Carpet Basics, the place to learn what to advise and how in order to avoid a problem

What are you hunting for?

The Second thought that comes to mind is Colours .

Your next task is QUALITY selection.

What can we learn from the label on the back of the carpet?

What is the BCMA Carpet Grading Scheme?

Stain resistance?

I have a complaint.

What are you hunting for?

A client who specifies a price range without viewing what is on the market is on a slippery slope to disaster. A sales person who allows the client to purchase on this specification alone is opening the door to a host of possible problems at a later date. The sales person is supposed to be the professional advisor and the client is paying in part for the correct truthful advise.

Show the client a grade above and a grade below their quoted price bracket, in this way they can see a quality difference and make a more informed decision.

Example Heavy Domestic

What on earth does that mean? It is so generalistic that it is pretty meaningless. Usually only one half of a couple will view the carpet:- client 'a’ is 6Oish & client ‘b’ is 3Oish. Now by being a detective you find out some facts.

Client ~A’ 2 people, age 60, no pets.

Client ~B’ 2 people, age 30, BIG dog, 2 children.

On face value the carpet with the above specification would suffice to suit both clients; until you dig deeper to find out their expectations on what they expect from a carpet.
The carpet sales person IS the professional and must give appropriate advice.

NOW YOU MUST, IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY ASK YOURSELF

(1) Is the material specification you are viewing or advising on, correct and fit for the use it is intended? A complaint will arise if the client has not been advised correctly and a complaint could well be upheld; even if the so called specification states Heavy Domestic is stamped on the sample. A large amount of common sense must be used by both parties. In the end the professional will probably be the one who loses.

The Second thought that comes to mind is Colours .

A successful Colours scheme for a room will contain Colours which may either match, harmonise or compliment each other.
Plain, mottled or patterned? That is the perplexing question. Plain... single Colours carpet can be easier to select from as they will either match your decour or not. Dirt and soiling may well be more obvious as well as Tracking.

Mottled... not patterned, heather twist pile for example will usually have a mixture of several Colours blended into it which compliment one another and allow more chance of harmonising with your decour. Usually because of the mottling dirt and soiling will be less obvious.

Patterned... the range of patterned carpet is vast but the choice for your home can be difficult as you have to take into account existing decour. Patterned curtains or a patterned suite will very rarely blend with a patterned carpet the selection is slower and more painstaking.

When you do go hunting for a carpet always take with you the largest possible samples of Colours from your home, wallpaper, curtains, cushions etc.
This allows you to see samples under the same lighting with the carpet samples.
It also will allow some one to assist you without trying to read your mind (totally impossible). No one can carry Colours in their mind as different
lighting schemes will change your perspective. Once a Colours or Colours have been selected always insist the samples are borrowed to view in the area and light they will be used.

Remember the sample is only a representation of the Colours NOT the shade and dye of the actual carpet you receive, there will almost always be some variation.

The degree of variance is often the cause for complaint. The often stated "Grey Scale" is used.

For example: The colour YOU want is ( BLUE )

BLUE BLUE BLUE BLUE BLUE BLUE BLUE

All the above may well fall into this, for want of a better phrase 'rule of thumb'. What is acceptable to one person may not be with another.

If colour shade is crucial

1. Request a cutting of current stock ( remember they WILL NOT keep it sitting on the shelf for long while you think about it.) It will either be right or wrong. The sample should have numbers to define which batch or roll it has been taken from, this requires to be put on your receipt and on the order to the manufacturer. It should go without saying if it isn't the right shade don't buy. It may be months before any new material is made and even then the shade may not suit you especially if its a berber style.

2. Your other alternative is to have a carpet dyed to the shade you require. There are a few manufacturers that specialize in doing this with quantities as small as 26 square meters, of course at a small premium, but then if its important it may save time.

If its gone too far and you are in dispute over the sample selected from and the actual carpet.

	Obtain the shop sample.
	Place it near the carpet NOT on it. I would usually place a white sheet on the carpet about 1.metre wide with the small sample in the middle leaving about 30-50 centimetres around the edge. Stand up and view.
	The CRUCIAL point to look for IS IT A REASONABLE REPRESENTATION of the sample? Would a third party unassociated with any party find it a REASONABLE REPRESENTATION? This is important for your argument under U.K. sales of goods act.
	The REASONABLE part comes into play because there is often no mention on the sample or in the shop this may occur and you most probably didn't state the importance of shade but remember you only selected from a SAMPLE not an actual cutting.
	To have a reasonable chance of success on border line cases you need the shop on your side. This would then be two parties arguing the point if the manufactures prove difficult.
	Remember this is a GREY area using a scale called the GREY scale.
	In a small claims court you must prove your expectations were REASONABLE.

