How To Buy Carpet and Flooring Wisely
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(Free Information by Consumer Advocate - No Flooring Sales)
How to Buy Carpet Wisely and Avoid Scams?
If
you're in the market for new carpeting but feel lost in a sea of confusion, the Carpet Professor is here to help you make wise and informed
choices so you can feel confident making your selection and satisfied with your new carpet
purchase from start to finish.
Notice: I don't sell or install carpet anymore. This website is for information purposes only. I retired in 2006 and now freely offer my 30+ years of carpet knowledge & experience to consumers. I do not receive any revenue or commissions from your carpet purchase. Support for my website is sustained through relevant ads for products & services I hope you find interesting.
Best Places to Buy New Carpet?
I always recommend buying from a reputable locally-owned carpet and flooring store. I never suggest buying Carpet from big-box retailers like Home Depot or Lowe's. I also suggest you avoid buying Carpet from any nationally advertised "shop-at-home" retailers like Costco and Empire Today. There are more advantages and less risk if you buy from a well-established, locally-owned carpet store.
1. New Carpet is more costly than you might think!
If you think the price of a dozen eggs is high... Most homeowners experience some degree of sticker shock when they discover the true "final cost" of buying new carpet, padding and installation. Choosing the right materials and getting qualified installation is just part of the overall costs involved. There can be quite a few additional fees and charges to ensure your new flooring is installed properly. There can be unforeseen and unexpected installation costs you may encounter including:
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Removal of the old carpet & pad, dump fees
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Subfloor repair or dry-rot issues
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Door trimming, baseboard adjustment or replacement
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Fixing squeaky floors and loose steps & stairs
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Installing transition metals or custom thresholds,
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Tack-less removal and replacement,
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Custom stair work and upholstery
Some of these extra fees can be avoided if you can do some of the preliminary work yourself, like removing all the old carpet and pad and hauling it away. These are just a few of the more common extra fees and charges you might encounter and can easily add up to hundreds or more when buying new flooring of any type. If you plan on replacing your carpet or flooring in a mobile home, you can expect to pay a bit more for installation costs and floor preparation fees. How much does Carpet Installation Cost?
2. Unscrupulous Carpet Retailers
There are literally dozens of retail carpet scams you need to watch out for. One of the more common scams is to over-measure your material needs. This is a scam when it is intentional. Some salespeople are not very good at measuring and might over-measure you due to a lack of experience. This is why it is wise to have your measurements verified. Getting at least 3 free bids/estimates is one way to try to verify your material needs.
Being over-measured means you will also be overcharged for padding and installation too since the total price you pay is based upon the total amount of material you require. Most homeowners don't know exactly how much material they actually need for their flooring project. For example: If you actually need 100 yards of Carpet for your home... A sly salesperson may say you need 110 yards of carpet. If you are over-measured by just 10 yards, you stand to overpay by $500 or more.
Have You Been Over-Measured? You should always get several estimates or bids from local retailers. This gives you the ability to compare estimates side by side to determine who you want to do business with, based on several factors. How to Measure for Carpet in 4 Simple Steps
3. Avoid Common Carpet Scams
Homeowners need to know what pitfalls to watch out for and how to avoid common carpet buying mistakes, sneaky sales tricks and common sales gimmicks. I will also show you how to recognize and avoid Common Scams and Rip-offs. It's very easy for unsuspecting homeowners to become a victim of a Carpet Scam. To avoid this, you need to be aware of these sneaky tricks and lies carpet sellers use to deceive you.
#1 The Carpet Fiber Scam
They tell you polyester is just as durable as nylon. About Carpet Fibers
#2 The Measuring Scam
They over-charge you for materials and labor. How to avoid Carpet Measuring Scams
#3 The Installation Scam
They offer free basic installation then add on more fees later. Carpet from Lowe's or HD?
Take Your Time! Do some comparison shopping by visiting a few local carpet retailers. Take several carpet samples home with you and also take them with you from store to store to compare. Choosing the right carpet for your home will be time consuming, and often be complicated and frustrating for you. Getting a fair & square price for your entire carpet job will require that you do some reading about carpet specifications and learn about the fibers they use to make carpets.
4. Get Qualified Carpet Installation
Carpet installed improperly can easily lose HALF of it's intended lifespan. You need to make sure your carpet is installed correctly. If you hire an independent carpet installer, you will need to check your carpet installer's references, make a few phone calls, verify your state contractor requirements. Verify their Surety Bond, State License, Business Liability Insurance and even verify their Workers' Compensation Insurance Policy.
If you buy from a reputable carpet dealer they will provide installation and use their own qualified installers to do the job. This is the best way to avoid carpet installation problems, and you don't have to verify all their information.
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How much does Carpet Installation Cost?
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How to get Qualified Carpet Installation?
5. Choose the Right Grade of Carpet and Padding.
The retail Carpet marketplace has changed so dramatically over the past 35 years that few homeowners today have a clue about how to select the proper grade of carpet for their home. Get it wrong and you stand to lose thousands.
My research reveals that about 74% of all homeowners end up choosing the wrong grade of carpet or padding to meet their needs and goals. I also find that about 84% of homeowners end up with a poor-quality installation job. Most homeowners don't spend enough money to buy the right grade of carpet and soon become unhappy with their Carpet Durability and Performance.
Carpet Longevity vs. Carpet Cost
How long do you want your new carpet to last? 5 years, 10 years, 20 years? Not all carpets are created equal so you need to learn how to choose the right carpet based on how well it is constructed. That means you need to learn all about Carpet Specifications and how to interpret them.
Don't make the costly mistake of buying new carpet and Padding until you learn how to select the right Grade of Carpet to meet your needs and goals. I highly recommend you start by taking my Carpet Foot Traffic Test to see what grade of carpet you need to buy. You want to choose a carpet and padding that is capable of tolerating your level of foot traffic for as many years as you desire.
Key to Getting a Great Carpet Deal!
1. Expert advice about Carpet Selection
2. How to get Accurate Measuring
3. How to get Qualified Carpet Installation
4. Current Carpet Cost and Special Deals
Most consumers get it wrong with at least one or more of these critical areas. The truth is, most consumers don't know What makes one carpet better than another? I receive plenty of emails from homeowners who have bought the wrong carpet and want me to help them try to make it right. Usually it's already too late. Don't become a victim of a scam!
Secrets to Buying New Carpet Wisely
You must choose the right Grade (quality) and style of carpet as is predetermined by your own specific Needs, Goals and Lifestyle. The only way to determine this effectively is to have a fundamental understanding of Carpet Specifications. This includes face-weight, pile height, tuft twist, fiber type and how they affect carpet durability and longevity. Other factors that you may want to consider are anti-static and anti-stain properties of the carpet in question. How Much Does New Carpet Cost?
Secrets To Your Carpet Success
Not only must you hire a qualified carpet installer, you must also choose the right grade of carpet and padding too. Just as important is making sure you buy from an honest and reputable carpet and flooring dealer. That's how to purchase new carpet like a pro! See who I recommend near you.
When it comes to shopping for carpet, it's important to be aware of the best and worst places to shop. You don't want to wander into any place that is known for using shady sales gimmicks. While many carpet retailers are honest and reputable, there are unfortunately some who use sneaky sales tactics and scams to take advantage of unsuspecting homeowners. Top 10 Best Places To Buy Carpet
Learn more:
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Choosing the Right Carpet Style
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About Carpet Measuring
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Choosing the Right Carpet Padding
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All About Carpet Specifications
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Definition of Free Basic Carpet Installation
