Buying carpet online then paying local carpet shop to fit it?

twopenny

If they are selling the carpet and fitting it they need to be sure it's right or they are liable for replacement. So it's reassuring for the customer too.
If you buy and its not right you'll have to pay to dispose or sell on. If an independent fitter gets it wrong.... then presumably theyd be responsible to pay for a new carpet and dispose.
Ive done this once with a small room, square. Took me ages to find someone to do it.

Just some thoughts.
I think seeing if your shop can order it first shows willing and could be easier for you in the long run.

sourpuss2021

Thanks all!   The guy has just been round and says the room would need a 5m by 5m roll.  The carpet I’ve had in other rooms but don’t really want for this one costs £18 per sqm (with the underlay and gripper costing extra).  I think that’s a fairly decent amount to be spending (though could just be London prices and/or inflation!) so I should have other options.   They said they’d be fine just with fitting, but could look in to ordering different carpets I see  too.

Now the only remaining issue is my destructive cat!!   But he’s too old to change his ways…

plumb1_2

What would happen is you ordered the carpet online and when the fitter arrived and unrolled the carpet there was a fault in it ?

sourpuss2021

plumb1_2 said:

What would happen is you ordered the carpet online and when the fitter arrived and unrolled the carpet there was a fault in it ?

Then I’d have been sold a defective carpet and the seller would owe me a refund!  Just the same as if I was the one that unrolled it.

If the fitter managed to make a total codge of fitting it and tried to blame it on the carpet, perhaps that would be more complicated.   But hopefully that would be unlikely.

I will visit some more showrooms.  There are thousands of sellers with 5m x 5m carpet rolls on eBay but I don’t think I’d take that risk with a carpet I’ve not rubbed between forefinger and thumb!

mi-key

sourpuss2021 said:

plumb1_2 said:

What would happen is you ordered the carpet online and when the fitter arrived and unrolled the carpet there was a fault in it ?

Then I’d have been sold a defective carpet and the seller would owe me a refund!  Just the same as if I was the one that unrolled it.

If the fitter managed to make a total codge of fitting it and tried to blame it on the carpet, perhaps that would be more complicated.   But hopefully that would be unlikely.

I will visit some more showrooms.  There are thousands of sellers with 5m x 5m carpet rolls on eBay but I don’t think I’d take that risk with a carpet I’ve not rubbed between forefinger and thumb!

A lot of the ebay sellers will send out either a free sample, or supply one for a couple of pounds

Belenus

sourpuss2021 said:

plumb1_2 said:

What would happen is you ordered the carpet online and when the fitter arrived and unrolled the carpet there was a fault in it ?

Then I’d have been sold a defective carpet and the seller would owe me a refund!  Just the same as if I was the one that unrolled it.

The fitter would rightly want paying anyway as he/she has travelled and committed their time.

You would not get that money back from the faulty carpet supplier.

danrv

sourpuss2021 said:

Thanks all!   The guy has just been round and says the room would need a 5m by 5m roll.  

My lounge (and whole house) needs new carpet.
Lounge measures 4m x 3.5m but would probably need a 5m roll too. A recent quote from a shop was £450 inc. fitting, underlay and new grippers.
May try another couple of places and agree that keeping it all from one company is best.

Sarahspangles

I’m now having flashbacks!
Our local ‘barn’ happily gives out the number of its freelance fitters, who will also fit an offcut you’ve sourced elsewhere, in between other jobs.  We found a decent heavy wool roll end.  OH collected it on the roof of an estate. On arrival OH could lift his end but mine had to slide on some cardboard with me steering it.  The roll was pretty long, as well as heavy, so the logical place to ‘store’ it was on the stairs, until the fitters came.

OH was then due to be working away for a few days.  In the middle of the first night, the parcel tape securing the roll failed and the roll unfurled, and was also now able to bend which meant it could slide some way into the hallway.   It was just about possible to scramble up and down stairs over the obstacle, but I couldn’t move the carpet an inch, and the front door was now firmly wedged shut.  The door which was the only entrance suitable for the delivery of some furniture coming the very next day.  OH had to play the ‘domestic emergency’ card to come home and help move it.
The fitters thought it was hilarious.

Risteard

sourpuss2021 said:

Thanks, all!   The guy from the carpet shop is booked to come round to measure the room, which seemed a bit unnecessary to me as I’ve already told him the dimensions.  But he will be able to tell me what size roll it would be.  

If they used third-party fitters then I wouldn’t have the cheek to go in there to ask for their fitters details.  But I believe they do it themselves, with one of their sons helping.

I had this thing before where I booked the local glaziers to replace a part of a sash window. (A spiral sash balance).  They quoted me £300 and were booked to come and do it.  Then the day before, taking fright at the price, I went in there and asked if I could just buy the part and then I’d find someone else to fit it.   They were not happy at all,  and point blank refused to sell it to me.  The guy walked off mid-conversation, a total moody.

I was then able to find the part online for £20 and got someone else to fit it for £80.  Putting it generously, this made me realise how many other costs are involved when you’re buying from even a small local high street.   Or ungenerously, how inflated their prices are.

The glaziers are never short of business so I don’t feel bad about it.  Though I do always hurry past their shop in case the guy is outside!   And I’d rather not have this happen again with the carpet shop since I walk past them multiple times a week!

I don’t mind if the price of fitting alone is a bit inflated, if I’ve saved money buying the carpet roll itself online.   So long as it all ends up the same price overall and I’ve put some business their way.

You were completely out of order cancelling that other job the night before.

mi-key

Sarahspangles said:

I’m now having flashbacks!
Our local ‘barn’ happily gives out the number of its freelance fitters, who will also fit an offcut you’ve sourced elsewhere, in between other jobs.  We found a decent heavy wool roll end.  OH collected it on the roof of an estate. On arrival OH could lift his end but mine had to slide on some cardboard with me steering it.  The roll was pretty long, as well as heavy, so the logical place to ‘store’ it was on the stairs, until the fitters came.

OH was then due to be working away for a few days.  In the middle of the first night, the parcel tape securing the roll failed and the roll unfurled, and was also now able to bend which meant it could slide some way into the hallway.   It was just about possible to scramble up and down stairs over the obstacle, but I couldn’t move the carpet an inch, and the front door was now firmly wedged shut.  The door which was the only entrance suitable for the delivery of some furniture coming the very next day.  OH had to play the ‘domestic emergency’ card to come home and help move it.
The fitters thought it was hilarious.

It's amazing how heavy good quality carpet is ! When I had to take out the old 70s one from my living room ( which is pretty big ) I had to cut it into 1m wide strips to be able to get it out