Carpet install, am I being unreasonable in my expectations (venting)

[Brian Runau]

Retired 66-1/2 ( now I add my 1/4's and 1/2's just like a youngster would). I try very hard to anticipate what will come up in projects and to cover those bases with whoever I am hiring to do the work. I also depend a lot on how it feels with the individual and others in the company during the estimate process. At our age having our home torn up for 4 days is very stressful.

Recently had 1/4" thick 1950's oak strip flooring removed in our three bedrooms and hall and had carpet installed. We didn't want to dust mop around all this stuff and the squeaks were obnoxious and off the charts at this point. We also knew will regular carpet that in 4-5 years we probably would have to replace it due to wear. We spent the extra money to buy wool carpet that hopefully will out last us. We were in the process of doing this before the pandemic, but opted out, didn't want people in and out of the home. My wife is a breast cancer survivor and has a compromised immune system due to some after chemo drugs she is still taking; so we are paying a lot more than we thought we would, but oh well...

We were scheduled to start on a Wednesday last week. We removed all the stuff from the top of everything in the rooms all our bedding etc...We did start, but they did not show up to the house until 10:45 and left at 2:30. They did not touch either room where we removed the bedding and had to go back and remake all this. I worked as a carpenter's helper during summers and we were at the site by 9 and had what we needed top start work. Over the years on multiple day projects folks would show up years work most of the day every day until the job was done. Next day was 11. They did not have tack strip and all the borg were out. They had to buy it from another carpet place! These guys are a carpet place and they knew they had a job coming up and didn't have on hand inventory for what they needed?

It was 10:30/10:45 every day, but after the first day they did work until 4 4:30, when they reached a stopping point.

I knew the closet doors would need to be trimmed and covered this with them prior to the job starting. others doors I was unsure of, but we could trim them after the install, no problem.

Sales guy.owner of the company did the estimate so he saw the scope of the work. There was no communication from him on when they would show up, how many day's work(I blame myself for not covering this, but can't think of everything even though this seems basic), When they finished the install told me the floor guides for the sliding closet doors were to short to reach the doors now. Told me I could install some wood blocks and then the guides. I have the skills to do this, but thought I was paying them to do the installation. I've order the parts I need to do this correctly, but my expectation was they would anticipate based on reviewing and biding the job, have what they needed to do the work and complete the job before they left the site.

I feel like this is really poor management of the install process by the owner, am I being unreasonable?

Thanks.

Brian

[Stan Calow]

No not unreasonable. But I think that is the way of all service businesses now. They sacrifice customer service because they have to juggle multiple jobs at a time to stay competitive. And cant afford to keep good workers (if there are any) unless they have multiple jobs booked. The communication between manager and crew also gets shorted.

[Bill Howatt]

No, I don't think you are unreasonable. Perhaps, you might have confirmed a few things better (if you didn't) such as the rooms will be unuseable so we want the master bedroom done so we can use it that night. Showing up without the tack strips is unbelievable for a carpet installer.
Any carpet work we've had done the installers put in a good days work to get it done on a single trip and one of those was a living room and 2 bedrooms.
I wouldn't recommend this company to anybody but you could discuss your dissatisfaction with the owner. Although he should have had the project under better control, he could well have contracted the installation out to installers and should know this group wasn't up to your expectations.

[Ron Selzer]

Going thru this right now with a master bath remodel. Shower has been tore out for two days now and no progress. Owner showed up demoed the shower and came back yesterday around noon to talk about a pipe that has to be moved. stated his guys would be out to do more work.
Waiting to see what else happens and when. Guy has a great reputation and we waited to get him for over 3 months. think he is just overloaded with work.
Ron

[glenn bradley]

Nice vent. Not unreasonable, just the new normal. I still chuckle when I think of a bathroom remodel quote I got. It basically said "remodel a bathroom" . . . not literally but pretty close. I was feeling in a mentoring mood so I returned the contractor an actual detailed project sheet. He has done a couple of jobs for me since and his quotes are looking better and better so maybe I did some good . . . or he is just tired of me sending them back a few times for more / better data. Good estimating skills and time management can make or break a reputation. Too many folks are taking on too much work and cannot manage it well. The end result is that no one ends up truly happy.

[George Yetka]

Not sure how this company does it, but many dont actually do the install. Most of that is subbed out. And most of these subs are "Steves Pretty Good Flooring" or are a white van that says Carpet on the side with crooked stickers. Im not saying they are all bad and Ive had very good ones, but the store itself isnt the one dropping the ball.

[Rick Potter]

I have learned to ask if stores use their own installers or sub it out. There is a difference.

Your post reminds me of the early '60's when I was a carpet cleaner/student. It seemed then like every house in town was in the process of replacing rugs with carpeting, usually because of animal stains in the corners. We also sold and installed wall to wall carpet, and I was often a helper installing.

Installing was a career job at the time, and a good installer made decent money. A little different nowadays.

[Mike Henderson]

I just had some carpet installed in my house and the installers were very professional. They moved the furniture that was too heavy for us to move. The guys you had were terrible.

I might comment that carpet seems to have a life span, no matter what it's made of. It fades and you get stains on it just from living.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

They did not have tack strip and all the borg were out. They had to buy it from another carpet place! These guys are a carpet place and they knew they had a job coming up and didn't have on hand inventory for what they needed?

Sounds like maybe you should have contracted with the other carpet place. Though you may have ended up with the same installers.


