Tried skipping the mockup phase on a big flooring job and it backfired hard

Last month I took on a 1,200 square foot living room install and thought I'd save time by skipping the cardboard mockup of the tricky corners. I figured I've done this a thousand times, I can just measure and cut on the fly. Well, I ended up wasting 3 extra hours recutting planks because I didn't account for a weird 2 inch offset near the fireplace. The homeowner saw me struggling and asked if I needed a tape measure, which was pretty embarrassing. What I learned is that even 15 minutes of planning upfront saves me from looking like an amateur. Has anyone else tried to cut corners on prep and regretted it?

2 comments

2 Comments

bennett.nora11d ago

That 2 inch offset sounds like it had a personal vendetta against your schedule.

richard_anderson11d ago

Taped a string line across the whole run and kept checking it with a 4 foot level every time I set a new row. Caught a couple spots before they got bad that way. Took longer but beat having to rip out a whole section later. You try using a straight edge as you go?