Is This Carpet Quote Fair?

bobwilson

We're having a new carpet fitted in our house, and have received 3 quotes. :j

Having called all the master carpet fitters in my area (http://www.nicfltd.org.uk), they all refuse to fit a carpet we have bought ourselves because they say there's no profit in it for them! Cheeky buggars...

So it looks like we're having to use a shop that supplies & fits. We're keeping the existing grips.

Does anyone know if these quotes look about right?

Quote 1:
Carpet: Penthouse Vermont Memphis 50oz (79.25sq.mt): £2189.68
Cloud9 Nimbus underlay (59sq.mt): £339.13
Installation: £5.25 per sq.mt: £416.06
Surcharge for stairs & landing: £75
Uplift and Clear existing carpet: £2.95 per sq.mt: £233.79
Total: £3253.66

Quote 2:
£3200
(cloud9 cirrus underlay)

Quote 3:
£2900
(cloud9 cirrus underlay)

Online price
(www.fabflooringcarpetsandhomefurnishings.co.uk and www.TradePriced.co.uk):
The same carpet: £1,821.50 (includes delivery)
Cloud9 cirrus underlay: £165.49 (includes delivery)
Removal & Installation: (edit: found a carpet fitter willing to do it!): £495
Total: £2481.99

My questions are (in nice italicized text):

Do these quotes sound fair? :cool:

Does it sound right that carpet fitters refuse to fit your carpet unless they supply it?

It's starting to sound like the builder's quotes we just received for a small single garage conversion (quotes ranging upward of £15,000!) they refused to quote for just labour. After finding out what materials they were using, it became obvious they were all up-pricing their quoted materials cost.

What happened to the good old days of earning an honest day's work... :rotfl:

Thanks

Nile

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

bobwilson

Nile wrote: »

moved to another board, where it should get more replies.

doesn't seem to be getting more replies

Oli.s

They can refuse any work they want, and I guess if they are refusing to do it because there isn't enough money in it for them, then they are probably telling you straight!

We recently had a striped carpet fitted on our stairs and landings, this consists of two flights of twisting stairs and two landings, it was 20m2 of carpet, doesn't sound much but the twisting stairs coupled with the striped carpet meant it took him and his apprentice, from 9am to 3pm, I had already removed the old carpet and underlay. I guess before tax he needs to be covering £150 a day and at least half that again for the apprentice so without the kickback from the shop it probably isn't sustainable for the fitter.

cattie

The fitting charge sounds very high to me. Last time I had carpet & underlay fitted, which comprised of 2 lots of stairs, one of them twisting and the 2 landings & 2 large bedrooms, the fitting charge was around £75.

Lots of decent carpet places offer free fitting for rooms and you only have to pay for fitting if stairs are included & that's what I'd be looking for if it were me.

bobwilson

The 3rd shop just decreased their quote to £2700

Another carpet fitter came today, his website says "WE GUARANTEE TO BEAT ANY QUOTE!". After measuring up, he said he couldn't beat it

bobwilson

Oli.s wrote: »

I guess before tax he needs to be covering £150 a day and at least half that again for the apprentice

ok

Oli.s wrote: »

without the kickback from the shop it probably isn't sustainable for the fitter.

How so? That contradicts what you just said.

Gastines2

An example of poor business practice."We will beat any quote".When in the carpet business as a fitter but also supplying if required, I often used to come across competitors telling my customers that they would match or beat my quote. They usually couldn't but I thought they were obviously incapable of doing a competitive measure and quote themselves. Measuring up sites,houses and large sites I used to find in the majority of cases many firms would vastly over estimate the amount of carpet and underlay required, so giving them a bit of leeway if the client wanted any discount. Another favourite was to supply a lower quality grade than actually quoted for. Many carpets are now available in 4-5 qualities and most stores do not have any samples for you to take away enabling you to do any quality comparison!!! I found out that on several large hotel contracts where I was fitting carpet supplied ,the labelling on all the rolls had been removed?? You can guess why.On a more positive note, after reading the prices quoted I am thinking of coming out of retirement and getting the tool kit and knee-kicker/power stretcher out of the garage.

bobwilson

Thanks. I google searched the name of our carpet and couldn't see any options to buy lower grades anywhere, so I guess there is only one grade available?

bobwilson

gastines2, what do u mean by other "qualities"? are u talking about factory seconds or carpet weight? can u describe a bit more what u mean? thanks