Why The Installation For Your
Carpet And Flooring
Is So Important

By far, the most important part of any carpet or flooring purchase is its installation. While the cost of a new floor may require a significant outlay of capital, it is the installation of that carpet or floor that will determine whether that expenditure was worthwhile. Most people that install flooring expect it to be in service for up to 25 years. While the warranty for most flooring materials are within that range, the labor warranties from many companies for their installations are typically only for 12 months.

The unfortunate truth in this business is that there are many, many times more places to purchase flooring and carpeting than there are competent craftsmen to install that same flooring. There is no established certification requirements for many installation trades, including flooring and carpet installation. Therefore, finding a competent installer should be the first task one engages in when one is considering buying new flooring. Luckily, there are a few characteristics one can look for that will greatly increase your odds of finding a good flooring contractor.

A good flooring contractor should have most if not all of these characteristics:

• The installer, or their company, should have been in business for at least 10 years.
• Verify that they hold a valid state contractors license.
• Verify that they hold a local business license for the business' home location.
• Show that they have sufficient liability insurance for the current job.
• They should freely offer evidence of their track record from impartial third parties, such as the Better Business Bureau.
• The installer should offer you a warranty on labor that is significantly longer than a year.
• They are friendly and easy to work with.

So, once you have your new floor installed, what do you want to see? With carpeting you want the finished product to exhibit the following characteristics:

• Tautness - a new wall-to-wall carpet should be installed so that when you walk on it with bare feet you can feel the spring as you step
• Edges - There should be no discernable seams or edges anywhere
• Uniformity - there should be absolutely no waves, ripples or puckers anywhere in the carpet.

With solid flooring, such as hardwood or tile, a finished product should have the following characteristics:

• With hardwood flooring, all seams should be closed leaving no evidence of gaps or cracks.
• With tile flooring, all corners should come together at precisely 90° corners. There should be no out-of-square corners.
• There should be no waves or dips in the flooring when looking across the plane of the surface that is being installed.

Please come check us out. I think you will find that we 'check all the boxes' when it comes to being a good flooring contractor. If you have any other questions, or you would like us to contact you about a new or existing floor, please contact us through our Contact page. We would be happy to answer any questions you might have.