What to Do if You Chose the Wrong Carpet
What to Do if You Chose the Wrong Carpet
Choosing the right carpet can be
difficult, for a number of reasons. It can be hard to pick a color from a tiny
swatch, and some carpet salespeople out there are less than helpful. Or perhaps
you were trying to replace your carpet in time for an upcoming event, and were
therefore limited in your options of what was available at the time. Whatever
the reason, you’ve ended up with a carpet that you don’t like.
What can you do about it?
Don’t
Panic
The first step is to remain calm.
That may be hard to do when you’re looking at a carpet that you don’t like and
you’re thinking of the amount of money you just spent on it. But, take a deep
breath. It’s only carpet; and it can be changed.
The options available to you, to
change your carpet, will depend on what stage of the process you were at when
you realized that you’ve chosen the wrong carpet. Obviously, if you’re feeling
like you aren’t sure of the carpet, the best time to act is before the carpet
is installed.
See
the Whole Piece
If you chose your carpet from a
sample and the retailer had to order in the piece of carpet, request that the
salesperson call you when the carpet arrives at the retailer’s store or
warehouse. That way, before the installation, you can go into the store and see
your carpet in a large piece. Don’t be shy about asking the retailer to roll
out the carpet for you.
Trust me, a good retailer wants you
to be happy with your purchase, and will gladly take the extra bit of time to
make sure you feel comfortable with the carpet you chose. Bring along all of
your paint samples, sofa cushions, or other décor elements, and see how
everything works together.
If, at this point, you’re
questioning the carpet you chose, speak up.
This point of the process is the
easiest at which to change your mind. However, if you’re already past this
point, don’t worry – there’s still hope.
Stop
the Installation
When the installers arrive at your
home to install your new carpet, make sure that you are home. Before they
actually install the carpet, the installers will first roll it out in the room,
to begin trimming any excess. Ask the installers to let you know once they have
the carpet rolled out, and to wait before proceeding beyond this step until
you’ve given your approval.
Once the carpet is rolled out in
your room, take a few minutes to really look at it. It will look different than
it did in the store, because of different lighting, wall color, etc. If you
don’t like the way the carpet looks in your home, ask the installers to stop
the installation process, and phone the salesperson to discuss your options.
Activate
Your Warranty
Many carpets sold by large
manufacturers (Shaw, Mohawk) now carry a customer satisfaction warranty. This
is usually a 30-day or 60-day warranty that will cover the cost of replacement,
no questions asked. This is different than a manufacture’s performance warranty.
There does not have to be a defect or any other issue for enacting the customer
satisfaction warranty; it is specifically for cases in which the purchaser
doesn’t like the carpet.
With the customer satisfaction
warranty, typically only the cost of the new carpet (of the same value as the
original carpet purchased) is covered. That means that you will likely be
responsible for the cost of installation of the replacement carpet. Depending
on the area being carpeted, that could be fairly costly. However, you will have
to weigh the cost of replacement now, against the option of living with carpet
you don’t like for years to come. Paying for only the installation at this
point will be less expensive than paying for a full replacement in a year or
two, when you decide you can no longer live with the carpet.
Talk
to Your Retailer
If your new carpet has been
installed, does not carry a customer satisfaction warranty, and you don’t feel
that you can live with it, talk to your retailer.
This is why choosing a good retailer
is so important. As stated above, most retailers want you to be happy with your
purchase, and will do what they can, within reason, to ensure that you’re
satisfied.
The retailer won’t be able to cover
the cost of replacing your carpet. After all, you chose it, and they gave you
the product you asked for. However, they may be able to work with you, to offer
a discounted replacement. If you decide immediately that you don’t like your
new carpet, there is a chance you can work something out with the retailer,
where they can perhaps credit you some of the cost by taking the carpet to use
on their showroom floor, or maybe even clean and re-sell the carpet (with full
disclosure, hopefully).
Look
Elsewhere
The key thing is to be open and
honest with the salesperson, and discuss the options available to you. If the
retailer is unable to help, then consider if any family or friends are looking
for new carpet, and if your carpet would work for their home. If so, perhaps
you can work out a deal with them that would enable you to recoup some of the
cost of the carpet, which you can put towards the cost of the replacement. As a
last resort, you could try posting the carpet on an online classifieds site.
Learn
From Your Mistakes
Regardless of which avenue you take
to have the carpet replaced, learn from the mistake made when selecting the
first carpet. Be sure this time that the color, style, and quality of carpet
are suitable for your home.
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