How To Buy Carpet and Flooring Wisely
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How to Buy Carpet
Choosing New Carpet Wisely in 2023? From selecting the right carpet and padding, to making sure your new carpet is installed correctly. This is the information homeowners need to know. Discover everything important about Carpet Styles, Carpet Fibers, Padding options, Carpet Cost and Carpet Installation fees and charges.
There are dozens of free articles posted here to help you make sense of it all, save time and learn how to avoid common retail scams and rip-offs. I also have posted common Q & A for you to explore.
I retired in 2007 after more than 30+ years in the carpet business, and I don't sell or install carpet anymore. My goal is to help homeowners make wise and informed choices and avoid common retail scams! Let me teach you the secrets to choosing new carpet like a pro!
Best Places to Buy New Carpet?
I highly recommend you buy from a locally-owned carpet and flooring store. I never recommend buying Carpet from big-box retailers like Home Depot or Lowe's. May I also suggest you avoid nationally advertised "shop-at-home" retailers like Costco and Empire Today. Read more about carpet scams and sales gimmicks.
If you are just looking around to get some ideas for a future project, start by taking my free Carpet Foot Traffic Test to help determine the Level of Foot-Traffic you have in your home. By answering just a few simple questions my free test will reveal whether you have Low, Medium, Moderate or Heavy Foot-Traffic. Knowing your traffic score will help save time by narrowing down your search for the perfect carpet.
Five Key Factors To Consider...
1. New Carpet Replacement Cost
Most homeowners experience some degree of sticker shock when they discover the true cost of carpet, padding and installation. Choosing the right materials and getting qualified installation is just one part of the overall costs involved.
There can be a number of additional fees and charges to ensure your new flooring is installed properly.
Unforeseen and unexpected installation costs you may encounter including:
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Removal of the old carpet & padding
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Dump fees
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Door trimming
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Moving furniture
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Custom thresholds
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Tack-less removal and replacement
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Custom stair work and upholstery
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Transition metals
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Floor leveling
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Dry-rot repair
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Repair Squeaky Floors
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Pet urine odor treatment
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Floor sealing
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Basement waterproofing
Some extra fees and charges can be avoided if you are willing and able to do some of the preliminary tasks yourself, such as moving your furniture or tearing out the old carpet and pad and hauling it away.
These are the most common extra costs you might encounter and can easily add up to hundreds extra when buying new flooring of any type. If you plan on replacing your carpet or flooring in a mobile home, you should expect to pay more for installation costs and floor preparation fees. How much does Carpet Installation Cost?
2. Unscrupulous Carpet Retailers Overcharge
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. 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. How to Measure for Carpet in 4 Simple Steps
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 depending on the cost for materials and labor.
How will you know if you have 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 a Room For Carpet - Room Yardage Chart
The Lowest Price is Not Always the Best Deal!
Sometimes you will get a bid or estimate from a source that makes you feel more comfortable, even if the price is a bit higher than the other bids you have received. It could be the salesperson that you like, or the options of the product involved.
You must consider all factors and buy from the carpet dealer that you feel most comfortable doing business with, regardless of the price. Buy the product that has all the options you want and need to meet your requirements.
My advice? Never settle for a lower grade of carpet than you require, regardless of the the cost. Spend more today to make sure you are satisfied with your purchase for years to come. If you need to wait a while to save up in order to buy the grade or quality you really want and need, then do.
3. Avoiding 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. Read about Common Consumer Carpet Buying Mistakes and pitfalls.
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.
#2 The Measuring Scam
They over-charge you for materials and labor.
#3 The Installation Scam
They offer free basic installation then add on extra fees later.
Read more about common retail Carpet Scams
Take your sweet time! Do some comparison shopping by visiting a few local carpet retailers. Take several carpet samples home with you and take them with you from store to store to compare side by side. Make retailers compete for your business. Consider shopping at one of my recommended carpet stores near you.
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. How to 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 pay them directly. You should be ready to make a few phone calls to check references and verify their Surety bond, State contactor's license, Business liability insurance and even verify their Workers' Compensation Insurance policy if they have helpers. 10 Questions for Independent Carpet Installer
This level of installer verification is unnecessary when you buy from a reputable carpet dealer and they provide installation using their own in-house installers as part of a package deal. I think this is the easiest and safest way to ensure you get qualified installation.
5. How to Choose the Right Grade of Carpet and Pad?
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 v. 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.
Six Important Keys 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. Where to find the Best Service and Price
5. Expert tips to Choosing the Right Carpet Pad
6. How much does Carpet Installation Cost
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! Read more about common Carpet Scams.
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.
Learn more:
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Choosing the Right Carpet Fiber
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Choosing the Right Carpet Style
