07/03/2024
Flooring Cost
Why should you pay more for flooring, not less.
As a lifelong carpet installer, I have had the pleasure of seeing the inside secrets and dark side of the industry firsthand.
Most times, when you call a professional for carpet installation, your first call may be to a store that will handle the sale of carpet, pad, and labor.
Another route may be to contact a designer.
If you have other work in your home happening, you may be working with a general contractor.
In all 3 of these scenarios, there are pitfalls to watch out for.
There is a lot to cover when talk about this topic, so from today we are going to focus on scenario #1.
Scenario #1.
You call a store.
They are going to run right out and get the measurements of the areas you need work done in. They will sell you some carpet and pad, and depending on your sales person may or may not ever really understand what your real needs are.
Is this a long-term installation?
Do you have pets or children?
How do you plan to care for your new carpet?
Have you ever had carpet installed in your home in the past?
What was that experience like?
The list of questions to really understand and connect with you go on and on.
The sales person, in most cases, doesn't really care much about your project after that point.
They are going to schedule your job with an installation team that you have never met, and now you must let these strangers into your home to begin moving your precious furniture and tearing up your carpet.
Are they people you would ordinarily do business with? Would you want them around your children? Are you ok with them being in places like your closet, or your bathroom, moving things like your nightstand around? Are you able to communicate with them?
Do they really care about your project?
Are they going to move your furniture with care of the furniture and your home?
Chances are, sadly, no.
In most cases, they need to be out of your house today so they can be on to the next one tomorrow. Installation teams who work for "shops" do not get paid very well for this major home improvement they are doing.
They dont care at all about some very important things. The number one thing outside of caring for your home is the installation of tackstrip.
Tackstrip is the most important yet most overlooked aspect of a stretch over pad job.
If it's the only thing holding your material to the floor, it must be installed properly.
The reason you see buckles in carpet is not due to wear and tear. It's due to poor installation of the tackstrip.
I have heard installers in the past say " I don't even look at the tackstrip unless it's screaming at me "
If you hire the right installation team, you will have a carpet that lasts and can be cleaned for years, and you never have an issue.
If you hire the wrong installation team, you can very possibly have problems with the carpet for the lifetime of the material.
Don't gamble with your material investment. Try not to look at the right now cost versus the long-term value of your investment.
Peace of mind starts with what you stand on, so let's become friends through flooring.
At Garrison Flooring Solutions, you get to deal with me, your sales people, and the installer who is going to stand behind the installation for the lifetime of the material.
In most cases, with a store, the sales person and store made the majority of the sale, and the installers get a small fraction of what you paid. They are working on a volume scheme, and no matter how much they care, they must be out of yours today to be on another one tomorrow because the industry has
been under paid for decades.
Maybe from the very beginning. Which came first low quality of work or low pay, low pay or poor quality of the work?
They guys who come out to your home in a store scenario are, on average, getting $7.00 to $10.00 per yard.
As a small business owner for all of my licensing fees, insurance, workers compensation, supplies and enough to make a profit to stay in business to stand behind the work in your home for the lifetime of the material I need to be at
$ 31.50 per yard, which still is not always enough.
5 questions you should ask every installer you may hire is...
#1 How are they going to stretch your carpet in?
A stretcher with poles is the proper way. Not a spike or just a kicker.
#2 How much are they going to stretch your carpet?
1 to 1 1/2 percent is the proper installation guidelines per CRI 105 installation manual.
#3 How are they going to cut your seams?
In most cases, running a row and cutting them with a row cutter is the proper way.
In some carpets, a straight edge is the best approach, but this should be talked about and explained by the installer.
#4 How are they going to seal your seams?
Acrylic or latex based sealers are great.
Hot melt seam sealers are best except for high-end wool installations. Latex for wool.
#5 Is there a place where you can see the proper industry standards for installation?
If they draw a blank, that's not a good sign. They should refer you to the CRI 105 installation guidelines at Carpet- Rug. Org
Whatever you do in your carpet installation project, make sure to hire someone who cares and takes your project seriously.
I have seen some real horror stories in my 30-year career.
Check out my attached video of the Darkside of the industry video here.
https://youtu.be/xqZkvH3H5lk?si=_10NfrUm6t0MCUXN
