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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Customer Testimonals

My Zimbio
Top Stories
Happy Customers Testimonals....

Patt Zurlinden
CINCINNATI, OH
Carpet Sales/Installation/Repair
Hardwood Flooring Sales/Installation/Refinishing
Work Completed Date:
May 01, 2011
Would You Use Again ?
Yes
Approx.Cost:
$6,900.00
Work Done:
Home-based Carpet has done a carpet and hardwood installation.
We have used Home-based Carpet before, always an excellent experience. They are prompt, professional, and listen to what the customer wants.

Tina Nix
WEST CHESTER,Oh
Carpet Sales/Installation/Repair
Flooring Sales/Installation
October 01, 2011
Would You Use Again ?
Yes
Approx. Cost:
$11,466.00
Work Done:
2500 square feet home, entire house re-carpeted. Kitchen and bath floors replaced in 2 story home with 2 1/2 baths.
Member Comments:
Spoke on phone to learn about us and our needs. Came to home with samples appropriate to our needs. Therefore, not overwhelmed with too many choices. Came second time when I questioned my first choice. Installation very professional. Friendly workers and quailty work. Very satisfied, there was a small flaw in bathroom floor tile. It was replaced without any problem. I love the floors.

Jennifer Britton
CINCINNATI,OH
Flooring Sales/Installation/Repair
August 31, 2011
Would You Use Again?
Yes
Approximate Cost:
$950.00

Work Done:
They installed a new vinyl floor in the kitchen and bathroom
They put the floor over an original floor that was over 60 years old and they did such a great job you cannot even see any of the imperfections of the older floor. The crew was very friendly. They came in and completed the task as they said they would.

Minda Matthews-Smith
MONTGOMERY, OH
Carpet Sales/Installation/Repair
Work Completed Date:
February 11, 2011
Would You Use Again ?
Yes
Approx. Cost:
$1,100.00
Work Done:
re carpeted front hall, steps, and 2nd floor hallway
This company is excellent, we used them about 20 years ago to carpet our whole home. Because of the high quality carpet that they provide we only needed to replace the high traffic areas of the halls and stairs. Home-Based came out with samples of carpet that would complement the existing carpet. They were also great in suggesting we wait to replace the carpet until we had some remodeling done so that we didn't have to worry about protecting new carpet with workmen and painters in the house. Home-Based also informed us that we didn't need to replace the carpet in our family room, it still had several years of life left. They were amazing ordering our carpet at the discounted price quoted then holding it for us until we were done with renovations so we could keep the price that was quoted. They are a great company to work with that truly has the customer in mind when working.

Helen Vastine
CINCINNATI,OH

Carpet Sales/Installation/Repair
Services Performed:
Yes

October 30, 2011
Would You Use Again?
Yes
Approximate Cost:
$3,335.00
Work Done:
Home Based Carpet has removed carpet from dining room floor and replaced it with Starloc flooring and also replaced the kitchen floor with the same flooring.

Everything went fine. They were on time, did a very good job in getting the work done on time

Friday, December 30, 2011

Carpet Seam Tape….Quality Does Matter On Your Installed Job

My Zimbio
Top Stories
There are many factors that go into making a carpet installation and making a great carpet installation job. Next time you are out driving on the highway check out the vans that you pass or are passing you that are loaded down with carpet hanging out the back door. The week before Christmas I witnessed while driving on Crescentville Road in Cincinnati, Ohio one such van where the roll of carpet (hope it wasn’t coming to your home) actually was about 75 % out the backdoor and dragging on the pavement. Talk about some rough edges to try and get a clean seam edge ! Not to mention the soil and road rash to the carpet.

