The review that made our weekend : Silvia’s marmoleum floor in Blackheath

Some reviews make you stop what you are doing and read them twice. Silvia’s was one of those.
She had chosen Forbo Marmoleum for her home, and what should have been an exciting
improvement became considerably more stressful when a leak was discovered while the works were
already underway. There were repairs to work through, questions to answer and preparation to get
right before the flooring could go down.
At the end of it, she wrote this about Hughie and the team:
“Their professionalism, care, and genuine kindness made such a stressful situation so
much easier for us.”
We are proud that she loves her floor. But that sentence means just as much to us as anything she
said about the finished result.
When the job becomes more complicated
Nobody starts a flooring project hoping for an unexpected leak. Your home is already disrupted.
Things have been moved, rooms are out of action, and you want to see everything coming together.
Finding another problem at that point is the last thing you need.
It is also when the way your contractor behaves matters most.
Silvia describes Hughie and the team being patient, responsive and supportive while the issue was
worked through. They returned several times to inspect the floor while repairs were being completed,
answered her questions and took care over the preparation before starting to lay the Marmoleum.
Her words were:
“They came back several times to carry out thorough inspections while the repairs were
being completed, and they took great care to make sure all the preparation work was
properly done before starting to lay the flooring.”
That is the part of a flooring job which rarely gets the attention of a beautiful finished photograph. The
return visits. The checks. The conversations. The decision to get the preparation right before moving
on.
It all matters.
What went into Silvia’s floor
Our job sheet from 21 September records priming and latex smoothing work through the lounge and
the cupboard under the stairs. The photographs show the room during preparation, including the
exposed surfaces and the application of the smoothing compound.

Cavendish deVere | Silvia’s Marmoleum floor 2
The later job sheet, dated 2 October, records Marmoleum fitting in the kitchen and cupboards. Its
photographs show the installation progressing, with the grey flooring bringing the space together
around the existing features of the room.
Those photographs tell an honest story of a project in progress. Some show tools, unfinished walls
and the wider refurbishment still underway. They show the work behind the result, rather than a room
dressed for a photoshoot.
Silvia had chosen a floor she wanted installed with experience and care. In her review she describes
the result as “absolutely stunning”, and specifically mentions the team’s attention to detail and care
around the house.
We could write pages about our approach. Having a customer notice those things and explain them in
her own words carries far more weight.
Get on with it, without adding to the stress
When something goes wrong in a customer’s home, they do not need a contractor making the
atmosphere worse. They need someone to explain the position clearly, work through what needs to
happen and help move the job towards a proper finish.
Our approach is straightforward: get on with the work, follow the procedures, stay professional and do
not burden the customer with moaning.
That does not mean pretending a problem is minor when it is not. We believe in honest advice,
without sugar-coating. If something needs attention before we can proceed, we should say so. If the
next stage has to wait, we should explain why. A reassuring answer is only useful if it is also true.
The aim is to take as much of the strain off the customer as we reasonably can. They should not have
to manage our frustrations as well as their own project.
Silvia’s review tells us that, on this job, the team achieved that. She felt supported through a difficult
situation, and she ended up with a floor she is thrilled with. That is exactly what we want our service to
deliver.
What a review like this does for the team
There is a very human side to this business. Behind the quotations, schedules and job sheets are
people working hard, solving problems and trying to do a good job in someone else’s home.
When a customer takes the time to recognise that effort, it gives everyone a lift.
This weekend, we are on a high. There is no need to dress that up. Reading Silvia’s review has made
us feel proud of Hughie and the whole team, and excited to get back to it next week.
It reminds us why the patience matters. Why another inspection can be worthwhile. Why answering a
worried customer’s question properly is part of the job. The customer notices, and those small acts of
care can make a difficult experience considerably easier.
A review like this is motivating because it confirms that the way we try to work has made a real
difference to someone.

Cavendish deVere | Silvia’s Marmoleum floor 3
The standard we keep working towards
You can find cheaper flooring companies. You can find faster flooring companies. Our aim is to
provide the best service we possibly can.
We do not always get everything right. No honest business can claim that. There are jobs we learn
from, things we could have communicated better and ways we can improve. The standard remains
the same: give clear advice, show care for the customer’s home, deal professionally with problems
and work towards the right result.
We want a customer to feel they have people on their side when a project becomes difficult. People
who will tell them the truth and then get on with helping to solve it.
The goal we all share is a beautiful floor they can enjoy for many years.
Imagining the room when everything is finished
Alongside the real project photographs, we have created three AI impressions of how the space could
look once the decorating is complete and the furniture is in: a comfortable sofa, warm lighting, an
attractive media wall and a room that feels like home.
These are aspirational illustrations based on the job photographs. They are not photographs of
Silvia’s completed interior, an agreed design or an exact representation of the flooring colour and
finish. They show the kind of welcoming space we hope the finished room will become.
The real story belongs to Silvia and the team who helped her through the work.
Silvia, thank you for trusting us, for your patience and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful
review. And Hughie and the whole team: thank you. This is the sort of feedback that makes the effort
worthwhile.
Roll on next week.
Cavendish deVere