We just bought a house and need to re-carpet. We've got a quote from Lowe's for a Mohawk carpet,
53oz face-weight, 6.5 twist, BCF, 100% Lisse nylon, "textured" carpet. We like it but I have been rethinking
it because I'm not sure it is dense enough. This carpet is for our entire upstairs--two bedrooms, one office and the main stair well. It's only
the two of us, but I want to make sure we are making a good investment.
Does carpet sound like a wise choice? Would you advise something more dense? We checked out a more dense carpet made by Pacific Coast (I
think) and it would be $500 more for the same amount. I just don't know
if the higher density justifies the added cost. Let me know what you think!
Thanks!
Dear D.W.,
Your carpet selection basically seems fine to me based on what limited carpet
info you have told me. 53 ounces is a good carpet face weight. But you didn't
say how much the carpet cost per yard or what carpet pad you selected and how
much that will cost, or the density ratings of the carpet or padding.
The carpet you are considering might be a good selection for your needs and
lifestyle, but without knowing all the details I can't say for sure. Lisse'
is a "soft" nylon and is more expensive than a standard nylon carpet
because it
feels more soft to the touch. They create this softness by making the strand
thinner. By doing so, this reduces the resiliency of the carpet fiber. A reduced
carpet resiliency means the carpet does not retain it's new appearance as long
and
therefore will mat down sooner. You do not want this to happen as it is not
typically covered under the carpet manufacturer's warranty. When a carpet mats
down, there is little that can be done to restore it to it's like new
appearance.
When you buy a "softer" nylon carpets such as "Lisse, Caress, or
Tactesse to
name a few, you are buying a carpet that costs more and has less resiliency
than a standard nylon carpet. This simply means that it won't look like new
as long due to the decreased resiliency from the thinner fiber (denier).
My suggestion for the best carpet for your buck? Stay away from the "soft
nylons". Instead, buy a standard non-branded 100% nylon BCF carpet with a
face weight of at least 50 ounces, a density of at least 3000 and a tuft
twist of at least 5 or so.... Now on to the rest of my suggestions....
Buying carpet is basically a four fold operation. You must get all these
areas done right in order to be successful and get a fair and square deal on
your carpet, pad and installation.
1. Suitable carpet and pad that meets your needs and
lifestyle,
2. Correct material
measurements,
3. Qualified carpet
installation,
4. Best price on
carpet, pad and installation.
You only mentioned the carpet face-weight and tuft-twist. What about the
carpet density? Cost per yard? Pad type, thickness and density? Have you been
properly measured? Did you get a second opinion on the exact amount of
material you need? Is this wholesale carpet prices? or full retail carpet
prices? Is it first rate goods or seconds? Do you have a written carpet
warranty? What does the warranty cover? What must you do to maintain your carpet
warranty? Was the cost of the carpet, pad and installation separated in the
estimate? Do you know what the carpet cost by itself? How much was the cost of
the pad? Was it the correct pad as recommended by the carpet manufacturer? I can
go on...
If you want to get the job done right, all these issues must be addressed
and more. Sure, it is not as easy as you may have thought but if you get it
wrong you stand to lose thousands of dollars. If you neglect any of these
areas of concern your carpet lifespan could be cut in half, or worse.
I don't usually suggest buying carpet from any home improvement depot warehouse
or Lowe's carpet for many reasons, the most important reason is the fact that
they have not been in the "carpet business" very long and often make
simple but serious mistakes with simple carpet orders and have trouble with
obtaining qualified carpet installers, not to mention their carpet measuring may
not be very accurate.
You can read about some of the "home improvement warehouse" horror
stories
online by doing an online query. I did this earlier today when I typed in
the words "carpet home depot installers". I don't tell you this to
scare you, on
the contrary, I know of many happy carpet home depot and lowes carpet customers.
I just want to inform you of potential problems that you could encounter. I also
have heard many negatives from their customers who have written to me about
poor installation issues and materials that don't arrive on schedule to name
a few. Personally, I also have had poor results when dealing with home
improvement warehouse retailers. Sometimes just picking up the carpet can
take hours as they stumble around trying to locate the material.
(This is hardly
wholesale carpet prices, but a private label full retail carpet price, which is
not a good carpet deal at all.)
I know carpet Lowe's and carpet Home Depot are frantically working hard to
resolve all these issues but it does takes time, often years, to do this
depending
mainly on the help that they hire, which are often poorly trained and not
well compensated.
I do suggest buying from a locally owned, family operated carpet retailers.
They have years of experience and a vested stake in your community. Their
children attend the same schools as yours may have and they also pay local
taxes to support your community. They survive only by good word-of-mouth and
much of their profits go right back to help your community grow and thrive.
(My book reveals the
best way to find carpet at near-wholesale prices)
There are three main issues you need to be concerned with when buying
carpet. Best Fiber, correct padding, and proper installation. Beyond that,
you need to be sure you are not over-measured, overcharged or scammed into
buying a carpet that will not be suitable for your needs and lifestyle.
You really need to read my
easy-to-use 120-page book before you buy new carpet.
It can greatly help you be sure to make all the right choices, and save a
ton of money!. I am also here via e-mail to help answer any of your
questions you may have along the way.
Take your time buying carpet, it is a huge and important long-term
investment!. Don't be in such a hurry, you will be much happier in the end,
I guarantee it!.