As you can probably imagine there are many factors that go into a properly installed carpet job. Lets start with the crew who is installing your job. Are they trained and do they have the necessary tools to get the job done correctly ? Seaming iron, kicker, wall trimmer, power-stretcher, stair tool, knives and of course seam tape. I want to focus today on the seam tape, which is the material that holds your carpet seams together properly. A roll of seam tape can start out at $3.95 per roll and can go up to as much as $13.95 per roll. The big three carpet manufactures…Shaw, Mohawk & Beaulieu want you to have your carpet professionally steam cleaned every 18-24 months. They also require the carpet to be cleaned by a member of the Carpet & Rug Cleaning Institute (this association has set certain standards in cleaning) and they also want you to keep your receipts. This assures the maker of your carpet that you have maintained to their standards in taking care of your carpet. If a warranty issue would arise then you would have your bases covered and a complaint could be initated on your behalf. The choice of the seam tape is pretty well left up to the crew that comes to your home with the carpet. Needless to say there are many installers who will stop by the local big box store and pick up a roll of $ 4 seam tape and throw into the back of the truck along side the roll of carpet that is already hanging out of his truck. God forbid if its raining . Water, rolls of unprotected carpet and seam tape just don’t mix. So ….what’s the point.

If the carpet manufacture goes to great length to make a good piece of carpet and wants you to abide by the warranty guidelines then why would you want a installer to come to your home with cheap seam tape and expect the seams to stand up to hot water extraction cleaning methods for years to come. There is a difference in the quality of $ 4 tape and $ 13 roll of seaming tape. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is a happy medium here. Not every job requires the best. For example a apartment grade carpet that will probably be replaced every 3-4 years can hold up very well with a cheaper seam tape. We are installing a beautiful Shaw Soft Bac Anso Nylon carpet this week that is a 58.5 ounce face weight and believe me we are not using a $ 4 roll of seam tape. This gorgeous carpet will last the home owner 15-20 years and I want the seams to withstand the traffic movement and steam cleaning over those years to come. So a seam tape like Chapco Top Gun 50 will do a great job. The Top Gun 50 also well do a great job on Hollytex and Coronet Carpet with Luxury Back.

So lets talk about the difference in the seam tapes. I want to use for a example Chapco Industries. They are a maker of fine quality adhesives and tools for today’s installation mechanic and are a industry leader. CHAPCO® has the right solutions for all for your flooring installation needs! From fast-setting surface preparation products to high-performing adhesives, Chapco provide installers the confidence of quality installations every time. Chapco’s advanced quality and low-emitting formulations ensure a better work environment for customers and lasting reliability for end users.

For more than 70 years, CHAPCO has delivered exceptional, dependable performance with every application, and today, they’re still the leader in eco-friendly adhesives and surface prep solutions.

Chapco manufactures over 8 quality seam tapes. Below are some of the attributes of their product lineup………………

Performance 100 light traffic…..1 lb 14 oz…..Smokeless & Ordorless….apartment grade

Performance 200 moderate traffic..2 lb 2 oz…..Smokeless & Ordorless…..builder grade

Maximum Security 911….heavy traffic..2 lb 12 oz….Reinforced DuPont Kevlar…heavy traffic seams

Performance Max 300.moderate to semi heavy traffic..2lb..8 oz…Smokeless & Ordorless

Top Gun 50….. heavy traffic…2 lb 14 oz…Silicone release..Full 4 ” wide….large family seams

So, what is to gain from all this ? To help you make the right decision when you choose the store that will supply your flooring and the installation. Your local specialty store is your best choice because they can control who installs your carpet and the materials that the installer uses to seam the carpet together. Using a store that has CFI (Certified Flooringcovering Installers) is always the best choice. This group of highly trained and certified mechanics already knows the difference in what makes a properly installed job right. These installers

Chapco Seamin Tape

have passed rigorous installation tests to qualify as trained professionals.

Don’t wait til the day of the job when the installer knocks on your door and has the roll of carpet on his shoulder and is ready to install your carpeting. He has already stopped and purchased his supplies for your job and isn’t going to sit down and discuss the type of seam tape he is prepared to use. Do that when you discuss your needs at the floor covering store. Another advantage in buying from a specialty shop. All of these factors go into making your job turn out beautiful for years to come. That $ 4 a roll seam tape just won’t stand up to repeated steam cleaning over the next 8-12 years. And believe me ….when seams come apart and start raveling there isn’t a lot that even a CFI installer can do to repair the broken seams.

