Home Makeover Diva

Home Design Makeover Ideas

Carpet Fibers Comparison

02.17.2015 by Amanda Hartley //

There are many different types of carpet fibers available. However, when it comes to purchasing new wall to wall carpeting, most homeowners stick with one of three choices. These three carpet fibers are olefin, polyester and nylon. If you’re in the market for new carpeting and aren’t sure where to begin, this article will help you get a better understanding of those three fibers by offering a carpet fibers comparison and help you make a decision on which type is best for your home.

Olefin, also known as Polypropylene, is one of the most inexpensive carpet fibers available. Not known for softness, this carpet fiber is better suited for looped carpet styles. Despite the looped style, the fiber does not hold up to heavy foot traffic as well as others and should be avoided in hallways and on stairways. Carpets with Olefin fiber are most commonly found in converted garages, basements, kitchens, laundry rooms, and home offices. Olefin carpets are better suited to handle moisture than the other fibers and resist staining.

Carpet Fibers Comparison

Polyester fiber is moderately priced. Some styles are more expensive than others, depending on what you are interested in. Polyester carpets are known for being soft to the touch, as well as fade and stain resistant. Some fibers are difficult to stain and have lifetime stain resistance warranties. In the past, polyester was known for not being a long wearing carpet fiber and was typically used only in formal living rooms and bedrooms. Today, however, there are many different types of polyester fibers and some are comparable to nylon in terms of wear. Specifically those that are the more eco-friendly fibers like PET the recycled pop bottle carpet, and PTT which is the carpet that is partly made from corn. The PTT polyester is an all around good value as it has superior stain resistance and is a great choice for families with young kids and pets.

Nylon fiber can be moderately priced, but tends to lean towards the expensive side compared to the other two options. Nylon fibers aren’t known for softness but are known for holding up in high-traffic situations, like family rooms, hallways and stairways. Just as polyester is switching to become more wear resistant, some nylon fiber types are becoming softer and more stain resistant. These fibers are Nylon 6 and Nylon 6.6. These types of fibers are more commonly found in the higher priced and well-known brands, but are well worth the price in terms of lasting value. Another nylon fiber that both boasts long wearing as well as superior stain resistance is solution dyed nylon. This type of nylon is only found in a hand full of brands and will be on the higher-end price wise.

Now that you know what the three basic carpet fibers are, as well as, the strengths of each you have a better idea of what to look for in a carpet. There are other carpet fibers available, but these three are better suited for most home owners. Specifically, because they provide long-term value and are budget friendly. Use this article as a starting point for carpet fibers comparison and you’ll be sure to find a carpet that can stand up to what your family can dish out!

Categories // Carpet Tags // Carpet Fibers Comparison, carpeting, hallway carpet, high-priced carpet, low-priced carpet, new carpet, Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, stairway carpet

Home Depot Carpet Installation

04.05.2011 by Amanda Hartley //

Today Janet writes:

Diva, We are looking for new carpet. I have not found a carpet I like yet, but my husband likes the Home Depot carpet installation prices. Is this a good place to buy carpet? Do you have any tips?

Janet, rest assured Home Depot carpet installation prices are fair. Because Home Depot and other large home improvement warehouses compete to have the lowest prices, they usually offer good deals. That’s not to say that when it comes to the material that some carpets may be a better price than others, but just that over all their prices are low. Most Home Depot stores offer excellent customer service, but here a few things you should know about if you are getting carpet installed from them.

What is the lead time? Ask the associate how long you can expect to wait from the time you set up for a carpet measure until the carpet is installed. This is especially important if you have an event coming up that you need new carpet for. A lot of times the lead times Home Depot advertises is for the time frame carpet takes to get installed after the professional measure. Typically a professional measure can take anywhere from one day to one week.

Home Depot Carpet Installation

Ask who to contact if you have questions or problems. Get a backup, especially if you’re in a hurry to have your carpet installed. This way you know who to call if what was supposed to happen hasn’t happened yet. A lot of times your initial sales associate can help you, but you should also get the number to the install coordinator or special order expeditor. This is the person who can help you when your sales associate is off and they also have a direct line to the installers/carpet manufacturers.

