Carpet Installation

Here are some things a good installer can provide you with:

1. Proof of liability insurance.
   An installer should be covered in the event that he/she damages your home or your new carpet. He/she should be able to provide you with a copy of their insurance policy.

2. Warranty of work.
   If your installer is good, he/she should be able to provide you with a written warranty of his/her work. A one-year warranty is standard and should cover such things as seaming problems and re-stretching (if needed). To be fair, there are a lot of good installers out there who will give you a verbal one-year warranty, but do not have a pre-written warranty. This is generally because they have never taken the time to put their warranty into writing. However, having it in writing is always preferable. If an installer does not have his warranty in writing, ask him or her to write it down for you. Some installers will be willing to do that.

3. References.
   A good installer can provide references of previous work he/she has done. It is a good idea to check them out.

1. The placement of seams (see more information below)
2. Responsibility for adjusting doors that will not swing freely over the new carpet.
3. Responsibility for moving furniture.
4. Removal and disposal of old carpet.
5. Any other concerns you may have about your particular situation.

A few things you should know about the sub floor (the floor the carpet will be laid on):

1. The sub floor should be clean
2. The sub floor (as well as the room and the carpet itself) should be at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit so the carpet will properly stretch into place.
3. In order to prevent damage to the carpet, large holes or cracks in the sub floor need to be filled before the carpet is laid.

1. Placing seams under the primary natural light source is good. The added light will help hide the seams.
2. Placing seams under furniture will help hide them.
3. As much as possible, seams should be out of main traffic patterns.
4. Seams should not be directly over pad seams unless they are running perpendicular.

1. The area where carpet is being installed should be ventialted to avoid the buildup of gasses emitted from your new carpet (see Carpet Allergies for more information).
2. The old carpet should be vacuumed prior to removal in order to minimize dust.
3. Today's carpet backings require a power stretcher to stretch the carpet into place. A good installer will use a power stretcher.
4. The piles (tufts of fiber) in your carpet have a direction. All adjacent carpet should be laid in the same direction.
5. The threshold between carpet and other types of flooring should be protected with a molding.

   Installation Costs: Carpet layers will generally have a minimum fee that will be charged if the job is too small. A minimum charge in the $75 to $100 range is reasonable.

   The price you can expect to pay for carpet installation is approximately $5 per square yard (this will vary somewhat). Square yardage is calculated by multiplying the length (in feet) by the width (in feet) and then dividing by 9. Carpet layers may also charge extra for the following:

   1. $0.50 per square yard for Berber
   2. $1.00 per square yard to remove and dispose of old carpet (hint: you can save a lot of money by just pulling it up yourself, cutting it up into pieces, and throwing it away in your trash).
   3. $1.00 per square yard to move furniture.
   4. They may also charge extra for steps, irregularities, or protrusions into the room.

   You should be able to save about $1.00 per yard by hiring your own installer instead of using your local carpet retailer's installer. You can verify this by calling some stores and asking them what they charge for installation.

   Carpet layers hired by you are solely responsible for their work. You will not have any recourse with the carpet retailer in the event that installation is not done properly (which is a good reason to use a big company like Cover All - see beolw).

   There is no such thing as “Free Installation”

   ---

   Need to Find an Installer?

   Visit the Certified Floorcovering Installers Association to find a certified installer near you. A certified installer will probably be better than the average installer.

   Call the Certified Floorcovering Installers Association at: 816-231-4646.
   

   

FOR WEST COAST CUSTOMERS:

If you are on the West Coast, you can go to this web site to get a referral for an installer: http://www.floorinstallers.com

If you are determined to do the installation yourself, you may find this page helpful: Do It Yourself Carpet Installation. I have never tried the methods described on this page and do not endorse those methods.

---

home | kids’ carpets