardwood Inspections, LVT Inspections, Laminate Inspections, and Tile Inspections.

2021

State-of-the-Art
Report Writing Program

Subscribe Now
Inspection Report Writing Program Software
FD PHOTO APP

Document Every
Detail. With Confidence.

FD Photo helps flooring professionals capture, organize and annotate inspection photos in one simple workflow. Spend less time managing photos and more time focused on what matters.

Capture & organize photos

Easily capture job site photos and keep them organized by project.

Annotate findings visually

Highlight issues with professional annotations directly on your photos.

Create clearer inspection documentation

Communicate your findings with clear, visual evidence.

Photo Documentation • Annotations
FD Photo App - Document Every Detail. With Confidence.

KNOWLEDGE FROM THE INDUSTRY'S
LEADING EXPERTS.

Thank You to All Contributors

Our contributors are industry professionals who share their experience and insights to help set the standards for real-world flooring knowledge.

  • David Zack (Flooring Inspections of Arizona)
  • Roland A. Vierra (Flooring Forensics, Inc.)
  • Charles Peterson (Charles Peterson Signature Flooring)
  • Jessica Bruno (Heritage Carpet and Flooring)
  • Robert Bloechinger (Blochinger & Company)
  • Henri Carr (IFCII)
  • Andy McWilliams (Novalis Innovative Flooring)
  • Jason Cantin (MAPEI)
  • Scott Bohaker (BoMont Flooring)
  • Jason Ramsay (OC Flooring Inspections)
  • David Horan (David Horan Services)
  • Mike Harde (Harde Floorensics)
  • Fred Gamble (Advanced Flooring Systems (AFS))
  • Jeff Bishop (Clean Care Seminars)
  • Martin Brookes (Heritage Marble & Tile)
  • Carey Mitchell (CRMitchell Consultants, LLC)
  • Alan Buttenhoff (Shaw)
  • Roy Reichow (NWFC)
  • Chris Hix (Shaw)
  • Bruce Gentry (Mohawk)
  • Scott Bradley (Mohawk)
  • Dylen Gentry (Mohawk)
  • Gary Bittner (Mohawk)
  • Judy Floyd (Beaulieu)
  • Sim Crisler Specialty Flooring Solutions LLC
  • Neil Moss (Wood Floor Master)
  • David Craig (Floor Claim)
  • Mark Brown (Carpet Arts Inspection Service)
  • Robert Goldstein, Jim Smith (JBS Consultants Inc.)
  • Jon Namba (Namba Services Inc.)
  • Lew Migliore (LGM and Associates)
  • Steven Tolli (S/L Inspection Service)
  • Noah Chitty (Dir of Tech Services Crossville, Inc.)
  • The Academy of Textiles and Flooring.
  • Lee Philips (Professional Testing Labs)
  • Jim Burnett (J and J Invision)
  • Tim Chavey – (Armstrong)
  • Len Daubler (Evolutions Floors)
  • Don Zimmerman (Wellmade)
  • Dave Garden (Installation Services)
  • Gregory Mowat (Forensic Tile Consultants)
  • James G. Woelfel (Tile and Stone Consultants)
  • Billy Simmons (Itac International)
  • Andrew Fronczek (FloorWorks)
  • Robert Higgins (Concrete Consultant)
  • Jim Hernandez (Royalty)
  • Mike Sundell (Consultant)
  • Libby Longstreth (School of Surface Technology)
  • Evan Laurdisen (Lauridsen Consultancy Group)
  • Tim McAdoo (JJ Haines)
  • Will Stoner (Inspector Training Service (ITS))
  • Claudia Lezell (Inspections Too)
  • Robert Varden (CFI Executive Director)
  • Drew Kern (NWFA (Instructor))
  • Mike Sundell
  • Greg Hathaway (Technical Expert)
  • Joe Denman (FCITS)
  • Paul Pleshek (NAFCT)
  • P.J. Arthur (NFIC)
  • David Hunt (Vermont Custom Rug)
  • Fred Hueston (Stone Forensics)
  • Clayton Shull (Flooring Claims)
  • Scott Carothers (CTEF)

WORKING TOGETHER FOR A
STRONGER INDUSTRY.

We collaborate with leading manufacturers, organizations and industry partners to provide reliable information and support for flooring professionals.

Certified Inspector
IICRC
CompanyCam
Mohawk
FCICA
CRI

Client Testimonials

What Inspectors Say

Real feedback from certified flooring inspectors who use Floor Detective every day.

4.9 / 5 from 240+ certified inspectors
“

The floor Detective website is a great innovation for inspectors, retailers and manufacturers'claims managers. The information is well organized, simply stated and factual; it has been well-vetted with numerous experts.

The photo section enables non-technical people to identify a problem, determine its cause and decide whether testing is appropriate. The photo quality is excellent, and several examples of each condition are shown.

