As the only NWFA certified wood flooring inspector in Bermuda and the Caribbean, Randy Stafford can now expect to be called upon even more to assess flooring problems and give his professional verdict where there are disputes about workmanship.

Mr. Stafford has for many years been regarded as the man to call upon for such services, now he has become the only National Wood Flooring Association wood flooring inspector in the region.

It wasn't so long ago that he was called in by the operators of the Atlantis Hotel in the Bahamas to solve a wood flooring problem. Usually, Mr. Stafford is to be found overseeing his own company Stafford Flooring, in Pembroke.

His new certification will only add to his reputation. To achieve the award he had to pass a course that included five written exams on various aspects of wooden floor installation, trouble-shooting and maintanance.

He could now be called upon as a qualified expert to give his opinion in disputes where a wood floor installation is at issue.

Mr. Stafford feels it is important to continue to learn within the industry about new techniques and standards.

Although qualified with an insurance degree, Mr. Stafford opted for the wood flooring business having grown up exposed to it through his grandfather who was a master-carpenter in Bermuda.

As a young lad Mr. Stafford would accompany his grandfather on jobs and learn some of the fundamentals about flooring. It was after his university course that he came back to Bermuda and decided to try to make a go at the wood flooring business. It was a decision that raised a few eyebrows amongst those who did not see much of a future in the trade, but it was a decision that has since been vindicated by the success he and his company have enjoyed.

He said: "Wood flooring adds value to a home. It is also good for preventing asthma - with dust and mould unable to hide."

The same can be said for tile flooring, but Mr. Stafford points out that wood flooring has a further advantage in Bermuda as it does not get as cold as tiles during the months of winter.

Over the year's wood flooring techniques in Bermuda have changed as new construction methods have emerged. It is now possible to lay a wooden floor on top of a concrete slab floor space, or on pre-laid tiles, without creating problems such as warping and cracking.

With his new designation as a NWFA certified wood floor inspector Mr. Stafford said: "It provides an opportunity for the design community and resident-owners, when they are looking at wood flooring, to call someone who understands the processes needed to make wood flooring work.

"For me it is an ongoing training process. With the construction and remodelling boom, I felt that the Wood Flooring Inspector Certification was a necessary qualification to have given today's sophisticated market.

"Just as a home owner needs a qualified home inspector, it is equally important to have a qualified wood flooring inspector evaluate the flooring in a home or office to ensure it is sound and meets industry standards."