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Lowes carpet.. do they all do this?

ponytl | Posted in General Discussion on September 24, 2006 12:58pm

wife wants new carpet in the dining room… only room in the house not hardwood or tile… (long story)…  the room is 12′ x 16′ with a fireplace  but 12×16 would cover it with no seams and little waste….

she comes home tells me lowes has what she wants … just under $600.00  I think it’s kinda high but I’m cheap… but for $600 i won’t argue if it’s what she wants… besides I happen to have a $500 lowes gift card… so why not…

next day she goes back to order it…

1st    they say they won’t install less than 33yds (no sign say’n this)

2nd  the guy now tells her she must pay $30 for them to come out and measure Before they will do the install…

3rd  if you want less than 33yds it’s $300 add on

4th  what you want only comes in 15ft wide rolls and we priced it at 12ft wide

5th  oh we quoted you not installed

6th so you will need 15 x 16 for your 12 x 16 room (understandable)

7th we charge you the installed price per SF on what you buy not what you use… so they are going to charge for installing the 4ft x 16ft drop even if they aren’t installing it?

I’m sure there is good reason for all this  but.. the drop figures out to an extra $300 which is 25% of the total price installed…

I took my gift card back from her… LOL

p

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Replies

  1. WayneL5 | Sep 24, 2006 01:16am | #1

    They're screwing you.  I've ordered lots of carpet from a Carpet One store and there were never any surprises.  They measured for free, quoted the full price up front, and did a fine job on the installation.

    1. migraine | Sep 26, 2006 01:47am | #18

      Carpet One....I have used them 3 times, 3 different stores

      Only can say great praises about this franchise.  Life time installation warranty, too

  2. Jer | Sep 24, 2006 02:06am | #2

    Use a regular carpet store. No surprises.

    1. ponytl | Sep 24, 2006 02:15am | #4

      i knew the answer... but... it's a wife thing...  no explain'n

      p

      1. Mooney | Sep 24, 2006 02:20am | #5

        I normally buy the carpet from them and have it installed by my own installer . Works out better that way. They deliver the cuts I ask for for the quoted price.

        Tim Memphest 2006

        November 18th

      2. jerseyjeff | Sep 26, 2006 01:19am | #17

        my wifey is working in a carpet store (in nj, so it might not help)  and it turns out there are not that many carpet manufacturers,  and there is a REAL good chance you can get the same carpet elsewhere.  Different SKU,  but same carpet.    If you can get a sample/swatch/real good picture,  you can probably have the same carpet with the added feature of No Headache.  

         

  3. Piffin | Sep 24, 2006 02:14am | #3

    Sounds like bend over and back up is what they aare saying

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. paperhanger | Sep 24, 2006 04:45am | #8

      LOL, good one Piffin, and 100% right!

  4. stevent1 | Sep 24, 2006 02:34am | #6

    If my 'cipherin is ight that works our to 4.85 per sf. That has to be close to a hardwood (prefinished or not) installation,DIY) Remember, DW is always right.

    live, work, build, ...better with wood

    1. mrfixitusa | Sep 24, 2006 03:04am | #7

      One of the things you're running up against is there's very little money for an installer to come to your home to install one room of carpet.With what you're describing isn't the installer going to make less than $100 for his labor?^^^^^^

       

      S N A F U (Situation Normal: All Fouled Up)

  5. alwaysoverbudget | Sep 24, 2006 07:10am | #9

    just did the same dance at hd. i have never thought i'd buy carpet from hd ,but here i am.the day i orderd it i had more paperwork than when i bought a new car.took a week for measuring guy to get here.i haven't got the quote yet.i'm at 11 days and don't even have a price. i knew better...... larry

    hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

    1. Stray | Sep 25, 2006 07:12pm | #10

      I do the same as Mooney.  I buy carpet/pad/tack strips at HD or Lowes then I call an independant installer to get it done.

      I'd rather support my local carpet store, but they can't touch the big boxes on their price/volume buying capability (at least in their in-stock selection).Ithaca, NY  "10 square miles, surrounded by reality"

  6. FHB Editor
    JFink | Sep 25, 2006 08:39pm | #11

    Wow, I've had relatively good experiences with Lowe's (relative to HD, that is) - but this sounds sketchy. I'd go private, go to a carpet store that does this all day, every day, and will value your business.

