RE: [OT] Measuring carpet...

["Hawes,Timothy Edward \(GEG\)" <haweste@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Kilgore
>=20
> Hmmm, I didn't want to mention the actual company but as you=20
> have then, yes it was Carpet "Right"...

Been there, done that. Have a screw-up with them for the first carpet
(deli=
vered completely the wrong colour/size - their fault) it did eventually
get=
fixed though.

I don't want to sound like I'm defending them however my replies may come
a=
cross.

> Summary of the story:
>  - Misses wanted to get new carpet for the stairs so I gave=20
> her the measurements (worked out that we need ~5 square meters).

What were the actual dimensions?

>  - She goes to Carpet Right and is told that she needs 2.6m=20
> off a 4 meter roll
>  - She comes home and I can't for the life of me figure out=20
> why we need so much (10.4 square meters)

2.6 * 4 =3D 10.4m2...but...

If you have a straight run of 13 steps (guessed) and the riser and going
ar=
e both 0.250m (guessed) then you need (0.25+0.25)*13 =3D 6.5m
If your stairs are 0.8m wide then that's 6.5*0.8=3D5.2m2

At a 4m width that's, say, two 3.5m lengths out of each width and a length
=
off the roll of 1.6m (say 2m to allow for trimming - two lots of .1m at
eac=
h side of each 3.5m length) so you'd expect to receive a piece 2m x 4m
(i.e=
. 8m2)
At first I'd thought they'd allowed for the run of the stairs to be along
t=
he run of the roll, rather than the width, but unless you've got very
small=
stairs that doesn't work either. So at a minimum you've got a piece 4m by =
0.6m (i.e. 2.4m2) that you don't need.

Sounds like something's definitely wrong!!

>  - I ring Carpet "Right" and query this and the guy assumes
I=20
> know nothing about the way the carpet is cut/measured and=20
> manages to fob me off telling me; "There will be some=20
> wastage, but not much"

>  - On top of that, I ask whether I can use my own grippers=20
> (they were charging =A31.75 per gripper when I could have got=20
> 100 from Screwfix for =A323).
> They said "Not really" as the fitter may charge extra for=20
> installing non Carpet "Right" grippers and that they
would=20
> affect the warranty.

C-R fitted a new bedroom carpet on top of old underlay and with existing
gr=
ippers so I suspect that was just BS... :-(((
I know what you mean though - they really do mark up this stuff to make up
=
for the cheaper m2 price I presume.
=20
> So, looks like I've been well and truly had.
> This is our first time buying carpet and certainly our last=20
> time from these cowboys.

We said that after our first (and bad) experience, although we managed to
f=
ind ourselves back in their showroom not too long ago and the second
experi=
ence was much better. We went in more informed though...

> It's not that I mind having (quite a bit of) spare carpet -=20
> it's just the fact I feel I've been conned.
> The fitter seemed very surprised that we were only having the=20
> stairs done given the amount of carpet he'd been given.
>=20
> As for the fitter, decent enough guy - I left him to it.

They usually are, and as Paul points out, they're all self-employed so no
r=
eal connection with C-R, unfortunately.

> I (mistakenly) thought that, having seen the pressure mats he=20
> knew what they were and would take suitable care.
> Either that or ask me what they were etc.
> So I guess I'm to blame for that.

It can't be the first time he'd seen them though, can it?
I'd speak to him and see what he suggests.
Not that it's really the point, but do the mats still work with the
staples=
removed?
=20
> Cheers,
> Andy.

HTH,

Tim.