Carey Mitchell

Carey Mitchell

Inspector

“

Floor Detective allows all flooring professionals to gain insight or knowledge we may or may not have previously learned through training and experience. For dealers, even after decades in business, citing information from Floor Detective can help make claims issues easier to understand and also explain to the consumer. This can also help dealers do a better job of specifying flooring or assisting their customers before, during, or after a claim.

For inspectors, there are a lot of knowledgeable minds that were used to put this tool together. Some from the manufacturing side, some from the laboratory side, some are inspectors or instructors, and some have years of vast knowledge or experience. No matter how long I have been inspecting, I find there is always something new to learn and we can find it on the Floor Detective site.

Steve Johnston

Steve Johnston

Flooring Inspector and Consultant

“

We use Floor Detective as a company to train our sales, operations, and installation staff about issues they may see on the job sites. We also use it to educate our customers about a problem they may be having. We've shown them examples of sidematch, cornrowing, snags, etc, so they understand what they are experiencing. It's such a valuable resource that Carpet One as a whole recommends it to their members. Try explaining pooling to your customer without something like this tool to back you up!

Elizabeth Johnson

Elizabeth Johnson

Johnson Carpet One Floor and Home

“

I just wanted to extend to you my thanks for your support and the content included on Floor Detective. The library is great and the report writing components are "best-of-breed". Money well spent/invested by 2B Floored Inspection Services!

Jim Foster

Jim Foster

Inspector - 2 B Floored

“

Floor Detective has executed a user-friendly report writing system and database and will take your inspection business to the next level of professionalism.

Floor Detective's website and report writing system have made working in the inspection industry so much easier. The system has saved me hours of valuable time searching the web for citable examples of industry standards, manufacturing defects, and plausible causations. These examples can then be incorporated into the appropriate verbiage to name and explain possible defects in my reports in a professional manner.

The professional appearance of the report looks great to my clients, and the format makes it easy to read. The ability to save common citations in your own frequently used or favorite verbiage into one place and reference them easily while writing a report is a game changer!

Chad Bookie

Chad Bookie

Inspector - Great Lakes Flooring Inspections

“

Thanks for making my life easier. The Floor Detective report system is easy to navigate, the reference to standards are available, and I love how quickly the photos download. The cover letter is attached to the beginning of the report, not separate, and the photo of the consumer's home makes the report look so much more professional. The time I spend in writing the report in your system is cut in half. I would recommend the Floor Detective report writing system to any flooring inspector!

Jeanne Sadler

Jeanne Sadler

Inspector - Square Yard Flooring Inspections

“

“David, this is absolutely wonderful. I am so proud of what you have done here. In my classes, we will definitely demo FloorDetective.com. I recently had a report to write regarding fiber degradation. As you know, fiber degradation is not something that we inspect very often. I went to Floor Detective and pulled up the photos and description for fiber degradation. Your description was great and very helpful when I worded my report. Great tool for any inspector. I can see FloorDetective.com quickly becoming the "go to" reference for the industry.”

Fred Gamble

Fred Gamble

Inspector

“

Regarding “The Ultimate Carpet Manufacturing, Inspection and Claims Manual”

Excellent resource! I am not aware of another comprehensive manual that addresses situations that face the inspection community so thoroughly. It is obvious that considerable time and effort have gone into the investigation and presentation of the majority of problems that are encountered in the flooring industry.

The manual addresses a wide assortment of concerns and is filled with an abundance of information to assist in the determination of each individual case. It is also a source that should be available for all flooring dealers, salespersons, flooring installers and manufacturing representatives to use as an educational “tool.”

I highly recommend “The Ultimate Carpet Manufacturing, Inspection and Claims Manual,” but don’t purchase it to place on the shelf. It is a valuable, educational resource to add to your knowledge of this business.

Jimmy Walker

Jimmy Walker

The American Floor Covering Institute

“

This is the best report-writing software I have ever used. I have also benefitted from just being on the site, with several inspections coming my way.

Dane Gregory

Dane Gregory

Certified Flooring Inspector

“

I just had the opportunity to use the FD App Photo yesterday, and I wanted to share my first-time experience.

To begin with, I love the GEO locator function. When I set up the project (which is incredibly simple), the tracker accurately identified the exact address. Project setup overall is quick and easy.

The photo feature works great—clear, bright images that download quickly, even on a slow connection. The editing tools allow for fast, professional photo adjustments, and the drawing feature adds an extra layer of clarity and professionalism to your reports.Once you're back at the office and ready to complete your report, you simply go to your photo projects, select the project, and click the FD Photo button to instantly download all images to your report or desktop.Quick. Simple. And best of all—a huge time saver.
I believe I cut at least 45 minutes off my report-writing process.

Thanks again for delivering a tool that truly supports the flooring inspector community—making our jobs easier, faster, and more professional!

