The Carpet Buyers Blog
28th February 2009 - Carpeting for the disabled
This week, it came to my attention again that people want to know more about carpeting for disabled people. Usually that means wheel chairs, but it can also mean conditions such as strokes, MS and Parkinsons. Certainly for wheelchairs this means firmer underlay, with the carpet being stuck to it with adhesive. This installation method reduces resistance to wheels moving over it and also reduces bubbling from any stretching that may occur (a trip factor).
In the most severe cases it is arguably more practical to miss out underlay altogether and stick the carpet straight down to the floor. I'm reminded though that disabled people are very often partnered to perfectly healthy people who may want the comfort for more conventional living practices (ie lying on the floor). Able bodied partners or carers may in turn reflect on the otherwise normal practice of rugs and runners - a sure tripping factor if you're not so steady on your feet.
Increasingly, dementia is another factor on the rise and polypropylene is the natural material of choice should incontinence become an issue - it's bleach cleanable and won't stain too easily. The partially sighted and visually impaired WILL thank you for choosing very light colours to increase the reflection of light in the environment. Please email if you have any experience or tips to pass on.
31st January 2009 - Price rises as a direct result of the credit crunch
It is Saturday now, but come Monday morning the price of sisal is set to go up significantly. The problem specifically is the exchange rate between the Euro and Sterling - much sisal makes its way to the UK via Denmark. These are not small price rises either, how the British public will take price rises when falling prices would be more appropriate will be interesting to see.
This summer's spate of price rises on polypropylene carpets have not fallen back again despite the price of all things petroleum going down. The exchange rate is the double whammy which will see many European and Scandinavian producers screaming rather loudly as they are caught between rising production costs and consumers who simply have much less disposable income. It feels like the moral of this story is going to be a painfull lesson to learn.
17th January 2009 - The new way to buy carpet and flooring and get the best deal possible
Things have been changing between buyers and sellers for quite some time now - but nobody has ever actually spelled out what this means in practice. We are all familiar with what comparison shopping means but the carpet and flooring market has got some special characteristics peculiar to itself - for example, a great price is important but often so is a great job - frequently it's a choice of one or the other.
More mature buyers value service, quality and secure guarantees more than younger buyers because they can afford to - because experience has taught them where the balance lies. Often this means that the cheapest quote isn't always the best - though nobody wants to pay unreasonably high prices either.
A salesmans word is just that - his word. Frankly, any recommendation from a client is only as good as that persons experience, and it is NEVER going to be a true reflection of a businesses real profile. There isn't a company or sole proprietor that hasn't had a bad row with a client somewhere. And the world is full of clients who will try to lever the smallest complaint to unreasonable degrees to avoid paying the bill.
Expense and stress all round is so often the result of what began as a fair exchange between otherwise reasonable adults. So how do we tread safely through this minefield and come out relatively unscathed and happy with our lot?