I was looking for a quick install of a low pile carpet. Even though the carpet price was clearly marked as inclusive of installation costs, the installer will not install. They claim that the cheaper carpet often requires warranty work (a lie as I've installed the cheaper brands many time without an issue). I think it's simply because they're not making enough money. Total cost was $ 1400 including the install. I canceled the order and put in one at Lowes and ran into the exact same issue. I wound up just going to a local supplier and paying a few bucks more as I refuse to work with HD or Lowes any further on this. I'm under pressure as the tenant is moving in on Feb 15 and I've been going back and forth with the big box guys for nearly a month.

I don't know if anyone else is running into this, but I thought I'd pass along.

Dealing with any flooring company is a challenge these days, especially from the Big Box Stores. They do NOT do the install themselves, they farm it out to an independent contractor, making profit on the sales and installation. Leaving very little money for the installers.

Because of FHA and Section 8 requirements, the weight of carpet has to be at least 29 oz in some areas, even more in others. I have to provide my illegals better carpeting then the quality I give to my children or grandchildren. Plus the illegals won't use a vacuum, instead a broom.

That's interesting. When I bought a garage door, they had a contractor from 100 miles away do the actual install. (He couldn't do any carpentry work, so I had to have my handyman do all the actual prep work for the doors to go in. One of the reasons I had gone with the box store was because I wanted a one-stop shop.)

I'm surprised that their contractor is willing to sign up as a subcontractor for box-store installation, but balks at doing the actual install. I'd expect them to be penalized in some way if they refused to follow through and the box store lost the sale, and that whatever the details of a particular job would be, they'd make it up in volume.

One thing you might look for is those carpet squares they have in offices. I had a finished attic where I used them. In theory, they were glue-down, but they were just fine being laid down as they were. A higher-traffic area like a bedroom might have needed a different technique. It was fast and easy. The hardest part was that I was trying to match a product that I'd found in one of our acquisitions, where the carpet squares were really thick and cushy and awesome. I liked that built-in padding. It took me a whole lot of searching all over Texas before someone told me that what I was trying to match was the kind of flooring you have under climbing walls. Once I figured out what it was (and what its price point was), I had the confidence to go with a thinner product that had less cushion, but still that carpeted surface that I wanted.

We just installed carpet in a rental. We wanted a quick turnaround. I called Home Depot, they sent a lacky out to measure the place, then I went in to look at carpet samples. I had to go to the EXACT same HD store I ordered the measuring from and they wanted to do an asbestos test on the tiles on the floor.

I decided to go with a local carpet guy, who gave me the number to the installer. The total for about 700 sq feet of carpet and installed was about $3810.

The local installer was able to fit us in the day after painting was done (about two weeks early).

I don't think I could have purchased LPV materials that cheap.

Want it done fast, do it yourself.

It isn't rocket science.

That's how I got started in it. My flooring guy started taking longer and longer to get started, or even to measure the place. The box stores wanted me to buy carpet and pad to do the install. Then I was waiting for them. Have only had one bad install and Lowes sent another crew out to fix it.

When I have lots of time I see what deals are out there. When it is a small job and/or I need it fast I just buy the carpet and get my fat butt to work.

You could rent the tools cheaper than driving over here to borrow mine, but the offer stands.

Tony--I'd like to get those guys' contact info.