Jim Catan

Jim Catan

Inspector

🛡️ Floor Detective Trusted Dealer Network

CODE OF CONDUCT & PARTICIPATION STANDARDS

CODE OF CONDUCT & PARTICIPATION STANDARDS

The Floor Detective Trusted Dealer designation identifies flooring dealers who have committed to ethical business practices, professional installation, recognized industry standards, and exceptional customer care. Participation in the Floor Detective Trusted Dealer Network is a privilege and not an entitlement. Dealers must meet the Network\\\'s qualification requirements and agree to maintain the following standards as a condition of participation.
  1. Customer-First Commitment: Trusted Dealers agree to treat customers honestly, fairly, respectfully, and professionally throughout the entire relationship—from the initial sale through installation and any subsequent warranty or claim issue. Trusted Dealers shall: communicate honestly regarding products, pricing, warranties, installation requirements, expected performance, and product limitations; avoid deceptive, misleading, high-pressure, or unethical sales practices; provide clear documentation regarding the products and services being purchased; maintain reasonable communication before, during, and after installation; treat customer concerns seriously and respectfully, even when the dealer believes a complaint may not be justified; and make a good-faith effort to resolve legitimate customer concerns.
  2. Licensing, Insurance & Business Requirements: Trusted Dealers must: maintain all business and contractor licenses required in jurisdictions where they operate; maintain appropriate commercial general liability insurance; maintain workers\\\' compensation insurance where legally required; provide Floor Detective with current documentation upon request; and notify Floor Detective of any material lapse, cancellation, suspension, or loss of required licensing or insurance. Failure to maintain required credentials may result in suspension of the Trusted Dealer listing until corrected.
  3. Manufacturer Installation Requirements: Trusted Dealers agree that flooring products should be installed in accordance with the manufacturer\\\'s current published installation instructions and applicable warranty requirements. This includes applicable requirements involving: substrate preparation and flatness; moisture testing and mitigation; acclimation; environmental conditions; approved adhesives and underlayments; expansion space; installation methods; required transitions; temperature and relative humidity; and proper installation tools and procedures. Dealers should ensure that employees, installers, and subcontractors performing work on their behalf have access to the applicable manufacturer\\\'s installation requirements.
  4. Recognized Industry Standards: Trusted Dealers agree to follow recognized flooring-industry standards and accepted installation practices when applicable. Depending upon the flooring type and application, these may include standards and guidance published by CRI, NWFA, ANSI, TCNA, RFCI, and other recognized flooring-industry organizations. Where specific manufacturer requirements apply to a product, those requirements should be followed unless otherwise required by applicable law or regulation.
  5. Installer & Subcontractor Responsibility: Trusted Dealers remain responsible for appropriately servicing the work they sell or arrange for their customers, regardless of whether installation is performed by company employees or independent subcontractors. Using a subcontractor does not relieve the dealer of its responsibility to communicate with the customer and appropriately address installation-related complaints. Dealers should make reasonable efforts to utilize qualified installers familiar with the products and installation methods involved.
  6. Customer Documentation & Leftover Materials: Trusted Dealers should provide customers with appropriate product information and reasonable leftover flooring material following installation whenever material is available. Dealers should: leave a reasonable quantity of usable leftover flooring with the customer; for hard-surface flooring, approximately one unopened carton is recommended when available; for carpet installations, leave a reasonable usable remnant when sufficient material remains; encourage customers to retain leftover material for future repairs or claim evaluation; provide or make readily available the manufacturer\\\'s applicable warranty; provide the manufacturer\\\'s care and maintenance instructions; provide or make available the applicable manufacturer\\\'s installation instructions when reasonably available; provide or document product identification information when available, including manufacturer, product/style, color, lot/run information, and other information necessary to identify the installed flooring; encourage customers to retain invoices, product information, warranties, and leftover material; and not discard significant usable customer-owned leftover material without the customer\\\'s knowledge or authorization.
  7. Customer Complaint & Claims Response Standard: A Floor Detective Trusted Dealer is not expected to never experience a claim or customer complaint. Problems can occur even when responsible companies are involved. What distinguishes a Trusted Dealer is how the company responds when something goes wrong. When a customer reports a flooring or installation concern, the Trusted Dealer agrees to respond promptly and professionally. For initial customer contact, the dealer should contact the customer, or make a documented reasonable attempt to do so, within one business day after receiving the complaint. For on-site evaluation, the dealer should make reasonable efforts to inspect the reported condition within three business days, subject to customer availability, travel requirements, holidays, emergencies, or other reasonable circumstances; if an inspection cannot reasonably occur within that period, the customer should be informed of the anticipated schedule. For the dealer investigation, the dealer should document the complaint and reasonably evaluate available information concerning: the flooring product; installation; site conditions; customer concerns; applicable manufacturer requirements; and applicable warranty provisions. The dealer should not unnecessarily delay action while responsibility is being determined.
