The last time I bought carpeting, it was about as pleasant as buying a car. If I bought carpeting at Sears/HD, is the price listed pretty much *the* price, or am I expected to haggle like I am in a MidEast bazaar?
If the last place you bought a rug was at a small downtown shop (or even a mall store) then I would expect the big box experience of HD or Sears to be more of a western style of buying. There is generally no negotiation in a corporate chain store except perhaps for damaged/returned or clearance stock (also special orders not delivered)
There are also several good places on the web to shop. Even if you do not but on the net, you can look at national brands and find out typical price points.
The last place to buy carpet is Sear/Home Depot/Lowes. The price is fixed, but it is a crap shoot as to the installers and generally not a bargain price. We're fortunate to have an excellent dealer in town. Ask around, maybe you do also.
A good dealer will point out differences in quality, help choose what is best for your needs, see that it is installed by an experienced pro. And make a profit while selling at a fair price.
It's not the last place for me. It's not even a consideration. We went there, priced carpet, and when we returned to purchase it, the price went up considerably. It was at Lowe's.
Steve
While I am not a fan of the big box stores, retail prices constantly change.
What was the price of a gallon of gas last week?, tomorrow?, yesterday? ... same for bread, milk, coffee, mortgage rates, lumber, sheet goods, ....
The largest carpet manufacturer (I work for 'em) had 6 price increases last year due to the run-up in oil prices driving nylon prices up.
Thanks. In my area we have a local Non-profit version of consumer reports that rates various businesses by survey. It is pretty reliable. I'll do some research there.
I just hate feeling like I am horse-trading, or in some cases, camel-trading.
Ed, I sent you an email yesterday, did you see it?
My wife and I recently priced vinyl flooring at Lowes. The price per foot was decent, and when we sat down with the salesman, we were shocked. The price did not include installation. And the installation cost did not include the adhesive for the flooring! The sales guy told us he could only give us a range for the total cost. That range was $1200 - $2000 dollars depending on the installers opinion of the work involved. We decided to go back to a local flooring/carpet dealer we had used before. He has a small, cramped little shop, nothing fancy. He showed us several samples, and even gave us several samples to take home and compare in our kitchen. Not only was his price (and product) better, but it included installation, toe trim, replacement black vinyl trim for the base cabinet, and whatever floor prep was needed. His total price was under $700 (labor included), and he also has his own 2 year labor warranty in addition to the manufacturers warranty. I should also mention that he personally works on every install! He has put carpet in nearly every room in our home and we have never had an issue with his work or products. Try to find an independent flooring dealer in your area and stay away from the big chain places if you can.
Good luck.
Les
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.