Once you have your carpet colour samples; Your next task is QUALITY selection. The samples you have chosen are for colour and possibly not suitable for the area or purpose they were created for.

What properties are you looking for or expecting to get from a carpet.

The quality features of a carpet relate to such factors as colour fastness, resistance to soiling and stains, resistance to flattening of the pile and — of course — durability When we have looked at and handled samples of various types of carpets, we will start to appreciate how they differ in their texture and in the thickness of the pile, and also how well the pile recovers after it has been compressed. To make really sound decisions, we must look at the backing of the carpet, and inspect the label that
describes the product.

What can we learn from the label on the back of the carpet?

The labeling on the back of the carpet samples that you see in the showroom should contain the essential information called for in British Standard 3655, including the manufacturer’s advice regarding the rooms of the house for which the carpet is suitable, e.g. living room, dining room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom,
hail and stairs. The carpet manufacturer may have his own distinctive label which will contain useful information about the product, including:

The method of construction e.g. tufted, woven (Axminster or Wilton) or bonded. (See Carpet Styles)

	What the pile materials are e.g. wool, a man-made fibre (nylon, acrylic, rayon, polypropylene etc) or a mixture of wool and man-made fibre. (See Carpet Fibres)
	The usual widths available:- 5.00m, 4.57m, 4.00m, 3.66m, 3.00m, 2.74m, 2.00m, 1.83m, 1.00m, 0.91m, 0.39m, 0.34m, and some are available in any width.

NOTE:- Widths are subject to manufacturing tolerance. B.S.3655 specifies a tolerance of plus-or-minus 1.25%

• Suitability for use, recommendations (the manufacturer’s recommendations as to the rooms in the home for which the carpet is suitable).

As well as taking note of the manufacturer’s recommendations, it is useful to have the advice of your retailer remember you must discuss your home circumstances and your expectations. You should also look for the label of the BCMA Carpet Grading Scheme which has a distinctive logo.

What is the BCMA Carpet Grading Scheme?

This is the grading scheme operated by the British Carpet Manufacturers’ Association (BCMA) which is used by major carpet producers in the United Kingdom. The scheme is based on British Standard 7131:1989
(This will be superseded soon by the new EU iso standard), and offers consumers:

• independent checking of pile fibre weight and density;

• machine testing of the carpet’s ability to keep its ‘as new’ look;

• random testing to maintain quality standards; and,

• a room suitability guide.

The BCMA classification of the carpet may be shown on a separate label, or the information may be incorporated into the manufacturer’s label.

The BCMA Grading Scheme ensures that the carpet has been independently checked in accordance with a number of British Standard tests. These tests take account of the form of construction of the carpet, the type of pile material, the weight and density of the pile and its height above the backing.

If you have any problem regarding the labeling of carpets with which the retailer cannot help you, you can phone BCMA (tel: 0171 580 7155) for additional information.

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST ? WRONG QUESTION (who knows)

HOW LONG WILL IT RETAIN ITS APPEARANCE IF MAINTAINED CORRECTLY ? CORRECT QUESTION

Is the carpet stain resistant ? WRONG QUESTION (resistant does not mean proof)

To what extent will the carpet be resistant to stains ? CORRECT QUESTION

ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS DON'T BE GENERALISTIC

I have a complaint.

If you have a problem contact the dealer or the place where you purchased the carpet and inform them what the problem is and request that an inspection takes place. They would normally view the carpet first to ensure that there is a manufacturer related problem prior to calling them in to inspect. See Carpet Council Complaint form. To see what should be asked and noted.

If it appears that there is a manufacturing defect then the manufacturer will commission an inspection.

When the Inspector arrives:-

	Ask for a business card.
	Ask about his experience and credentials.
	Ask what the issue of the report is going to be. Some issues like 'Wear' have strict legal definition that has to do with loss of face yarn. A sample will usually be required to be removed for testing. Whereas wearability is a broader issue that has to do with the general appearance.
	Ask who will be doing any tests.
	Note the amount of time spent doing the inspection.
	Note where observations were made and what tests were performed.
	Do not ask the inspector direct questions about what his opinion is of your problem. The manufacturer is paying him for that information and unless otherwise specified that opinion is confidential.

After the inspection:-

	Ask the person for a copy of the report. On some occasions you have no entitlement to see this as you haven't paid for it, but the person you purchased from should write to you about the findings and outcome.
	Obtain your own report from an inspector you may employ if you are unhappy about the outcome. See email complaint form.
	There are organisations such as the Contract Flooring Association and the Federation of master fitters that can assist with a report at a reasonable cost. Or go to another shop and ask if they would be willing to view and report on your problem at a reasonable fee.