  8. Manufacturing or Product-Related Claims: If the dealer\\\'s investigation reasonably indicates that a manufacturing or product-related condition may be involved, the dealer should promptly initiate the appropriate claim process with the manufacturer or distributor. The dealer should assist the customer with the claim process when reasonably possible rather than simply directing the customer to contact the manufacturer. The dealer should maintain reasonable communication with the customer while the manufacturer\\\'s claim is being evaluated.
  9. Installation-Related Concerns: When available information reasonably indicates that the dealer or its installer may be responsible for the condition, the dealer should promptly communicate with the customer and make a good-faith effort to determine an appropriate corrective action. Trusted Dealers should not unnecessarily delay legitimate corrective work by attempting to shift responsibility to another party without reasonable support.
  10. Independent Flooring Inspections: When the cause or responsibility for a complaint cannot reasonably be determined, the dealer may request an independent flooring inspection. The inspector should be appropriately qualified for the flooring product and condition being evaluated and should be permitted to perform the inspection independently. Dealers shall not attempt to improperly influence, pressure, or retaliate against an independent inspector based upon inspection findings. Floor Detective inspectors remain independent and impartial regardless of whether a dealer involved in a claim participates in the Trusted Dealer Network.
  11. Ongoing Claims Communication: While a claim remains unresolved, the dealer should maintain reasonable communication with the customer. As a general guideline, the customer should receive a meaningful status update at least every seven calendar days unless another reasonable timeframe has been communicated. If the dealer is waiting for a manufacturer, distributor, installer, inspector, or another party to respond, the customer should be informed rather than left without communication.
  12. Warranty Responsibilities: Trusted Dealers agree to clearly communicate applicable dealer, installer, and manufacturer warranties and appropriately honor legitimate warranty obligations for which they are responsible. A manufacturer\\\'s denial of a product warranty claim does not automatically relieve a dealer of responsibility for conditions arising from the dealer\\\'s own workmanship or services.
  13. Professional & Ethical Conduct: Trusted Dealers shall not knowingly engage in: fraud or intentional misrepresentation; deceptive advertising; bait-and-switch sales practices; falsification of installation, moisture, inspection, licensing, insurance, or warranty documentation; abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or seriously unprofessional treatment of customers; knowingly concealing significant installation problems; improper manipulation of customer reviews; or misuse of the Floor Detective Trusted Dealer name, designation, or badge.
  14. Project & Installation Documentation: Trusted Dealers are encouraged to maintain reasonable documentation of flooring projects, particularly information that could become important if a claim develops. Documentation may include: before, during, and after installation photographs; product identification; moisture testing; substrate conditions and preparation; environmental conditions when applicable; installation procedures; lot/run information; installer information; customer communications; corrective work; and completed installation photographs.
  15. Job Completion & Customer Information: Trusted Dealers should make reasonable efforts to complete a final project review with the customer, including: installation completed; final walkthrough performed; leftover material provided; product information recorded; manufacturer warranty provided or made available; care and maintenance instructions provided; installation instructions provided or made available; customer questions answered; and completion photographs documented.
  16. Cooperation With Floor Detective: If Floor Detective receives a legitimate complaint involving a Trusted Dealer, the dealer agrees to cooperate with Floor Detective\\\'s review. The dealer should: respond promptly to Floor Detective inquiries; provide reasonably requested information; explain actions already taken regarding the complaint; and cooperate in good faith with the review process. A consumer complaint will not automatically establish wrongdoing. The dealer will be given an appropriate opportunity to provide its side of the matter.
  17. Quality Assurance & Enforcement: Floor Detective reserves the right to review complaints or conduct other reasonable quality-assurance activities involving Trusted Dealers. Depending upon the severity, frequency, and circumstances of a violation, actions may include: Notice; Corrective Action; Probation; Suspension; or Removal. Serious misconduct may warrant immediate suspension while the matter is reviewed. A pattern of ignoring customers, unreasonable claim delays, repeated workmanship concerns, dishonest conduct, loss of required credentials, or failure to cooperate with Floor Detective may result in removal from the Trusted Dealer Network.
  18. Use of the Trusted Dealer Designation: Only dealers currently approved and in good standing may represent themselves as Floor Detective Trusted Dealers or display the Trusted Dealer badge. The designation may not be transferred, sublicensed, or used by an unrelated company without authorization. If membership expires, is suspended, or is terminated, the dealer must discontinue use of the designation and badge as required by Floor Detective.
  19. Commitment to Continuous Improvement: Trusted Dealers are expected to support continued professional development and remain reasonably informed regarding flooring products, installation requirements, industry standards, and changes affecting the flooring industry. Participation in Floor Detective educational programs, technical resources, and future training opportunities will be encouraged.