How To Choose New Flooring Like A Pro!
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(Free Information by Consumer Advocate - No Flooring Sales)
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Consumer Carpet Buying Guide
The Carpet Professor Reveals Insider Secrets to Choosing New Carpeting Like A Pro. Free Unbiased Carpet Information and Advice for consumers. Discover How to Avoid Common Retail Carpeting Scams and Rip-offs.
The Carpet and Padding You Select must be able to tolerate your own unique level of foot-traffic you have in your home or your new carpet will not last as long as intended. The last thing you want is new carpet that mats down quickly and looks bad.
Choosing the right grade of carpet is the most common problem homeowners face today when buying new carpet.
Does Your Home Have Heavy Foot-Traffic?
If you want to choose the right carpet quality to meet your needs and goals, you first need to determine your level of foot-traffic and second, you must decide how long you want your new carpet to last. Your answers to these two questions will help determine what grade of carpet you need to buy.
To avoid making simple but costly carpet buying mistakes, start by taking my free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test. It is a simple six-question test to assess your needs, goals and lifestyle. Your answers will reveal your Foot-Traffic Score. Armed with this information you can then figure out what grade of carpet will meet all your requirements and about how much you need to spend to get the whole job done.
Free Carpet Installation Get-Ready Checklist
Be
well prepared for having your new carpet installed in your home. Learn what
things you need to do before, during and
after you have new Carpet installed in your home. My free checklist will
help make sure your carpet installation experience is safe, secure and
successful.
Print my Carpet Installation Get-Ready Checklist
(Click on the image to view PDF or print)
Home Depot and Lowe's Free Carpet Installation
Tempted by those
TV ads offering FREE Carpet Installation? Is Carpet Installation Really Free? Be
careful what you ask for when it comes to free carpet installation.
There are many reasons why they offer free carpet installation. You need to understand why they offer this and what to expect if you agree to buy new carpet from any nationally advertised carpet seller. Big Box Carpet Installation Specials Exposed
Carpet Cost and Prices
If you haven't checked carpet prices in a few years, you'll be shocked when you see the high cost of a good quality carpet and padding. How Much Does New Carpet Cost?
Carpet is more expensive then most homeowners realize. When you finally add up all the costs for materials and labor it can easily give you a severe case of sticker shock. Take my free Carpet Foot-Traffic Test to see where you stand.
Twenty years ago, a medium quality carpet, with pad and installation, used to run about $30 a square yard. Now that same quality is closer to $50. A decent 6-pound Rebond Pad used to cost about $3 a yard. Now it's about $5. Most carpet makers now recommend using 8-pound density padding. Types of Carpet Padding
Carpet Installation Cost has increased too. It was once common to pay $3 to $5 a yard for carpet installation. Now you can expect to pay $5 to $8 or more depending on where you live, the job details and what grade of carpet you select.
Carpet Installation is a major component of your overall carpet purchase and if installed wrong your new carpet may not last nearly as long as intended. If you are shocked by the high price for qualified carpet installation, wait till you find out the cost of hiring a lousy carpet installer! How to Find a Qualified Carpet Installer?
Many
of my recommended carpet stores honor my coupon for up to a hundred bucks off
new carpet. Click on the image to view or print.
Stainmaster® Brand Update
The
Stainmaster
brand, well-known for it's Nylon 6,6 fiber, was recently purchased by Lowe's. However, the same
fiber known as Antron Nylon 6,6
is still available at most local carpet stores under a different brand or in an unbranded form. It's the
exact same fiber,
but it just doesn't have the Stainmaster®
brand name attached to it.
Ask Your Local Carpet Store about Carpet they carry made with the Antron® Nylon 6,6 Fiber. Carpet made from Nylon 6,6 is available at most local carpet stores with all the same benefits for stain resistance and durability.
Pushy Carpet Salespeople
Unscrupulous carpet retailers often hire
pushy salespeople who will say or do just about anything to
convince you to
buy from them. Many of these sales people know very little about carpet or
the products they sell.
They are hired because they are good at closing the sale. That means they won't take NO for an answer. This is another reason why I have created my own list of locally-owned carpet and flooring stores. Don't let pushy salespeople push you around!
Every flooring dealer I recommend must pass my own special set of rules and requirements to be listed in my directory. You deserve to be treated with respect, get a fair and square deal and enjoy first class customer service before, during and after the sale.
Carpet Measuring Experience
An experienced estimator can save you money by strategically making the best use of material waste. They can figure out smart ways to utilize leftover carpet from one room and use it to fill in an area in another room. This saves you money! See my list of Recommended Carpet Dealers to help make sure your home is measured accurately.
Inexperienced Carpet Salespeople
Too many carpet salespeople lack sufficient "hands-on" carpet experience or don't have enough product knowledge to know what grade of carpet is able to meet your needs, goals and lifestyle.
You don't want to rely on their advice or suggestions. You need to do your own research and NOT rely on any one salesperson to make your carpet and padding choices for you!
Unfortunately there are also plenty of unscrupulous carpet salespeople who are hoping to overcharge you by using sneaky sales tactics, deceptive advertising gimmicks, bait & switch tricks and literally dozens of other common retail carpet scams!
How To Measure Carpet Yourself
Many
homeowners are overcharged for Carpet, Padding and Labor! If
you get three carpet estimates from three different carpet dealers, I
guarantee you will get three different estimates for the amount of material
your home requires and the total cost to get the job done. This is
because every estimator measures differently.
