Bad install? - carpet installation for lowes - please rank 1 to 10

[icemanwiggins]

Can anyone give me a ranking from 1-10. 10 being fab, 1 complete horse pucky. I think I got a horrendous install.

Also, I'm of the opinion that the carpet will have to be completely replaced since the did a horrible job on the seams. I don't think it can be retaped without carpet threads getting stuck in-between the seams, plus I would imagine the cuts would have to be straight too So, There are gaps between 1/16 to 1/4 in some spots and in other areas the seams appear to overlap. The seams are clearly visible.

I'm having lowes come back....Here's the email and pictures I sent.

Hi Stephen, please let me know if there aren't enough pictures. The carpet is going to have to be replaced since it was so poorly installed. I won't let them reuse it, it's a total loss. Also, were suppose to get padding remnants for our closet underneath the stairs. there was enough carpet remnants for it, so I don't get why there wouldn't be any padding left???

Also, the installers damaged a $7000.00 built-in entertainment center. Dumb and dumber kept kicking the crap out of it and physical moved a 300lb built-in over 1/2" in some places . They never thought to stop when it physically moved. Had they stopped I could have improvised a solution to stop it from shifting and the carpet would look good as well. The carpet near that built-in is horrid. I'm unsure if I will be able to move the carcasses back fully to the face frame. It's a 10' built-in, and you have to reach in the back to pull the carcasses and there is very little room. I had to lift the carpet up to pull the face frame back into position. We may need to work out settlement if I can't repair it.

Beware I will not let the previous installers into to do any replacements. I expect the best of the best to do the replacement.

Thanks,
Isaac Wiggins
​

 

[icemanwiggins]

More pictures. Notice the square patch in the corner. It was also seamed with another 2' x 10' remnant....

 

[Floorist]

Terrible installation. They might be able to redo the seams if the carpet is loose enough. Get anything they tell you in writing. Keep a log of all phone calls. If you need to sue, you will need all information. You will probably be required to let them send someone to attempt to redo the installation.

 

[icemanwiggins]

I forgot to mention there is an exposed tack on the transition to the bathroom. Also, it appears a hammer was used on metal transition around our slider landing, it's dented all over. Is that normal?

Granted, I want to make sure I'm not being picky, I'm a perfectionist. But the quality really does not meet my standards so I just want to get everyone else's opinions. Check out the Bad-Ass transition I made: http://www.flooringforum.com/forum/f6/custom-transition-tile-carpet-jam-gap-2613/

 

[Floorist]

It is bad, but if you go to court, they will most likely make you give Lowes a chance to fix it. I don't see anything wrong with the carpet that I could not fix. And as far as the cross seam. Seam placement should have been discussed with you before installation, but unless you wanted to buy a lot of excess carpet, fill pieces won't be made in one piece. It is common for fills to be made from several pieces. I agree that their seams are not properly made, but even when they are, no one will promise invisible seams, especially in that type of carpet.
If you can prove that they did the woodwork damage, you should get compensated for it.

 

[Ernesto]

That would be a ZERO! Never pass a R-I CFI sertification. And thats basically a helper class cert.

 

[icemanwiggins]

It is bad, but if you go to court, they will most likely make you give Lowes a chance to fix it. I don't see anything wrong with the carpet that I could not fix. And as far as the cross seam. Seam placement should have been discussed with you before installation, but unless you wanted to buy a lot of excess carpet, fill pieces won't be made in one piece. It is common for fills to be made from several pieces. I agree that their seams are not properly made, but even when they are, no one will promise invisible seams, especially in that type of carpet.
If you can prove that they did the woodwork damage, you should get compensated for it.

I fixed the woodwork. They dodged a bullet there.

My wife did discuss the carpet layout with the estimator and provided him a drawing that I mocked up (see picture). We bought 15' goods. Our room is a long L. I had recommend for 45' run and 15'x15' run. The estimator told my wife that it would be impossible to carry the carpet in (Note: installers suggested otherwise). I couldn't say if that's true or not. Estimator then std, the would do three seams the opposite way, so you can see how it would the inverse of what I suggested. 15 x 15 x 15. I guess in a sense I went along with it based on expertise but I generally prefer that the least amount of seams as possible. It's hard to say if would be less waste.

 

[Floorist]

The 15x45 and 15x15, should have been done. Lowes could/should have sent extra help if necessary to get it in. As an installer, I would rather have had it that way. Installers would rather have as few seams as possible too.

 

[DarisMulkin]

We have carts and equipment to move large cuts. Now I guess I have a question which really don't make much sense but anyway. Where is the ambient light coming from. We are told to make seam perpendicular to the light source due to seam peaking and profiling. But in your case I would have run it the long way no matter what. One major seam is a gimme.
I'm sure Lowes will make it right but just in case I would do like floorist says and get your ducks in a row. Wouldn't hurt anyway, it would just add more fuel to the fire. It really is a bad installation, speaking from 48 yrs experience.

Daris

 

[icemanwiggins]

We have carts and equipment to move large cuts. Now I guess I have a question which really don't make much sense but anyway. Where is the ambient light coming from. We are told to make seam perpendicular to the light source due to seam peaking and profiling. But in your case I would have run it the long way no matter what. One major seam is a gimme.
I'm sure Lowes will make it right but just in case I would do like floorist says and get your ducks in a row. Wouldn't hurt anyway, it would just add more fuel to the fire. It really is a bad installation, speaking from 48 yrs experience.

Daris

Lowes just came over with a carpet tech. I have to say I've been really pleased with there customer service and fast response. They agreed to replace it and to do 45' run. In that sense, I'm really happy about it because the 45' run is what I wanted in the first place.

 

[rugaddict]

wow-can you imagine kickin a 45 footer?---i would never walk again----a power stretch should get a minimum of 4 inches stretch out of that puppy

 

[Floorist]

wow-can you imagine kickin a 45 footer?---i would never walk again----a power stretch should get a minimum of 4 inches stretch out of that puppy

Back in the old days, we would have kicked across the middle and divided it into two rooms. Then we would have kicked both ways away from the middle.

 

[Nick]

Yes , I remember back tacking it in the middle and kicking both ways .

 

[rugaddict]

as far as the install goes---i would give it a 5---yeah ive seen worse---i did an apartment the other day where someone else had done some glue down in the halls----there was all kinds of glue on the walls----how do you get glue on the walls?

 

[Nick]

With a Trial Rug .

 

[Ken]

I can tell you from personal experience that all lowes installers are not created equal. Something does seem a bit off to me though. Lowes does not use estimators. The installers do their own estimates. I like being the one who knows what hes doing because they all call me to fix the screw ups, lol.

 

[icemanwiggins]

Lowes came out and pulled up all the carpet and replaced. It looks 100% better. total of two seams, both which are not visible. Also, all the transitions look really good as well, the metal is not dented at all. Very very happy with the install.

 

[Floorist]

That's great.

 

[Ken]

Very rarely does anything from that company ever make it to court. They are very good about handling issues in house.

Sent from my HTC One using Flooring Forum mobile app

 

[LeePelletier]

Glad things ended up OK. Except for the layout issue, which was caused by the estimator, not the installer, the remaining issues were not major. The woodwork was not a major deal to fix up, for instance.

Seams may or may not be visible. A good seam should have the backings of the carpet touching, with no gaps, and no overlap. I'm simplifying here, but if the installer has done that, that's the best seam that can be made as far as appearance. Your carpet had a gap in the seams. That would have been fixable without replacing the carpet.

However, the only way to address the layout issue was replacement of the carpet.

Regards.