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I Need To Buy New Carpet
Updated: Oct 10, 2022
I Need To Buy New Carpet
If you've owned a home for any length of time, or you just purchased a new home...chances are you have looked at the carpet in your home and thought, "this old carpet has got to go!"
But where do you start? What kind of carpet should I buy? How much is replacing my carpet going to cost?
Well, you've found the right place to answer your questions. In this article, we will walk you through the process of buying carpet, as well as some of the items you need to consider, before making your purchase.
I Need To Buy New Carpet
Let's first take a look at some of the retail store advertising gimmicks that you want to avoid:
We'll call this first one, "the free installation promotion." You've heard it before:
Free installation
Free furniture moving
Free hauling away of your old carpet
Free, Free, Free...!!!
Let us be the one to burst the bubble on these gimmicks: nothing about these promotions are "free." Retail stores are not in business in give things away for free. They are in business to make money.
When you see this promotion being advertised, all the store is doing is adding the cost to the price of the carpet. For example, if it costs a store $1.00 a square foot to buy a certain carpet, instead of selling that carpet at a 30% mark-up, $1.43, and then charging the customer for the installation, the store might charge the customer $5.00 a square foot for that same carpet, and then say the installation is free. Make sense? It's a rip off. No other way to put it. The store promotes their sale as a great deal, when in reality, the customer ends up paying an inflated price.
Another one of our favorites is: no finance charges for 12 months. This is very similar to the scam that is used with the free installation promotion. Finance companies charge stores a percentage of the sale for all of their financing programs. The longer the period of time, the higher the percentage. For example: if a store uses a 12 month financing plan, they might get charged 3%. If they use a 24 month financing plan, they might get charged 5%, and so on.
Stores don't absorb that charge. Who pays for it? You do. Whatever financing plan you choose, the financing fee will be added on to the price of the carpet. So, if a store is advertising "no financing charges for 12 months," Guess what? That financing fee has simply been added on to the price of the carpet.
Are you starting to see a pattern? Whatever the promotion is: the customer always pays for it. Rather than giving the customer a fair and honest carpet price, If a store marks-up a carpet 1000%, they can offer all sorts of "free" services.
How about this one: a special invitation for a "private sale." Stores will hire a company to mail out letters to consumers (usually based on zip codes), promoting a special weekend private sale. In reality, there is no special sale. Whatever is being promoted is just a gimmick. You will still pay the very high retail price no matter what is being promoted.
"The customer always pays for it..."
The last one we'll bring up is: the special weekend sale. Stores advertise, a "special sale," usually during special holiday weekend hours. Pricing is only valid for these 'special" days. For the most part, store salespeople work on commission. Do you really think if you come in the day after a sale to place an order, the store won't honor the special weekend sale price? Of course, they will.
Now, keep in mind, whatever special weekend sale price you received, it is probably not a good deal anyway. But, believe us when we tell you, a store will take your order.
The main point to take away from all of these different store promotions is: nothing is free. If a store is promoting a "free promotion," just keep in mind that you are indeed paying for it. Nothing is free. If a store is paying someone advertising money, you can rest assured they are recouping their money from the store sales.
So, If You Want Us To Avoid Sales Promotions, How Do We Get the Best Price?
We have mentioned this in other blog articles, but it is worth repeating:
"Not All Salespeople Are Equal..."
Almost all floor covering salespeople work on commission. Retail salespeople work with retail pricing. As mentioned earlier in this article, depending on the store, retail pricing can be incredibly high.
Almost every store will either have a manager or a commercial salesperson. We will define "commercial," as any salesperson that works with apartments, realtors, new home construction, office parks, schools, hospitals, etc...
These commercial salespeople work on an entirely different level. Whereas a retail salesperson writes orders at a 35%-45% profit margin, a commercial salesperson writes orders at a 15% to 25% profit margin.
The commercial world of floor covering is completely different than the retail division. Profit margins are much less in commercial work. But...guess what? The majority of these commercial sales people also work on commission. The more product they sell, the more money they personally earn.
