If
installed wrong, your new
carpet could lose half of its lifespan! Finding a qualified carpet
installer can be challenging. If you use a bad installer you will surely
regret it. Especially when you consider that some carpet installation jobs are
more difficult than others and require a more experienced installer.
For example, installing
expensive carpet in a custom home requires much more expertise than does
installing apartment-grade carpet in a rental unit. Of course everyone wants his
or her carpet to be installed correctly, and hiring an installer with minimum of
5 years experience is where I would draw the line with a simple installation
job. What Grade of Carpet Should I Select?
So, if you buy a more
expensive carpet or the job is difficult or tricky, than you should find an
installer with more experience. I personally believe that it takes at least 10
years before any flooring installer can truly begin to master their trade. And
that's only if they have the desire to become one of the best. Many installers
NEVER become anything more than a poor quality installer.
There is another
little-known factor that must be considered when looking for a good carpet
installer. The important question you need to ask is "What type of experience do
they have?" Here is what I mean:
Some carpet installers
charge more because they are more experienced. Some charge
less because they are used to doing production work. (apartments or new construction).
You need to decide what level of expertise your job requires and then hire an
installer according to his level of expertise and pay rate.
There are four basic
levels of experience with carpet installers.
Property Management. The
experience of this type of carpet installer is obtained from installing
lower grades of carpet in unoccupied apartments. They have limited
experience with installing carpet on stairs, and limited experience with
difficult or tricky installations. They generally use lower quality
installation products (glues, seam tape, tack-less strips, transition
metals) in order to save money. Property owners and managers often do not
thoroughly inspect the quality of work performed by installers doing
apartment work. Many have become carpet installers as a result of being
hired as a carpet layers helper and few are formally trained or have
completed an apprentice program. This is not to say that you should not hire
them, but you need to be aware that many may lack the experience to perform
all types of carpet installations. Installers who do apartment work are
generally paid the least amount per yard.
New home construction.
Installers with the bulk of their trade experience from new construction
will have increased knowledge of installing different types of stairs.
(carpet can be very difficult to install on some types of stairs) They will
have more experience with various styles and grades of carpet as well. They
always have to satisfy the builder and the new homeowners with their
performance, which make them pay closer attention to detail. Builders
usually pay less than the standard rate for this type of installer but there
is usually a greater volume of work available. All about Carpet
Comparison
Custom Homes and Residential
Remodels. By far, installers with experience derived from doing custom
homes or residential work have the widest degree of expertise. They are the
most qualified to perform the most difficult installation jobs using all
types and grades of carpet. Most of these installers have had some type of
formal training or were trained by someone who was a master craftsman. You
can expect to pay more to hire this type of carpet installer, but the
quality of work you receive will be well worth it.
Commercial carpet installation.
Installers that have experience in commercial applications are accustomed to
working with large quantities of materials and having a shorter amount of
time to get the job done. Many commercial jobs require working night and
weekends to keep the construction schedule on track. Installers with this
type of experience generally prefer this type of work and may be reluctant
to do residential carpet installations.
By determining the type of experience
that a carpet installer has, you can better determine their ability to handle
completing your carpet job properly and the range of prices they may charge for
their services. You can also lower you installation costs by hiring a less
experienced installer if you have a simple job that a less experienced installer
could easily perform.
I reveal additional important carpet
information and more about finding a qualified installer in my comprehensive
ebook. There is much more you need to know about hiring the right carpet
installer. And many simple ways to save a bunch of money. Download
My Money-Saving Carpet Buying Guide
Alan's Carpet Buying Advice is Featured
on HGTV.com
You might think that you
will learn enough by surfing the internet and adding up all
the information to make a smart carpet purchase, but there
is some valuable information in my ebook that is NOT
available anywhere on the internet that could surely help
you save hundreds, avoid scams and choose more wisely. I
guarantee it or your money back.
Alan's
Complete Carpet Buying Guide
By
Alan J. Fletcher
Learn
Everything
You Need to Know about Buying New Carpet!
