I installed carpet and flooring materials for over 30 years before retiring in 2007. I know that finding a qualified independent carpet installer is not easy these days, but it is very important. Here is some helpful information for homeowners looking to have new carpet installed in their home. Can You Help Me Find a Qualified Carpet Installer Near Me?
Carpet Installer Near Me?
The original term when I was a kid was Carpet Layer but that morphed into Carpet Installer and in the UK they say Carpet Fitters. No matter what you call them, most carpet installers today do a lot more than just install carpet.
Most of the money they earn is from installing a variety of flooring products in any given week. Installing Carpet used to be enough, but homeowners today want more than just carpet installed in their home.
Experienced Carpet Installers also lay other flooring materials such as Sheet Vinyl, Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT), Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) and Vinyl Composition Tiles (VCT). These products are very popular today and waterproof flooring seems to be all the rage right now.
Independent Carpet Installers Near Me?
Most locally-owned carpet retailers have a longstanding relationship with their in-house carpet installers. They are not usually willing to share them with homeowners who acquire their new carpet and padding elsewhere.
Retailers try to keep their installers busy enough so they don’t have any need to take on side jobs. Still it never hurts to ask. You can call any of the flooring stores I have listed in my directory to see if they have a carpet installer recommendation for you.
Locating an independent carpet installer near you may take some time and effort. Currently there is a shortage of qualified carpet installers nationwide and especially in areas that have a lot of new construction and home remodeling going on. How much does Carpet installation cost?
Who To Call?
There is a company called CFI that specializes in certifying carpet and flooring installers. You might be able to find a carpet installer near you through their website: https://cfiinstallers.org/
Other ways to locate a qualified carpet installer are not so simple.
Word of mouth is always a possibility. Maybe someone you know is connected to a good installer. Ask friends, co-workers, relatives…
Wholesale Flooring Distributors. This is the place where installers buy their tools and supplies. If you call or visit an outlet like this you will find installers who may be available for hire. The people who work in the sundries department may have some helpful suggestions if you ask.
Here is the website for T&A Supply, a wholesale flooring distributor serving Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Alaska & Hawaii.
All State Flooring Distributors serves the needs of flooring contractors in NJ, NYC, Long Island, Southern Connecticut, and NE Pennsylvania.
You can also do a search with the Online Yellow Pages to find Wholesale Flooring Distributors in your area.
After You Find One…
A big problem homeowners face is determining which installers are qualified and experienced enough to do a good job. To help homeowners make sure to ask all the right questions during an interview with a potential carpet installer, I created a free printable Carpet Installer Questionnaire (pdf).
10 Questions to Ask
Every Carpet Installer
(Click on image to view or print)
Home Depot Free Carpet Installation
When Home Depot first started selling carpet they tried hiring their own installers. That did not go as well as they hoped because finding and keeping qualified carpet installers is not easy.
Home Depot found that the number of carpet installation complaints they received was overwhelming. Many of the installers they hired early-on had moved on to greener pastures. In order to try to satisfy all the homeowner complaints they had to pay other installers to go out to fix the problems.
Today Home Depot relies on private installation companies to fulfill all their carpet installs. Any complaints they receive about carpet installation are redirected to the installation company.
Home Depot no longer has to worry about the quality of their installations. If there is an installation problem or a complaint, it is no longer their problem. You have to contact the installation company to get a remedy.
When homeowners qualify for free carpet installation at Home Depot, the installers that are sent out to do the job are hired by another company. They may be employees of the company or they may be hired on as independent contractors. Home Depot and Lowe’s Free Carpet Installation Explained
Does My Carpet Installer Need To Be Licensed, Bonded and Insured?
(Click image to see your state requirements)
Every state has its own set of rules and licensing requirements for independent contractors, including carpet installers, that may include obtaining a state issued contractors license, a surety bond and business liability insurance.
Having a Worker’s Compensation Insurance Policy may be required if they have employees.
Personally, I always suggest that homeowners buy carpet, padding and installation from a reputable locally-owned carpet and flooring retailer.
I would rather go for a package deal that includes installation and all the extras for one fair and square price. If anything goes wrong, there is just one number to call and that will get you the fastest remedy possible.
I have a list of local carpet stores near you that I believe are the best of the best in the business. It has taken me 14 years to compile my preferred list, just one store at a time. See who I recommend near you.
How Long To Install Carpet?
How long does it take to install new carpet? If working alone, a carpet installer can easily install new carpet in a living room or bedroom in one day.
Some carpet installers have several helpers and can complete a large job very fast and efficiently like a well-oiled machine.
Installing a whole house full of carpet could take longer, maybe several days or a week or more. This is most often true if there is a lot of prep work to be done or if there is a lot of furniture to be moved.
Moving Furniture
You can’t just move your furniture to one side of the room, it all has to be moved out of the room completely. Only after the carpet has been stretched in properly can the furniture be moved back in.
In some situations where space is limited, furniture has to be moved from one room to another. That may require furniture and other items to be moved around back and forth several times.
Moving heavy items such as pianos and pool tables require using specialized equipment to prevent damage to the item, damage to the new carpet or to the persons moving the item.
Never push, pull or slide anything across your carpet. You need to pick it up and set it down. Sliding furniture or anything can severely damage your carpet.
Most carpet installers do not like moving furniture and would rather the homeowner make necessary arrangements for the furniture to be moved out of all areas to be carpeted prior to installation day.
Carpet Seams
It takes longer to install heavier carpets like Berber style carpets or carpets with a pattern match. Larger rooms take longer to install because of the need for seams. Any room wider than 12 feet will require seams.
Installing new carpet on stairs takes a lot of time and effort too. Especially if there is upholstery work to be done or if the stairs have spindles to be wrapped.
Prep work can take more time to complete. Removing the old carpet and padding takes time and you never know what types of floor damage you might uncover. Tackless strips often need to be replaced if they are no longer effective. Replacing tackless strips on concrete floors requires added time and effort.
I have a special list of local carpet stores near you that I believe are the best of the best in the carpet business. It has taken me over 14 years to compile my preferred list, one store at a time. See who I recommend near you.