"Some salespeople over-measure intentionally while other salespeople over-measure because they are not well-trained at the art of carpet measuring."
Not quite sure if the salesperson's measurements are accurate? It is always wise to get at least three estimates from local carpet stores. Then you can compare prices and measurements side by side and make wise and informed choices. Learn How to Measure for Carpet Yourself!
Carpet Measuring Scams?
Some Salespeople Lack Measuring Experience. It can take several years for anyone to become proficient at measuring your home for carpet. Salespeople who are new to the carpet business may not be very accurate at measuring and that could cost you plenty.
There are several steps you can take to make sure you don't become a victim of a carpet measuring scam or rip-off. Getting three free estimates/bids from local carpet stores is one way to be able to compare products, services, measurements and price side by side. See my Recommended Carpet Dealers
Choosing the Right Grade of Carpet?
It's not like it was
50 years
ago when choices were very limited and most carpets were made to last a
lifetime. Today there are thousands
of different grades, styles and quality levels to choose from.
Some carpets are designed to wear out in less than 5 years, some are designed to take a beating and last for 20 years or more.
Why do some Carpets last longer than others? It
all depends on the materials they use to manufacture the carpet! Most
important is choosing the right carpet fiber
to meet your needs and goals!
Choosing
the Right Carpet Fiber
Nylon is the most durable synthetic fiber available today. Beware of Carpet Retailers or Salespeople who recommend you buy carpet made from Polyester or P.E.T. Polyester and say it is "just as durable" as a carpet made from Nylon.
Carpets made from Polyester tend to mat down very quickly in medium to heavy traffic applications, especially in main walkways, hallways and on stairs. Learn more about Carpet Fibers
Is This Carpet is Durable Enough?
This is a common problem homeowners face when trying to choose the right grade of carpet. It's not easy to tell if the carpet quality is good, better or best, just by looking at it or feeling it with your hand. All carpets look and feel fabulous when they are new!
Print
and use my free Carpet
Durability Guide Chart
it will help you determine the durability of any carpet you are considering.
Everyone wants to enjoy a carpet that is soft and plush! Just because a carpet feels soft does not mean it's durable or able to tolerate YOUR level of foot traffic.
If you want carpet that will last a long long time, you need to select a carpet made from the most durable materials! You need to understand what makes one carpet more durable than another. Learning about Carpet Specifications is the key to your success!
Unnecessary Padding Upgrades?
Don't be easily swayed by any salesperson who says you need to spend more for an upgraded pad or Specialized Carpet Pad. Read more about Choosing the Right Carpet Pad and about Carpet Padding Specifications.
Carpet Padding: Don't Skimp on Pad!
You
rarely ever see it, but pad does a very important job. It's the shock-absorber
for your carpet. A good quality padding helps reduce the damaging effects of
abrasion to the carpet pile. It also helps prevent wrinkles from forming
over time.
Your Carpet quality must be equal to your Padding quality. You don't want the pad wearing out before the carpet. It's easy to choose the wrong grade, type, thickness or density of padding. Learn more about the various Types of Carpet Padding
Mohawk's UltraStrand® Nylon Residential Collection
Check out these nylon carpet styles
offered by
Mohawk Industries to see if you like the look, feel
and price of these durable Nylon Carpets. These
are just a few of the Nylon carpet styles I think you might like. Ask to
see these styles when you visit your local flooring store. I have included the
face-weights to help you narrow down your choices.
Mohawk Style Names:
1.
3J92
Blended Moments 40 oz
2.
3D37
Coastal Fashion I (Texture) 55 oz
3.
3D38
Coastal Fashion II (Texture) 45 oz
4.
3D39
Coastal Fashion III (Texture) 55 oz
5.
3G57
Enchanting Glamour 45 oz
6.
C389
Essential Charm 45 oz
7.
3C34
Essential Design I - 25 oz
8.
3C37
Essential Design II - 35 oz
9.
3H46
Exciting Selection I - 40 oz
10.
3H07
Glamorous Style 40 oz
11.
3I91
Linington Manor (Pattern) 38 oz
12.
3G07
Refined Structure 35 oz
13.
3I95
Timeless Structure (Pattern) 35 oz
Print this List of Nylon Carpet Styles
Shaw's Anso® Nylon Residential Collection
Check out these nylon carpet styles
offered by Shaw Industries to see if you like the look, feel and
price of these durable Nylon Carpets.
Shaw Style Names:
1.
E0528
Speed of Light 25 oz
2.
EA023
The Fair 34.1 oz
3.
EA024
In Savannah 34.1 oz
4.
EA499
Starting Place 29.2 oz
5.
EA500
Square One 25 oz
6.
EA501
Kick Off 25 oz
7.
EA502
Excel 25 oz
8.
EA505
Right Away 25 oz
9.
EA508
Inspiring 29.2 oz
10.
E0117
Westminster 34.1 oz
11.
E0548 Sandy
Hollow Classic I - 39 oz
12.
E0549 Sandy
Hollow Classic I - 15' wide - 39 oz
13.
E0550 Sandy
Hollow Classic II - 48.8 oz
14.
E0551
Sandy Hollow Classic II - 15' wide - 48.8 oz
15.
E0554 Sandy
Hollow Classic IV - 68.2 oz
16.
E0555
Sandy Hollow IV -15' wide - 68.2 oz
Print this List of Nylon Carpet Styles
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 buy new carpet like a pro! See who I recommend near you.
