Most home owners will eventually end up shopping for carpet but unfortunately the process can leave many consumers feel that they are getting less then what they are paying for and not liking the support they get from their sales representatives.
The best way to shop for carpet is to give yourself enough time to understand the product and services required to complete your order.
You will need to buy and install the carpet but you will also need to account for a variety of factors that will bump up your cost or ones that might leave you with an inferior product.
You are not there to buy
This should be the first words out of your mouth when you enter a flooring or home center to look at carpet. … may i help you can i interest you in our sale??? Yes you can help us but we are not interested in buying for at least 3 months..
Even if you need the carpet installed that weekend you always say THREE MONTHS.. that way the person feels that you could return and they will give you any specials in the next few weeks but they won’t try to hard sell you into an advertised special that runs every two weeks saying today is the last day.
Sales always return and special pricing is never at the loss of the business. It is just a way to liquidate inventory or increase sales.
Understanding Grades of Carpet
Although we are not going to go into deep detail about the differences of different types of carpet and carpet from different manufacturers within the same type you will need to understand that the prices you get for a carpet at one store could vary dramatically at a different store… not because you are getting a better deal but because the product is actually different .. even when it has the same name and comes from the same manufacturer.
For this reason whether you are shopping at a HomeWarehouse Store or a local carpet company with 15 employees it is important that you keep good records of any product that they quote you.
You will find that some companies are large enough that their suppliers will make product just for them and that way they can never be undersold by a competitor. This happens a lot. The product will have the same name, look but will be slightly different or not as good and the price will be 10% cheaper… but you will be getting 10% less thinking you are buying the exact same product.
If they say they are selling you Dufail StainNever carpet then you ask for the manufacturer’s product id number… not their in house SKU but the number from the manufacturer. You also want to make sure that you get the specs of the carpet.
You want thread counts and any protective coatings that are used.
You want to make sure that you get the same information for the carpet padding and you want to know if they are using recycled, new or closed or open cell padding. You want density and thickness.
For all of the products you want to make sure you get a warranty that includes instillation. But you should understand that the Warranty will not cover full replacement cost. It may actually be in your favor to just replace your carpet with product that is on sale from a different retailer once your warranty has run more then 5 years.
Comparing the Prices
Once you have compiled a list of different sales prices you can begin to make your selection.
Make sure that when you get a price you get
Normal Price. Sale Price and the date the sale ends.
Always compare apples to apples so use manufacture id numbers and if they do not match then you need to know why. Manufacturers will have in house numbers that do not change. If in doubt then contact the manufacturer directly. They normally have 1800 help lines.
Adding up the Add on Costs
Will the price include Padding… all carpet must have padding and often lower prices on carpet are made up in the extras.
Will the price include labor to have it installed? It is normal that it will be extra but many stores will provide 3 free rooms or a special $99 for a whole house if you purchase a minimum amount of yards of carpet.
Will the price be higher if furniture needs to be moved? For persons of all ages it can be difficult to move furniture so carpet companies can install your carpet and some companies do not include or even offer moving of furniture.
If you need to move the furniture yourself then the installers may need to revisit your home a few times as you free up area. You will want to make sure that you ask if there are additional costs if they need to make more then one trip.
Final Note
You should allow for quite a lot of time when making your selection and this will allow you time to understand what products are worth a few dollars more if they will last you years more.. or how buying a better carpet pad will give you a better feel under foot and increase the life of your carpet.
There are so many details that you can find out about carpet that you will be amazed once you get started.. BUT the process does not have to be extremely difficult.
Simply
What exactly are you buying Manufacture ID
What is the exact cost both On Sale and normal price.
What is the cost of any extra like carpet pads, Tack Strips, Edging
What is the cost of Labor and what exactly will they do? will they move furniture and is it extra.
Once you know these things you can approach a manager at the store prior to making your purchase.
Actually I would suggest that you leave the store after talking to an associate and return and talk directly with a manager who can tell you any future promotions that can save you money.
Then just jump in and make the purchase.. You will never get exactly what you imagine but if you educate yourself .. take a few weekends to browse and get prices .. the process will go pretty smooth.. and you will have time to empty your rooms of furniture.. good luck..