The carpet is supposed to be installed today. I say supposed to be installed, because Monday afternoon we got a call from the installers, saying that they might be able to make it to our house around 11:00 AM to begin the installation, and that they possibly would be able to finish by the end of the day. To which I say – WTF? Since when is it acceptable for installers to show up when half the day is over when know they have a full day’s worth of work to do? They told Doug the reason for the late start is due to not being able to pick up the carpet Monday evening, which means they will have to pick it up the morning of the installation. To which I say, then GET OUT OF BED EARLIER to go get it so you can show up to the job at a respectable time. An inconvenience on your part should not create one for me, the customer – what is it about carpet that makes all of this customer-service stuff so difficult to understand?
We did our best huff and puff and threatened to pull the entire sale if they couldn’t guarantee us better beginning and end times for the installation, but who knows if they will actually give a damn or not. We are having to board our pets for the day to do this and did not reserve more than a day at the kennel, because the salesperson told us the job would be done in one day when we made our down payment. And they absolutely could be done in day if they bothered to show up between 8 and 9 AM like, oh, any other contractor or installer I’ve ever dealt with in my life doing a major job at my house.
Anyway, we did our part and cleared out closets and moved all the knick-knacks off the tables and will get up in the morning, take the pets to the kennel (which I hate doing, I feel so guilty and miserable the whole day they’re locked up), and unhook all the electronics the installers won’t touch. Here’s hoping they show up at a decent hour and get the thing done quickly. We really need to paint the house, too, but we may have to wait awhile on that. I’m about done with home improvements for now. Well, not so much the improvements as I am the people I have to deal with to get the improvements made. Wish us luck everyone!
mareymercy. 
Geoff says you can back-charge them for any extra cost to you (assuming you only gave them a deposit). Good luck with this. I know how you feel — we’ve been through this. It is so stressful. I am sure the result will be beautiful. How luxurious to have new carpet!
Good to know. Perhaps our expectations are unrealistic, but I don’t see “we have to go pick up the materials” as an excuse for losing half a day’s work. I am sure the warehouse where the carpet is currently stored opens early, so get there right when it opens to pick it up so you can be at your client’s house at a decent hour! I swear they just use stuff like that as an excuse to start late and take their time. They don’t really care when they get the job finished and if it inconveniences the customer to lose half a day. Unless I am totally imagining things here…
Imho, you are not imagining things. I think the way it works is, the demanding customers are dealt with differently, and anyone who doesn’t stipulate starting and ending times and other conditions, in writing, and get it initialed by the person in authority at the vendor, doesn’t get anything extra or is considered at a lower priority.
What we have learned to do (via Geoff’s company) is draft our own proposal as a rider to their offer. Then we put down our terms and make them initial it. That doesn’t mean they will adhere to it, but establishes an amplified “contractual” agreement — that is legal — to serve as the basis for any back-charges. It has helped, even at home. That is the way it is done on commercial projects, based on this very kind of situation. People take any advantage they can, especially if they think you will be flexible or are not “in the industry”.
fwiw, anyway. Maybe give them snacks and entice them to get it done today. (Oh and I always block off the bathrooms and say we are having plumbing work done and they are unavailable — from bitter experiences in that regards, lol).
Thanks for confirming this. I guess we are like all residential customers when it comes to stuff like this; we think we know but we don’t really know. If we do the painting also this summer, I will follow your example and come up with some sort of rider. Wish we’d thought of it before finalizing this carpet thing, but at least we did insist on a little better service yesterday even if it turns out not to make a difference and they stroll up at noon anyway. part of the issue here is how infrequently we deal with stuff like this so we were caught unawares. The only thing working in our favor right now is that we are cranky enough to complain! Moving forward we will channel the crankiness into a form that is more organized from the get-go.
How can we all be expected to guess every loophole people will walk through? It is like wedding vendors – they determine whether you will be a repeat customer and do things accordingly. We can’t be experts in every field. If Geoffrey hadn’t gone through this the hard way, we would be no better off. Frankly, they can do whatever they want anyway, just might be less likely to do that if they think you know what’s what. Like taking taxis in foreign countries or cities – if you tell them what route to take (that you figure out in advance), they are less likely to drive around in circles and over-charge. At this point, sweetening things personally for the installers is the best bet (like offering them a tip if they stay and get it done).
in that regarD. sigh.
Well they are here now, trying to move furniture while my husband takes a business call…so nerve-wracking. pray for me.
😀 fingers crossed
Most floor covering companies farm the work out to labor shops that are independent contractors. True commercial installations can be governed by time limitations and penalties may be imposed if the work is not completed within the agreed time frame. As a single family dwelling, you we’re probably not offered specific time constraints. Kind of like the phone or cable guy saying they will be there between 8 and noon, and then they don’t show until 1pm. Not much you can do.
You may find that you will get better results with “candy” than vinegar. Since these guys only know that the carpet must be close to the wall in as many places as possible and the fuzzy side goes up, they do understand cold drinks anda small tip give you not only a better installation, but also faster.
Hope all works out for you guys.
Well, they showed up around 10:30 and are still here…so I guess they are gonna finish in one day at least! And these guys actually DO work for the company we bought the carpet from, surprisingly. Apparently it’s all one big family. Unusual though-I know most installations are contracted. Our stove installation definitely was.