Carpeting Scam to Avoid
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Tired of your hardwood floors? The natural stone flooring a bit too cold and hard on your feet? And, you're thinking of bringing a nice, warm, stain-resistant carpet back in to your bedroom and living room?
You're not alone. However, I want to help make sure your carpet replacement experience goes well. There are some scams in the carpeting industry to be aware of and they've been around about as long as carpeting has. But many may not be aware of them - which is why Construction Deal is here to help!
No matter which carpet company or home improvement store you visit, and no matter how big of a company you go with, there are many unscrupulous practices being used on unsuspecting homeowners. In fact, the biggest problem with many large corporations is that they have stockholders expecting excellent returns on investment every quarter - there is a lot of pressure to perform and produce profits.
The most popular scam is a form of bait-and-switch. You are usually shown three different styles of carpet in the same color and style. But one is thin, with cheaper materials, and less stain resistance, for example. The second one is a bit thicker, a better quality fiber, and good stain-fighting abilities. The third sample you're shown is ultra-thick and perfect for repelling stains! You love it. You go with it!
But... the store writes your contract for the second carpet sample AND charges you the higher price of the third sample. Or they write you up for the correct carpeting but don't send it to you - instead they ship the cheaper one to your house. The great thing about this is that 1) you might not notice or 2) if you do notice, they can chalk it all up to being just an "accident." Simple human error...
What can you do? Get a sample of the carpet you purchase and take it home with you. On the day your carpeting is to be installed -- be there and inspect the carpet yourself. If you're not sure it's the same, ask to keep a sample of what they cut off from the installed carpeting. Take it to a 3rd party, perhaps another carpet company or carpet repair shop, and ask them to compare the two styles to make sure they match.
It's a great way to protect yourself from any potential "mistake" or outright scam. Carpeting can add warmth, color, and sound insulation to any room in your house. You demand the best and you should get what you paid for.
When you're looking for a quality carpet company, you should make sure you get multiple bids. Simply going to a major home improvement store and ordering their carpet limits your options. You can only buy the carpeting they carry and only use their installers. By having multiple companies bid on the carpeting project, you can choose from a variety of styles, fibers, and colors. And installers. This can help ensure you get the carpet you want, at the price you want, and installed how you want it to be installed. Construction Deal can help you by letting you post your carpeting request for free - you'll get as many bids as you want (you get to choose!)
RELATED POSTS:
Advantages of Hardwood
Decorative Concrete Flooring
You're not alone. However, I want to help make sure your carpet replacement experience goes well. There are some scams in the carpeting industry to be aware of and they've been around about as long as carpeting has. But many may not be aware of them - which is why Construction Deal is here to help!
No matter which carpet company or home improvement store you visit, and no matter how big of a company you go with, there are many unscrupulous practices being used on unsuspecting homeowners. In fact, the biggest problem with many large corporations is that they have stockholders expecting excellent returns on investment every quarter - there is a lot of pressure to perform and produce profits.
The most popular scam is a form of bait-and-switch. You are usually shown three different styles of carpet in the same color and style. But one is thin, with cheaper materials, and less stain resistance, for example. The second one is a bit thicker, a better quality fiber, and good stain-fighting abilities. The third sample you're shown is ultra-thick and perfect for repelling stains! You love it. You go with it!
But... the store writes your contract for the second carpet sample AND charges you the higher price of the third sample. Or they write you up for the correct carpeting but don't send it to you - instead they ship the cheaper one to your house. The great thing about this is that 1) you might not notice or 2) if you do notice, they can chalk it all up to being just an "accident." Simple human error...
What can you do? Get a sample of the carpet you purchase and take it home with you. On the day your carpeting is to be installed -- be there and inspect the carpet yourself. If you're not sure it's the same, ask to keep a sample of what they cut off from the installed carpeting. Take it to a 3rd party, perhaps another carpet company or carpet repair shop, and ask them to compare the two styles to make sure they match.
It's a great way to protect yourself from any potential "mistake" or outright scam. Carpeting can add warmth, color, and sound insulation to any room in your house. You demand the best and you should get what you paid for.When you're looking for a quality carpet company, you should make sure you get multiple bids. Simply going to a major home improvement store and ordering their carpet limits your options. You can only buy the carpeting they carry and only use their installers. By having multiple companies bid on the carpeting project, you can choose from a variety of styles, fibers, and colors. And installers. This can help ensure you get the carpet you want, at the price you want, and installed how you want it to be installed. Construction Deal can help you by letting you post your carpeting request for free - you'll get as many bids as you want (you get to choose!)
RELATED POSTS:
Advantages of Hardwood
Decorative Concrete Flooring
Labels: Carpeting, Flooring Options, Floors