    Justin Fink - FHB Editorial

    Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator

  7. Craigabooey | Sep 25, 2006 10:33pm | #12

    I had a similar situation with buying carpet at Home Depot. When they came to install it they had to nail down tackless to the concrete slab. Well the little nails that come on the tackless wouldn't penetrate the old concrete very well (it is very hard). They wanted to glue down the tackless with concrete adhesive to the tune of an extra $130.00! I told them construction adhesive is $3.00 a tube (at the time it was close) and you'll use 2 tube tops. Total area of carpet= 12x16. I told them to roll up the carpet and take it back I will never pay extra for having tackless that was difficult to nail down. They call Home Depot and speak to the manager, then I get on the phone. The ended up doing it for nothing but acted like they were doing me a big favor. The installers did do a good job, and were nice. I guess they have to get paid extra for that type of stuff but HD never told me about "problems that may arise"

                       CRaig

    1. JasonG | Sep 25, 2006 10:59pm | #13

      We just had carpet installed over the weekend - approximately 400 sq' of berber. We went to Lowes and there were some many "buts," "ifs," and "alsos," we went with the local carpet guy. Price was a lot better and he has a local reputation he wants to maintain whereas Lowes doesn't really seem to care once the money is in hand. Work was done in 1 1/2 hours and cost $870 . . . every once in a while I have to subject myself to the Lowe's service offerings to remind myself why going local is always better.Jason

  8. job123 | Sep 25, 2006 11:40pm | #14

    I do not know if they all do this, but a couple of years ago I went into a place that sold flooring and kitchen cabinets.  I wanted to replace the carpeting in a small office (about 8 foot by 11 foot) which fits within the standard 12 foot roll nicely.  Place sold leftovers from other jobs, so much for each remnant.  Inquired about the cost to install and was quoted based on the size of the remnant being sold.   

    I left without buying anything.  I do not mind a trip charge plus a charge per square foot for installation, but paying more just because the remnant was larger seemed kinda dumb.

  9. DoRight | Sep 25, 2006 11:59pm | #15

    One room, no seams?  Install it yourself.  Piece of cake.  I did a similar size room, plus a hall, and a set of basement stairs, myself.  Slam Dunk.  I did have two stapled seams on the stairs, but they are and were easy to hide.  If you go with a carpet store you may get a "better" deal on install but twice for the carpet.

  10. gb93433 | Sep 26, 2006 01:10am | #16

    Sounds like what some car dealers do.

  11. alwaysoverbudget | Sep 26, 2006 07:09am | #19

    so i'll finish my story on hd carpet,now that i got my bid today. this is a 40.00 yd carpet,i had measured it and come up with 35'= 45.7 yds.the mearsuring guys figured it at 55 yds and even gave me the diagram showing the 10x9 pc that the would haul off for FREE! 400.00 worth of carpet,man thats nice of them suppose they might have a 10x9 bedroom at home? now to add insult the also are selling me 10 extra yds of pad,we all no how hard it is to seam pad,this way it will have less seams!now comes the pure rip off...they are going to charge me to lay what they are going to haul off.wtf   i'm not one to join in on the lowes/hd ain't worth a dang threads,they have their place and i know what to expect but this is a rip off. they are going to haul off 40.00 yd carpet,5.39 yd pad ,and charge me 5.25 to lay it.500.00! to say the least i'm going elsewhere,but what if my 80 yr old mom went in there,they would nail her to the wall and grin as they were laying the carpet in their home or a buddies.i've nevr been so p o at a store,well maybe sears,but thats another thread!. larry

    hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

    1. PatchogPhil | Sep 26, 2006 02:54pm | #20

      They must measure and charge differently where you live.

      I've had HD install carpet here 3 times in last 5 years and also 12 yrs ago (all different rooms,  smallest 11x13).  They only charged installation for the amount actually installed,  not for the full size of the piece needed.  They subtracted the measuring fee from the total (if you do not buy from them you still pay).  No minimum size,  no minimum install fee.

      I've been very happy with them.  Their price has been lower with slightly longer warranty for same looking carpet from different carpet stores.  If you have any problems i.e. pulls,  bad looking seams,  HD will rip it out and install new for free.

      Lowes will also subtract the measuring fee if you question the practice versus HD.

      I heard good things from friends who had carpet installed by Carpet One.

      HD often has a sale,  either 1/2 install fee,  free install,  free padding,  or 10% off everything. 

      No,  I do not work for HD!  ;-)

       

      1. User avater
        BossHog | Sep 26, 2006 05:09pm | #21

        While we're talking about carpet - I have a question to throw out. Last time we had carpet installed we got to talking to the installer about re-stretching carpet. He said that sometimes carpet needs re-stretched after a year or two. He didn't know why - Some carpet just needed it. And he said that if he had to re-stretch carpet he charged for it. He figured it wasn't his fault that it needed re-stretching. I don't know enough about carpet to know if this is true or if it's BS. I know it's hard to coax an opinion out of anyone here....
        There's one in every crowd and they always find me

        1. PatchogPhil | Sep 26, 2006 07:30pm | #22

          It *could* happen if the carpet wasn't stretched/installed properly to begin with.

          One thing about HD and Lowes when they install carpet....  if you called up a year or two later and said your carpet was buckling/rippling in spots,  they send an inspector out to evaluate and they will restretch or re-install new carpet.

          It has to be a legit problem,  not a ploy to get new carpet if it was abused.

          I am wondering if your installer is just trying to drum up some extra income for himself?

          I have heard that it is harder to get a carpet store to honor warranty work.  That is a big reason why I went with HD so many times.

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