Home Depot, Lowe's or Costco for carpet job? (hardwood, vacuum, color)
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When you look at the total cost, all the big box stores are more expensive than the mom and pop stores. They add a lot of extras to the cheap advertised price and they charge 3 times as much for pad as the smaller stores.
I'm also looking to replace carpet in a couple years. This is a great thread. I was wondering how does moving furniture during installation come into play as far as total pricing for the job? Is it better to move furniture yourself or does it make a difference if they did it? Is it customary for them to do it as part of the installation?
I am a flooring professional. I work in a small family-owned store. We are part of the Abbey Carpet buying group, similar to Carpet One and a few others.
You have been tricked into the notion that you can get your "....whole house carpeted (labor only) for only $99.00!"
Really? Only $99.00? Really?
The average carpet job is around 90 sq. yds. A good installer makes an average of $3.50/ Sq. yd. so for an average house, he's going to make $99.00 instead of $315.00? And that money is paid to the retailer, not the installer. Do you think all the money gets paid to the installer? Not a chance. The sore gets their money right off the top. Plus, the installer will pay his helper out of that money. A good helper makes about $10 /hour, so for a days work....
You see where this is going?
A professional flooring store's ideal location would be in the parking lot of the big box stores.
I would stay away from the big box stores unless you want to pay twice as much for a lesser grade carpet. The single most important thing to remember when comparing carpet is the piles per square inch. The cheaper the carpet equals less piles per square inch.
You can also purchase direct from most manufactures like Mohawk etc. They will ship right to your door and you can save an easy 25% or more. And always use the pad that is recommended for the carpet you buy. Too thick of a pad with a plush carpet is not good for your legs.
On top of the $99, the big box stores charge up tp $25 for each piece of furniture they move, $25 or more for each step. As much as $1.50 per ft to install tack strip. Many of these things are free at local stores. Big box stores also charge up to 3 times as much for padding. These $99 install prices are only for "special order" carpets. If you want 2 or more different styles of "special order" carpet, there is an extra $99 for each one. They also have very poor records of resolving problems after the installation. There is even an extra charge to carry the carpet upstairs.
There are several Costco and Home Depot employees making posts on this thread. The bottom line for me is this: corporations exist to destroy all competitors, then historically offer a more limited and inferior selection of products at their monopolized price. Your independent business neighbors, nor yourselves, can continue to exist as other than corporate slaves if this continues.
Hiring is not a computer push-button process. Rise-up off the lazy arse, make several phone calls, talk to several neighbors, and work like normal humans who are part of a human existence system. This is better than becoming brain-dead automatons always seeking the cheapest and laziest solution.
Corporate products usually suck, and are getting worse daily. Expend a little human energy, reach out to your neighbor, and hire real human beings to do real human work in your supposedly human home. OK ?
There are several Costco and Home Depot employees making posts on this thread. The bottom line for me is this: corporations exist to destroy all competitors, then historically offer a more limited and inferior selection of products at their monopolized price. Your independent business neighbors, nor yourselves, can continue to exist as other than corporate slaves if this continues.
Hiring is not a computer push-button process. Rise-up off the lazy arse, make several phone calls, talk to several neighbors, and work like normal humans who are part of a human existence system. This is better than becoming brain-dead automatons always seeking the cheapest and laziest solution.
Corporate products usually suck, and are getting worse daily. Expend a little human energy, reach out to your neighbor, and hire real human beings to do real human work in your supposedly human home. OK ?
Costco has always stood by their products/work; I would definitely go with them. Lowe's? I had a laminate floor installed and the sub made a mess, not only of my floor, but the house. Lowe's ended up reimbursing me for half the cost. I had to have someone else come in and repair the mess.
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