Landlord's Guide to Replacing Carpet & Flooring
How To Find A Qualified Carpet Installer
For most homeowners, finding a qualified carpet installer can be very difficult. Especially when you consider that some carpet installation jobs are more difficult than others and will require a more experienced installer to get the job done right. For example, installing expensive carpet in a custom home requires much more expertise than does installing apartment-grade carpet in a rental unit.
Of course everyone wants his or her carpet to be installed correctly, and hiring an installer with minimum of 5 years experience is where I would draw the line with a simple installation job.
So, if you buy a good quality carpet or your installation job is more difficult or tricky, than you must hire an installer with more experience. I personally believe that it takes at least 10 years before any flooring installer can truly begin to master their trade.
Finding an installer
As with any trade, some installers are just not worth hiring. In fact, the good ones are the hardest to find. They often have a busy schedule due to a great word-of-mouth reputation.
These professionals may not need to advertise in order to keep busy, so the only way to find them may only be through someone who knows them or who has hired them in the past. Ask your friends, relatives or co-workers who they would recommend.
Who to call
Local retail carpet stores generally will not allow you to hire their installers unless you buy the carpet from them. Carpet retailers often have a difficult time finding and keeping good installers because the best installers are busy enough due to their reputation alone, and don’t need or even want to work for a retail carpet store.