Carpet installation mistake - am I being unreasonable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This type of design decision needs to be specified at the quotation phase, because it absolutely affects how they roll the carpet and how they cut the carpet. both of those affect the final quantity/yardage to be ordered. So if you didn't mention it back then it is on you. Sorry.

I agree with the first statement but come to the opposite conclusion. This is their business - they should know to confirm this with you. They should absorb all the cost of getting it right.

It's the Op's aesthetic preference just like the choosing the color was the Op's aesthetic preference - not really a matter of right or wrong. Just as the professional would never just assume that Op wants cream (or whatever) colored carpet if no color has been specified, the professional should have asked about the direction of the pattern.

[Anonymous]

I think they should have asked you which way you wanted the carpet.

They probably hire day laborers to do the install.

[Anonymous]

I would call and tell them to redo it all free of charge, same cost. They should have known to talk to you about the installation with the pattern.

If they give you trouble I would tell them you are going to dispute it with your credit card company and do that.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems fairly straightforward. It appears that the carpet was cut to size based on the salesman's specifications, which presumably took into consideration the customer's preference re the direction of the pattern. So a 16'w x 20'l (for instance) sized carpet was delivered for installation. The installers seem to have installed the carpet as a 16'l x 20'w carpet in the room - hence the 4' (or whatever) shortfall. Which is really stupid. This appears to be completely the fault of the installers - which means the carpet company. Which means that they should replace the carpet at no cost to you.

The installers may not have been experienced, or they may just not be the brightest bulbs in the pack. I once ordered a set of bookcases (from Storehouse Furniture, now defunct I believe). I ordered the optional crown and base molding for each. Unbeknownst to me, the molding had to be installed on site in my home. They installed it upside down. Couldn't believe it.

[Anonymous]

The amount of carpet required varies based on the orientation. Most carpet comes in 12' or 15' wide rolls. If the room is 13' x 23' and the carpet is 12' wide, and the customer wants the carpet to run the long way, there's a lot of waste. The customer has to buy 12' x 46' of carpet to get 13' x 23' installed. If the carpet runs the other way, only 12 x 26' of carpet is required with much less waste.

I think both parties screwed up.

[Anonymous]

Did the carpet installer come out and measure before ordering the carpet?

We had this happen (not with a pattern), but the size of the carpet was cut a specific way to make sure we had the full width of the room covered. The installer came to me and asked where I wanted to gap along the wall and I said, oh no, our agreement was that it would be X feet wide and that you'd weave it that way on site. I am pretty sure the installer knew this, but wanted to avoid the extra work of weaving. They did the something similar putting a runner on the stairs. We ordered extra length so that the turns on the landings cold be mitred, but they ran it to the wall instead of turning it. It looked stupid. They had to go back to the shop and get more carpet. My husband didn't think I needed to stay home to supervise the installation and that we could have had the nanny do that. I am so glad I stayed home that day.

Before you agree to pay another $3k, I'd check to see if the original measurements would have had it going the direction you wanted. If you had it measured that way, that is what they should have installed, and the issue is theirs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems fairly straightforward. It appears that the carpet was cut to size based on the salesman's specifications, which presumably took into consideration the customer's preference re the direction of the pattern. So a 16'w x 20'l (for instance) sized carpet was delivered for installation. The installers seem to have installed the carpet as a 16'l x 20'w carpet in the room - hence the 4' (or whatever) shortfall. Which is really stupid. This appears to be completely the fault of the installers - which means the carpet company. Which means that they should replace the carpet at no cost to you.

The installers may not have been experienced, or they may just not be the brightest bulbs in the pack. I once ordered a set of bookcases (from Storehouse Furniture, now defunct I believe). I ordered the optional crown and base molding for each. Unbeknownst to me, the molding had to be installed on site in my home. They installed it upside down. Couldn't believe it.

This is what I gathered from the OP as well. They specified which direction the pattern would go when they ordered it and that is how the carpet was cut. The installers installed it the wrong way, so that there wasn't enough.

Installation company should pay 100% to replace the carpet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The amount of carpet required varies based on the orientation. Most carpet comes in 12' or 15' wide rolls. If the room is 13' x 23' and the carpet is 12' wide, and the customer wants the carpet to run the long way, there's a lot of waste. The customer has to buy 12' x 46' of carpet to get 13' x 23' installed. If the carpet runs the other way, only 12 x 26' of carpet is required with much less waste.

I think both parties screwed up.

This.

Rarely do the actual installers decide which way a carpet is laid/installed, and if that is the case here then they are at fault. Typically it is decided at the time of quotation for the reasons mentioned above and then detailed on the work order. If the homeowner didn't request a specific direction for the diamond pattern most sales people are going to do the cost efficient method which is to maximize the roll width and minimize seams (described above).

Without knowing more details about the room itself it is hard to say where the problem lies but if the homeowner never mentioned a preference then they "own" part of the problem, IMO.

[Anonymous]

Take a look at the paperwork you signed when you ordered the carpet. If the orientation of the pattern is specified on there and it's not what you wanted, it's on you for not catching that before you signed. If it's not on there, or if it's on there and they didn't install it as specified, it's on them. The salesperson you worked with is supposed to be the expert in this, and thus is in a better position than the customer to think of needed details such as orientation of a patterned carpet. I say this as a small business owner who does custom work for customers -- if I work to their provided specifications but they gave/confirmed the wrong specs, the redo is on them. If it's because I made assumptions about what they would want without asking them and they're unhappy with the result, that's on me to fix on my dime.

[Anonymous]

Until the customer is happy they need to change it no questions asked and east the cost

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Until the customer is happy they need to change it no questions asked and east the cost

Says someone who's never worked on the service side of it.

[Anonymous]

That is some godawful carpet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is some godawful carpet.

Lol. I wasn't gonna say it, but yeah.

[Anonymous]

The carpet is 13'2".

What are your room dimensions?

I imagine that what you want costs a lot more and requires much more carpet than what you actually ordered and paid for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems fairly straightforward. It appears that the carpet was cut to size based on the salesman's specifications, which presumably took into consideration the customer's preference re the direction of the pattern. So a 16'w x 20'l (for instance) sized carpet was delivered for installation. The installers seem to have installed the carpet as a 16'l x 20'w carpet in the room - hence the 4' (or whatever) shortfall. Which is really stupid. This appears to be completely the fault of the installers - which means the carpet company. Which means that they should replace the carpet at no cost to you.

The installers may not have been experienced, or they may just not be the brightest bulbs in the pack. I once ordered a set of bookcases (from Storehouse Furniture, now defunct I believe). I ordered the optional crown and base molding for each. Unbeknownst to me, the molding had to be installed on site in my home. They installed it upside down. Couldn't believe it.

This is what I gathered from the OP as well. They specified which direction the pattern would go when they ordered it and that is how the carpet was cut. The installers installed it the wrong way, so that there wasn't enough.

Installation company should pay 100% to replace the carpet.

This is how I read it as well. Carpet was ordered and cut to OP's preferred direction, installers changed direction and that's why there wasn't enough material. Installers, i.e. company's fault. They pay.

It would be great if OP came back to clarify, so we can better understand what we are talking about.