When the Last Guy’s Work Becomes Your Problem

Not long ago, I was called in to install laminate flooring in a client’s bathroom — but what started as a straightforward job turned into something a little more involved.

I want to be clear upfront: I don’t make a habit of criticizing other contractors’ work. I’m far from perfect myself, and I know how this trade goes. But sometimes you pull up a floor and the evidence speaks for itself.

How It Started

My client had originally hired someone to fix a squishy bathroom floor — a common issue when moisture gets into subfloor materials. That contractor came and went, but shortly after he finished, the floor started getting squishy again. On top of that, she wasn’t happy with how the laminate pattern lined up, and the floor didn’t feel level.

She called me.

What I Found

When I pulled the laminate and removed the toilet, things looked okay at first glance. But once I pulled the subfloor, the story changed.

The original subfloor had been a solid 1-1/4″ — a layer of 5/8″ particle board over 5/8″ plywood. The previous contractor had replaced a 4×4-foot section using two pieces of 1/2″ plywood stacked together — only 1″ total. To hide the height difference where his patch met the original floor, he’d cut 1/4″ shims and placed them along the seam to make it appear level.

It wasn’t. The corner near the wall had sunk 1/4″, making the entire floor unlevel.

The Toilet Situation

The toilet cutout was rough — not even close to round — and there were only two screws holding the subfloor down in that section. That 1/4″ unlevel floor, combined with a poorly cut and undersecured subfloor, was why the toilet rocked.

The Fix

I tore it out, did it right, and re-installed the laminate the way it should’ve been done from the start.

End result: a level floor, a solid toilet, and a very happy client with a bathroom she’s actually proud of.

Sometimes the job you’re hired for isn’t quite the job you show up to. That’s just part of the trade.