Be proactive. Let me repeat that, YOU NEED TO BE PROACTIVE. If you haven’t heard from someone in an expected amount of time, you need to call them during business hours while they can still get answers for you. Calling after 5pm will do you no good. For example, let’s say you are having a wedding at your house and the carpet needs to be in before that happens. It’s two days before the wedding and you have been promised by the Home Depot associate that the installer will call you today to set your appointment for installation. Call the associate back before 3pm to let them know you have not heard from the installer yet. Since you’ve called before the office staff went home you have a better chance of being called today. If you wait until 5pm, the associate can not help you. If I had a dollar for every time a client called me after business hours because an installer didn’t call them back I’d be a very wealthy diva!

One last thing to keep in mind is that the advertised prices are for basic installation only. This means that the price would only be for a carpet install on bare subfloor with pre-existing carpet tack strips. There will be an additional installation fee for stair labor, removal and haul away of old carpet and pad, transition strips, hard access or carpeting of a trap door or other such obstacles. You can assess some of these charges just by talking to a Home Depot associate and get a bigger picture of what the installation will cost.  The most common additional charges are for stair labor and removal and haul away of old carpet and pad. Typically speaking you can estimate $8-10 ea for standard steps and $.25 per/square foot for carpet and pad removal, but ask your sales associate to give you a better quote.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva (at) homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog.

Categories // Carpet Tags // carpet install, carpet installation, carpet measure, home depot, Home Depot Carpet Installation, new carpet, professional carpet installation

Now Is A Good Time For New Carpet

03.17.2010 by Amanda Hartley //

If you watch TV, browse the web or read the newspaper, there is no doubt you’ve been seeing the lower price wars on carpet installation that more and more companies are participating in lately.  Now is a good time for new carpet.

The two “big box stores” are both offering whole house carpet installation for only $97.  Considering most carpet installers charge over $5 a square yard, this is a good deal.  For example if you had 100 square yards of carpet your old install price would start at $500, but with the new lower prices it is only $97.  That’s a savings of over $400!

new carpet

One thing to remember is that these advertised prices are for basic labor only.  Basic labor means that is the price if your place is bare subfloor ready for new carpet.  They will remove and haul away your old carpet and pad for an additional fee, furniture moving and stair labor are also additional. As is just about anything else considered “custom” labor.   So if you are preparing a budget for what you can spend on new carpet make sure to ask what is included and what is not, so you don’t get any surprises at the end.

Also big box stores are not the only one’s competing for your business, small mom and pop flooring stores also have lower prices on labor and may even have a quicker lead time. So shop around for the best deal and the carpet you want before making your commitment. Your bank account will thank you!

Categories // Flooring Tags // buying new carpet, new carpet, new carpeting, shaw carpets, stainmaster carpet

Cheap Cellular Shades

Cheap Cellular Shades

Today Kathy writes: Can you find cheap cellular shades? I saw your article on hunter douglas but I don’t want to spend that much. I’m purchasing them for a vacation home and don’t want to spend that much money on somewhere we only spend a couple of months out of the year. What do you […]

1 Inch Blinds vs 2 Inch Blinds

Today Thomas asks: I’m getting ready to put new blinds in my condo and I’m not sure what I want. What is the difference between 1″ blinds vs 2″ blinds? Well Thomas, that is a very good question.  It’s very difficult to decide what type of window blinds to purchase, especially if you don’t know […]

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Refinishing Or Replacing Your Bathroom Vanity Cabinet

Today Carissa writes: Dear Diva, I’ve lived in my house for 4 years now and I can’t take my master bathroom any longer! It’s fixtures are old and I’m ready for a re-do! Problem is, my budget isn’t very big. I have given it a lot of thought, and I think if I change the bathroom […]

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Healthy Carpet Choices

Today Pamela writes, Hello Diva, Please help me as I’m confused on which eco-friendly/healthy carpet to choose for my bedroom!  I know wool is good but I cannot handle the idea of bugs leaving eggs in it.  After reading the blog I know my choices are: Mohawk Smartstrand vs Dupont Sorona vs Beaulieu’s Bliss.  I even read […]

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Mohawk Smartstrand vs. Shaw R2X Carpet

Recently I found a series of videos on YouTube that reminded me of the Mac vs. Windows commercials we’ve all seen on TV. The difference however, was that these videos were for Mohawk Smartstrand vs. Shaw R2X Carpet!  Needless to say I was intrigued. With the exception of Armstrong, I’ve found that most flooring commercials […]

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