Section 01 91 23.73: Interior Finishes Commissioning – Flooring

Flooring Commissioning belongs in Division 01, General Requirements, as Section 01 91 23.73, Interior Finishes Commissioning – Flooring. It is an Owner requirement, coordinated with the Division 09 flooring sections.

Download Section 01 91 23.73 (editable Word file)

What the section contains

Part 1 – General

• 1.1 Summary. Flooring Commissioning as an Owner-provided third-party independent quality verification process; work not included (no testing, inspection, approval, direction, or stop-work authority).
• 1.2 References. Defined terms: Flooring Commissioning Authority, Requirements Alignment, Continuous Monitoring, Hold Point, Notice of Verified Readiness. Reference standards: ASHRAE Guideline 0; ACI 302.2R; ASTM F710, F1869, F2170, F2659; ICRI 310.2R.
• 1.3 Submittals. Commissioning Plan (eight required elements), Cx Progress Reports, Final Cx Report at Substantial Completion.
• 1.4 Administrative Requirements. Coordination, sensor protection, preinstallation meetings, sequencing of activities, and 7-day notice before material delivery, substrate testing, and start of installation.
• 1.5 Quality Assurance. Flooring CxA independence and personnel qualifications; basis of verification; sampling per ASHRAE Guideline 0.

Part 2 – Products

Not used.

Part 3 – Execution

• 3.1 Requirements Alignment. Prior to installation of each flooring type, the Flooring CxA confirms the Contract Documents, the approved flooring submittals, and the manufacturer's instructions agree, and reports each item not in agreement in writing to the Owner, Architect, and Contractor.
• 3.2 Continuous Monitoring. The Flooring CxA furnishes, installs, operates, and monitors sensors that record ambient air temperature and relative humidity, beginning not later than delivery of flooring materials and continuing through Substantial Completion, with remote access to current data for the Owner, Architect, Contractor, and flooring contractor. Sensors do not rely on building power or internet.
• 3.3 Preinstallation Verification. The Flooring CxA observes select substrate testing performed by others, verifies and documents test method, location, instrument calibration, and results, reviews submitted test reports, and verifies substrate condition and material acclimation.
• 3.4 Notice of Verified Readiness. Flooring installation, including moisture mitigation, primer, patching, and leveling compound, does not begin in an area and flooring type until the Flooring CxA issues the Notice of Verified Readiness. Where conditions comply, the notice is issued within 1 business day. Issuance releases the Hold Point.
• 3.5 Installation Verification. The Flooring CxA observes and documents ambient air temperature, relative humidity, and substrate surface temperature during installation; adhesive application, including open time, working time, and coverage; installation procedures; and protection of installed flooring from traffic and rolling loads until the manufacturer's cure time has elapsed.
• 3.6 Field Quality Control. When observed work does not comply, the Flooring CxA records the deviation in the Issues Log, notifies the Owner, Contractor, and Architect, tracks correction, and reports any issue not corrected by its expected date and any issue sampling indicates is systemic. Where a systemic issue is identified, the Contractor rechecks all affected work and corrects deficiencies at no cost to the Owner.

Flooring CxA qualifications (1.5.A)

Independence and personnel qualification requirements are listed on the Providers page.

Defined terms (1.2.A)

Flooring Commissioning Authority (Flooring CxA)

Qualified firm engaged by Owner to verify flooring installation compliance through observation and documentation.

Requirements Alignment

Reconciles the Contract Documents, the approved flooring submittals, and the manufacturer's instructions for each flooring type prior to installation, reporting items not in agreement to the Owner, Architect, and Contractor.

Continuous Monitoring

Unattended, automated recording of ambient air conditions at fixed intervals established in the Commissioning Plan, maintained without interruption throughout the monitoring period. Manual or spot readings do not constitute Continuous Monitoring.

Hold Point

A point when the Work is not to proceed until Flooring CxA verification is documented and the Notice of Verified Readiness is issued.

Notice of Verified Readiness

Written notice issued by Flooring CxA documenting that preinstallation verification is complete for a designated area and flooring type, with verified compliance of substrate testing, substrate condition, and material acclimation to the Contract Documents, approved submittals, and manufacturer's instructions. The notice does not constitute approval or acceptance of the Work.

Reference standards (1.2.B)

• ASHRAE Guideline 0, The Commissioning Process
• ACI 302.2R, Guide for Concrete Slabs that Receive Moisture-Sensitive Flooring Materials
• ASTM F710, Preparing Concrete Floors to Receive Resilient Flooring
• ASTM F1869, Measuring Moisture Vapor Emission Rate of Concrete Subfloor
• ASTM F2170, Determining Relative Humidity in Concrete Floor Slabs Using in situ Probes
• ASTM F2659, Preliminary Evaluation of Comparative Moisture Condition of Floor Slabs Using a Non-Destructive Electronic Moisture Meter
• ICRI 310.2R, Selecting and Specifying Concrete Surface Preparation

Specification guidance

• Identify Flooring Commissioning as an independent verification process.
• Define scope to include design review, substrate testing verification, environmental conditions, installation observation, and documentation.
• Require a Flooring Commissioning Plan.
• Require commissioning reports and records prior to Substantial Completion.
• Coordinate with the overall building commissioning process.