They sacrifice customer service because they have to juggle multiple jobs at a time to stay competitive. And cant afford to keep good workers (if there are any) unless they have multiple jobs booked.

This has been a problem for lots of businesses. My folks had a furniture and appliance business. They could not afford to have delivery and service people sitting around all day. Often deliveries and other calls would be scheduled for one day of the week. My dad would often grab one of the boys (four of them were my brothers) if he needed help. Some of my older brothers went to appliance repair schools. After a while the appliance side of the business was discontinued and it became furniture only. One of my older brothers had a clock and fireplace business on the side of the furniture business.

As we got older a couple of us would go on deliveries or service calls. My dad also had a list of people he could call to go with one of us. As my older brothers went on to their own careers and even after that we would occasionally get the call.

Now days there are fulfillment companies with a lot of workers who sort of know how to do the job. They may be a "jack of all trades, master of none" types who like to have an unscheduled life.

It is a mystery as to how one goes about finding a business with professionals doing the work who are employed by the business you are buying from instead of a fulfillment company.

jtk

[Derek Meyer]

We replaced the carpet in our living room and hallway with a floating lamiate floor about 18 months ago. We also replaced the laminate in the kitchen and dining room (and pantry) with the same flooring so it is consistent through the house. I pulled all the baseboards, and we moved the appliances and furniture out to clear the rooms, then we pulled the carpent, pad and tack strips, so the installers could start with clear subfloor. They came in (two guys) and laid 1000 square feet of flooring in 1 day and 2 hours the next day. They were fast, efficent and pleasant. We are going to have them come back and put the same flooring in our three bedrooms as well. We like it better than carpet, and my mother-in-law has an easier time getting around in her wheelchair now.

Contrast that with the roofers, who were supposed to be here two weeks ago (they delivered 3 stacks of material that has been sitting in my side yard), and the landscaping company, who was supposed to send a crew out 2 months ago. It's hit or miss with contractors these days.

[Bill George]

I would never remove a good hardwood floor for carpet. You can install carpet over the hardwood, they just nail down tack strips and go. Squeaky floors re-nail as needed with spiral nails or others that are better.

[Sam Force]

Last year we had flooring put down in the kitchen, dining room and hall way. Two young contract workers from out of state came in about 9, after driving for 3 hours. They were very nice young men who knew exactly what they were doing. The floors were a little uneven going between rooms, they got everything flat and had it all done in about 7 hours which included a lunch break. I would venture to say they were both immigrants, my wife and I were very pleased with both of them. Moths later we had hail damage and needed new roofs on the garage and house. We hired a local roofer which was recommended to us. We knew they were booked weeks out, 1 morning about 10 we got a call asking if today would be good for them to work on the garage. They showed up about 12:30, it's a 24x36 garage. They were done by 5, that entailed tearing the old roof off as well as new roof. The next day they started on the house at 7, got rained out about 11, back the next day at 7 and finished the house by 4. Again tear off old roof and replaced 9 sheets of plywood. 24x60 hip roof. We were very pleased with all of the workers who showed up, one of the roofers was actually one of the owners. I might add they did not use nail guns, every nail was hammered in
:)

[Brian Runau]

I would never remove a good hardwood floor for carpet. You can install carpet over the hardwood, they just nail down tack strips and go. Squeaky floors re-nail as needed with spiral nails or others that are better.
Bill, this was 70 year old 1/4" thick oak flooring face nailed. Seen it's better days. Squeaky beyond belief. No way to remove squeaks. Brian

[Bill George]

Bill, this was 70 year old 1/4" thick oak flooring face nailed. Seen it's better days. Squeaky beyond belief. No way to remove squeaks. Brian

Never saw 1/4 inch thick floor unless it was laminate. Our hardwood floors here are all 3/4 inch. Yes I would be PO at the work your getting done.

[Ole Anderson]

We had a big carpet job at church. Supposed to be a 5 day job. First two days they started late and finished early. Third day they asked if they could stay late. They pulled in four extra guys and worked until 10:30 PM and nearly finished it two days early.

[Rich Engelhardt]

They showed up.
In today's screwed up world, that puts them miles ahead of the competition.

[Mike Henderson]

They showed up.
In today's screwed up world, that puts them miles ahead of the competition.

I had a contractor tell me one time the secret to his success:
1. Show up on time
2. Do a good job
3. Clean up when you're finished.

Mikw

[Rich Engelhardt]

Mike - sadly in today's world - items #2 &#3 have become optional and # 1 has to be modified to the point that "on time" is very loosely defined.
I have to wonder why services and trades people even bother to have cell phones since they never seem to use them.
It amazes me that, in a world where you can carry around with you the means to communicate with almost anyone on the face of the planet, how bad communication between people has become.

[Patty Hann]

...
It amazes me that, in a world where you can carry around with you the means to communicate with almost anyone on the face of the planet, how bad communication between people has become.

The Law of Unintended Consequences

[Ron Selzer]

The bathroom remodel has drug out way beyond what was promised up front. I am keeping my mouth shut and letting my wife deal with the plumber. She never had a contractor do work in her house or her dad's house growing up, too poor.
She is getting her eyes opened up and I should be able in the future to have a lot less complaining about how long i take to do something.
On the other hand we had our rood replaced a month ago. They were 6 weeks behind promised date due to storms coming through damaging roofs that got priority. We were informed about the delay. They showed up on the new date, did the roof in one day, very nice workmanship, hand nailed 50 yr dimensional shingle, cleaned up perfect.
Ron