So, in order to get the best price on your carpet, you need to align yourself with a commercial salesperson. Here is our step-by-step process on how to get the best price on your carpet purchase:
Step 1: Determine your budget. It makes no sense to fall in love with a carpet that will cost you $5,000, if you have a budget of $2,000. Before you even start the shopping process, you need to look at your bank account and figure out how much money you are willing to spend on carpet. The second part of this equation is to determine how you are going to pay for the carpet. Are you paying in cash? Or are you going to finance the project and make monthly payments? Not every store has in-house financing. Figure out your budget before you do anything else.
Step 2: Determine your re-carpeting goal. Are you looking to get an affordable carpet to sell a house? Maybe you're looking for a plush, thick carpet for your master bedroom. Are you looking for something that is incredibly durable for a basement? Maybe you have a room that you want to install a pattern carpet in, to give it that designer look? These are very important questions to ask. Determine your goal.
Step 3: Call your local store and ask them who handles their commercial work. You might also look on the company's website. If you have a realtor connection, contact your realtor and ask them who they work with in the area. Once you get 2-3 names of some commercial salespeople, call the store and ask to speak with them. Introduce yourself and describe your project. NOTE: this is a very important step. Never walk into a store without an appointment. Retail salespeople work on what they call "ups." They rotate on who gets the next customer. If you walk in without an appointment, you will be assigned to the next retail person. Once assigned, you will be subject to "retail prices."
Step 4: Set-up a free home measurement. Most stores offer a free measurement. Explain to your commercial sales person that you would like to schedule a home measurement. A sales person will come to your home and measure your project area.
At this point in the process, you have determined your budget and re-carpeting goals. You have aligned yourself with the salesperson that has the best pricing, and you have had someone come to your home and provide you with a free measurement. Now it's time for the next step:
Step 5: Call your salesperson up and schedule a meeting. Describe your re-carpeting goals, give the salesperson your budget, and based on the home measurement, ask them to pick out 4-5 carpet styles that will work for you.
Step 6: Create a "maybe pile" in the store. As you look at samples, anything that is a possible option, put in a pile. Those samples that you don't like, put back in the display. Ultimately, you'll end up with 5 or 6 samples that you really like. One of these options should be a carpet that is below your budget price, one sample should be something that is above your budget price, while the other samples should be in your budget range. Take all of these "maybe pile" samples home.
Step 7: Place all of the samples on the floor in the area you are re-carpeting. The lighting in your home is always going to be different than in the retail store. Spend a day or two looking at the samples. Over time, you will either find a winning color, or you won't. If you find a winning color, you're done. If you don't like any of the colors, go back to the store and create a new "maybe pile," and start over again.
I Need To Buy New Carpet - Learn About The Types Of Carpet Fiber
Part of your re-carpeting goal should not only be the type of style and color you want, but it should also be determining the best carpet fiber for your area. For example: you don't want to put a base grade apartment carpet in an area that is going to get heavy commercial foot traffic.
The type of carpet fiber you pick will help you determine how your carpet will perform.
Polyester Carpet Fiber
Polyester carpet fiber has several advantages: it is a very affordable carpet that is very durable. If you're looking for a nice looking, durable carpet that won't break the bank, you might consider looking at polyester carpet.
Another great characteristic of polyester carpet is the softness. It is a perfect carpet for family room carpet or bedroom carpet.
Polyester carpet is also very stain resistant. If you have busy household, that has those occasional spills, polyester carpet would be a good option for you.
Nylon Carpet Fiber
Nylon is a wonderful carpet for heavy use. It is even more durable than polyester. Nylon is going to be more expensive than polyester, but it also a very durable carpet...you get your money out of a nylon carpet.
Nylon caret fiber is perfect for stairs, busy hallways and family rooms. You can get nylon carpet at many different price points.
Triexta Carpet Fiber
Triexta is a very stain resistant carpet. Spills won't absorb in the carpet fiber and can be easily cleaned. Triexta is softer than both polyester and nylon. It is the newest carpet fiber and made famous by Mohawk Industries.
Similar to nylon, you can purchase Triexta carpet at many different price points. It is great carpet for the business rooms of your home.