Carpet Installation Scams Exposed

 

Carpet installation is the process of placing a carpet inside a house, usually replacing the existing carpet. It is usually left to the professional craftsmen. There are many options that buyers can choose, and not all of those options are quite what they appear to be. Anyone who wants to install a carpet should be aware of some of the common carpet installation scams.

Bait and Switch Scam

In this scam, a buyer chooses a carpet based on the sample provided, only to discover that the actual carpet is of lesser quality. The inferior carpet may not have as much weight and density. It can also have a different, usually less subtle colors or a different texture. The best way to prevent this scam is to either keep the original sample or write down all of the desired carpet’s specifications and keep them on hand when the carpet is delivered.

Fiber Rip-Off Scam

In this variant of above scam, carpet dealers tell the buyer that their carpet was made using brand-name fibers. In reality, it contains nothing of the sort. They are able to get away with it by not mentioning the brand name in the invoice. This way, the carpet dealers can present proof that they were truthful while the buyer is left with no proof that the dealers ever claimed anything else. That is why customers should always check the invoice before signing it.

Measuring Scam

In this scam, the carpet installation professionals order either too much or too little carpet. In both cases, the buyers would wind up paying more then the carpet should have been worth. In the later case, they will have to wait weeks for the missing portions of the carpet to arrive. And, if the order isn’t process quick enough, they might not be able to get the right carpet at all. The best way to prevent this scam is to insist that the price of the carpet by square foot and the amount of carpet ordered are printed on the invoice. The carpet professionals that are reluctant to do this are probably not worth doing business with.  

Free Installation Scam

In this scam, carpet dealers advertise greatly reduced installation rates or even free installation. But the advertisements neglect to mention that this only apply to “basic” installations, which can mean as much – or as little work as dealers want. Any additional installation comes with hefty fees. Buyers should not sign anything until they know just what the basic installation entails – or the amount a dealer would impose for the rest of the installation process.

One Price Deal Scam

In this scam, a carpet dealer offers a buyer a package deal where padding and installation costs are included in the carpet price. The problem with this arrangement is that it allows a carpet dealer to avoid having to account for how the costs are distributed. It also allows carpet dealers to charge for upgrades and extras the buyer may not need. This is why buyers should always request itemized invoices where the carpet price and installation and padding costs are listed separately.