But I don’t see how installers can do it.” Luckily for me I am an owner-operator with my own showroom, and I can help offset the labor cost with material. “If carpet manufacturers would void any warranties when the product isn’t properly installed with seam sealers, stretchers or some type of certified installer, we would see an increase in labor prices. Lance Rossetti, owner of Aloha Flooring in Boise, Idaho, said part of the reason for poor installation lies with unconcerned manufacturers. It’s back-breaking work with little reward.” I even discouraged my two sons from getting into the industry, and I’m glad I did. What you get now is good enough to get by. This climate results in “no motivation to do quality work. The manufacturers will not ever take responsibility for defective products-they blame it on the installation because they know the installer can’t afford to fight them.”
“There are stores out there that will cut me by as much as 20 percent because they pay crappy wages and will worry about it later if there is a problem. Petracca stated he pays his installers better than most stores in the area, but it still isn’t the solution. You also have all the independent installers out there trying to feed their families and taking work from the retailers.” In turn they dictate to the installers what they will pay for installation. He said these big box stores will “sell to anyone who walks in the door. Now with the box stores, online sales and Lumber Liquidators, you may soon see the end of the independent retailer.” They will spend on materials but not labor. We need to make sure we really promote these installers so customers understand.”Ĭarmino Petracca, Jr., president of retailer CAPjr Flooring in Lake Mary, Fla.-and speaking as someone who began in the industry as an installer-doesn’t see any quick solution to the current installation problem. We need to show people why professional installers deserve to charge more. If they don’t take shortcuts, they’re going to lose money big-time.”ĭunn believes the only way to fix the problem is “having store owners who champion their installers.
Everything is about getting it in fast, and taking as many shortcuts as possible. Most carpet installers don’t even know about power-stretching or latexing the seams. “If you’re looking for a quality job, you’re not going to find it in today’s marketplace, and the customer will always be the one who ends up losing. Lewis Dunn, an installer in Lubbock, Texas, said the problem with finding quality installers is the result of three issues: installers who don’t have the incentive to learn, retailers who are trying to get the price down as low as possible, and mills that don’t do anything to ensure a product is being put in correctly.
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