We will move on to number five of the nine listings. 5)Adhere to the carpet shop drawings diagramming the location of all carpet panels, seams, edge moldings, and other pertinent installation details as approved by the end user. When in fact there are shop drawings the installer is obligated to follow whatever instructions and diagramming is on them. It may seem clean cut and clear, but if it were that easy, it wouldn't need to be mentioned and there wouldn't be problems as a result of someone not following the instructions. The person laying the job out, and we're taking this for granted at this point, knows where and how the installation is to be layed out. He presumably has had discussions with the end user as to what goes where, how, and why.

The installer must follow the guidelines provided by the shop drawings unless he sees a condition which exists that is blatantly wrong or will compromise the integrity of the installation. This book provides guidelines but it doesn't say anything about exceptions to the rules nor does it say that everyone should stop thinking and go blindly into a situation knowing that something is wrong without making mention of it.

Assuming all is correct in the diagrams, the panels of carpet are to be installed as stated. It is not up to the installer to make changes on his own without consulting someone about the changes he thinks are necessary. It might also be a good idea to make mention of the direction the panels are supposed to be going to eliminate problems.

Just to digress for a moment, because it is pertinent to the issue we are discussing, I inspected an installation in a store yesterday for a complaint on pile reversal. It seems that the carpet in question was changing color. The chain of stores purchases their own carpet and contracts out with a retailer to have the installation done. The retailer in this case called in the claim saying they didn't think the problem was their fault. They felt it was the carpet acting strange. The inspection revealed that the two panels dropped into the center of the store were going in opposite directions accounting for the complaint of so called pile reversal. It would have been wise in this case for example, to have stated the direction of the lay of the carpet so as to have avoided the distinct and obvious difference one sees when entering the store.

Going into the store, the panel on the left is lighter and the one on the right is darker. Exiting the store just the opposite happens. It makes for interesting discussion amongst the patrons of the store but it certainly doesn't help the dealer who glued the carpet to the floor.

Getting back to where we were, it is also of paramount importance to put the seams exactly where they are supposed to be. Enough can't be said about this. Besides getting the seams in the right place it is also the installers responsibility to seal them correctly. This can be the strongest or the weakest part of an installation and it separates the real pros from the also rans. Two primary skills by which a good installer can be judged are his ability to make an excellent seam and the possession of the skills to a variety of them and secondly, his ability to properly stretch in a piece of goods so as to exert even tension overall.

The installer, following step five should also pay attention to what molding to use and where they are to be placed. Any other details stated on the drawings should be followed.

It is important to realize that there should be shop diagrams for any installation no matter how large or small. So too, should these diagrams be reviewed with the installer before the job is begun.

6) Provide carpet cushion that is adequate for the traffic classification to which the carpet will be subjected. Personally, I feel, unless the installer has specified and sold the job, that is not his responsibility to provide the proper pad. He should be sure that the right pad specified gets installed but the job of making sure the correct pad is being used is that of the person who sold the job or specifier.

This is too important an item to throw on the shoulders of one person who is supposed to be getting everything put in right. The pad can make or break the installation and will definitely affect the eventual performance and appearance of the carpet. By this time you all know how I feel about this issue.

Padding is the most important component of a proper installation and it is not the responsibility of just one person and particularly not the installer.

SOLID WORKMANSHIP

7) Guarantee the workmanship of installation for all carpet products. This is truly an area where the installer must be held accountable for his performance. He is hired, as are all tradesmen, to provide a professional and trusted service that one can place confidence in it to feel comfortable knowing that if there are many problems relative to the workmanship it will be repaired without undergoing large doses of aggravation. If it is found that a problem exits that resulted from a deficiency in an installation procedure, technique, or inferior product used by the installer then he should be held accountable for the failure and make the necessary repairs to resolve the issue.

8) Be responsible for all installation warranties provided by installation company. This kind of mirrors what we said in the last paragraph except that as the performer of the services provided by the installation company the individual installer should provide warranty work on the job he and his company contracted.

Most reputable installation firms will warrant their work for at least one year and I know of many who have a multi-year or lifetime warranty.

9) Respond to complaints within 15 working days of notification. This should be a given. If everyone only realized how vitally important it is to hastily respond to complaints they would run to make every attempt to satisfy the end user. There is always something that can be done to satisfy a complaint the least of which is to promptly respond to it. More consumers are irritated by the lack of response to their complaints than by anything else. They want someone, whoever they feel is responsible for their problem, to talk with them about it and make an honest and sincere attempt to correct it. It's the easiest thing in the world to do yet it's the thing that rarely gets done or done right. If you installed the product then you are required to answer the complaint in a reasonable period of time.

Fifteen working days is enough time for the busiest installer to contact the complainant.

This concludes the Areas of Responsibility dealing with the installer as stated in the book. It must be noted and heeded that the installer is most often the last person the end user will see in connection with the carpet. It is important therefore that he know and understand his importance and that the people who employ his services know how important he is and respect him for that. Lately the installer has come under a great deal of attack and in many cases justifiably so, but it must also be understood that in order to correct whatever wrongs exist the installer must be understood as a human being. None of them that I know of are working in the field to make everyone look bad.