Carpet Row Cutting Video

[GoodHouse]

On thursday 2/11/2010 my installers went to install this carpet...

YouTube - Carpet Seam Defective

As you can see in the video, the carpet is inferior. In this video they are row cutting the carpet in order to prepare it for seaming. As you can see, your finger rubbing against the edge can cause the fibers to come loose. At the end of the video you can see the secondary backing seperating from the primary. Seam sealing is not going to fix this carpet.

I know if we went ahead with this installation, an inspector would blame us for future seam issues, stating "not adequate seam sealer" or "not stretched properly" or "overcut carpet fibers" or "inadequately row cut".

I am not trying to stir up anything between installer/inspector but this is a real situation and this stuff happens everyday. Fortunately we had our video phone with us this day.

[Chris Mha]

Why not stop the installation at that point instead of continuing on and worrying about what an inspector would say. Don't lose that video by the way.

Make a phone call to the mfg. and let them know you have installers onsite with a problem and ask them what they want you to do. If someone gives you the go ahead get it in writing before you proceed any further.

[Darren Ramey]

Well for one, they wont be compensated for their time by the mills that made this piece of crap. It's also hard at this point to tell a customer that you are going to have to leave them tore up for several days, even weeks until it gets sorted out. It is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations.

[GoodHouse]

Exactly right Darren.. Damned either way.

Customer needed a floor down, so we had to install it. A claim will be made for the labor. Its a liability issue leaving a consumer without a finished floor.

Not to mention, we have a better chance of getting paid installing it, rather than leaving it.

My whole point is that carpet is getting made worse and worse and everytime there is a problem the installer is getting dinged with the headache and the financial end of it.

When a problem like this arises, we have to make dozens of phone calls, deal with the consumer, waste time on talking, consulting etc. All of which typically you dont get paid for. Bottom line is.. when a manufacturer makes an inferior product, the installer loses money. Its not right.

[rgfloor]

The solution, if you are a retailer is to deal ONLY with sorces that make a quality product, and then stand behind that product. That will probably mean paying quite a bit more than bottom dollar for your material. But it can help to alleviate a lot of headaches.

[kylenelson]

rgfloor said The solution, if you are a retailer is to deal ONLY with sorces that make a quality product, and then stand behind that product. That will probably mean paying quite a bit more than bottom dollar for your material. But it can help to alleviate a lot of headaches.

Exactly. I previously worked for a shop that sold mostly low end stuff, it made us look like we weren't the best of installers, always dealing with problems like this. Now, I work out of a shop that sells much higher grade goods on a regular basis and voila, all those little problems are gone. No dealing with seams falling apart, carpet delaminating etc. The good stuff weighs more though...ouch.

[mcbrides]

I guess whomever made the cuts for the installers didn't catch that delamination...

Gotta love that SP125. Nasty to cut, heavy to carry, but it's one of the few berbers we've handled that are not readily pulled by dog's nails. Despite it's heavier weight though, it will pack, even over high density pad.

Deb

[Details]

Landlords and real estate flippers often only want the cheapest stuff they can find. They'll never have to walk on it themselves.

Repairing carpet runs becomes a maintenance issue and the norm rather than the exception.

This low end stuff keeps us in business. We use cases upon cases of glue sticks every year.

[DJ]

mcbrides said I guess whomever made the cuts for the installers didn't catch that delamination...

i get full rolls i make own cuts if i did (and i have seen carpet like that) i would send it back it wouldn't EVEN make it in to the home

[GoodHouse]

This is opened and unrolled in customer's house. 2 cuts, seam down the middle. Both rolls factory cut and packaged.

[rgfloor]

I believe that what is being said is "If you open and inspect the carpet before you take it to the jobsite you eliminate the problems of defective carpet".

It is also the retailers responsibility to do this before the installer picks the job up.

[stullis]

rgfloor said It is also the retailers responsibility to do this before the installer picks the job up.

Why should this be the retailers responsibility? Shouldn't the manufacturer or distributor see this prior to sending the product out to the retailer?

[kylenelson]

stullis said Why should this be the retailers responsibility? Shouldn't the manufacturer or distributor see this prior to sending the product out to the retailer?

I gotta agree here that their should be tighter standard in quality control before the material ever leaves the factory and gets loaded on a truck.

[Mike Costello]

Shouldnt money and chocolate fall from the sky too?

I am still getting use to the cutting machine. Awsome way to get jobs ready but you really need to be watching to catch anything. We even re roll carpets that dont need cuts before we send them out.

[kylenelson]

Mike Costello said Shouldnt money and chocolate fall from the sky too? I am still getting use to the cutting machine. Awsome way to get jobs ready but you really need to be watching to catch anything. We even re roll carpets that dont need cuts before we send them out.

Yeah, I have been using a cutting machine for the last year and it's a real time saver. Took me a while to become proficient in using it though. The best part is I never have to lift carpet off of the ground and I have a platform built in my van that keeps the carpet just below shoulder level and that stops alot of body damage.