I trust this article will help enlighten you on the behind the scenes look at the tools of the trade the carpet installer uses. Make sure you discuss the seaming techniques that the flooring store will use on your particular carpet installation. If they are not familiar with seaming then find a retailer that can help educate you on the placement of the seams and school you on types of seam tape and stretching of the carpet and other valuable skills needed to make your flooring job last a long time.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Carpet Cushion ( padding)

My Zimbio
Top Stories
Much as been said when it comes to all the different types of carpet cushion. Carpet cushion (padding) is the material that is installed underneath carpet. The purpose is to give support to the carpet, protect the carpet backing, add luxurious feeling under the carpet. The padding can be made of many different types of material. The main types of padding are....Rebond Cushion, Waffle Rubber, Fiber Pad, and Foam Cushion.
Enough choices Huh ?
All of the above carpet cushions are acceptable under most carpets, however there is a big price difference from the top to bottom.
Rebond padding is probably the most popular. This type of padding is used most often by the carpet & flooring industry. It is made from of scraps of the high density foams used in furniture making that are bonded together.Rebond padding comes in various thicknesses and densities . The density is rated at so many pounds per cubic foot.Manufactures reccommend a density of 6 lb. and no more than 7/16" in thickness.
Any cushion that is thicker than 7/16" is to thick and can result in wrinkles in the carpet. A 7/16" thickness aligns up very nicely with the tackstrip that is installed to stretch and secure the carpet to. Virgin rebond is the best bonded cushion you can buy for a rebond pad. E.R Carpenter & Leggett & Platt and Flexible Foam offer some very nice rebond pads.
Foam padding is made from urethane foam and is available in different densities and thickness. This type of pad is referred to as prime foam, but, regardless of the thickness, is not recommended for heavy traffic of any kind. It will break down over time because of it density. There is just not enough there to support the carpet.
Waffle rubber padding is still being used today but probably improperly. The waffle part of the padding gives it a thickness that is mostly air, any of this type of padding rated less than 90 ounces is still too soft for today's plastic backed carpets. Also, the rubber used to make these paddings is held together with clay fillers that breakdown rather easily.
Fiber pads are used to limit the movement in a piece of carpet. This pad can be made from jute, or hair mixed with jute, or synthetic fiber, or recycled textile fiber. Most often these pads are used under area rugs, under commercial carpets, and under berber carpets. The key here is density. Spun nylon is best. Stay with at least 7.5 lbs per cubic ft. density on the synthetic fiber, and 12 lb density on the jute pads. Thickness should be between 3/8 and 7/16 inch. A dense fiber pad that is thin is a very good pad to use where less carpet movement is needed.

When purchasing make sure you consult with your flo0oring supplier on what the manufactures warranty recommends so that you will comply with their warranty. And the best place to purchase you new carpet and carpet cushion is from a expert..your local specialty floorcovering store

Thursday, December 8, 2011

What Is The Best Carpet & Color To Install In A House We Are Selling ?

My Zimbio Top Stories PostHeaderIcon What Is The Best Carpet To Install In A House We Are Selling ? December 8th, 2011 | Author: Greg | Edit We do a lot of new carpet installations for customers that are moving and just want to replace the carpet in the house to put on the market for resale. I call it ” GETTING THE MOST AND BEST AMOUNT OF QUALITY OF CARPET FOR THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MONEY”. Sounds good doesn’t it ? We have found that putting a solid color plush carpet in a neutral color is the best pick for most any type consumer that would walk through your home. There are many types of carpet….friezes, berbers, saxony, textured, and patterned. Save one of those styles for your next home and go for the carpet that will appeal to about 95% of the people that walk through your home. Many potential home buyers are investing their saving into the down payment and closing costs and don’t want to start out re-doing the house with new carpet, because the seller installed a trendy type of carpet or the existing carpet was totally outdated and discolored and left on the floor for the new buyer to deal with. Just this year we installed around 1350 square feet of Beaulieu Coronet carpet that was a plush carpet in a home that the customer sold for around $ 155,000. The new carpet was a polyester ( they clean great) and was installed with 1/2″ 6 pound carpet padding for around $ 2.22 sf. The better 6 lb. carpet cushion made by Flexible Foam certainly made the lesser quality carpet feel much more dense than it was. The polyester fiber is really stain resistant so when potential buyers and realtor’s come through the home any dirt they track in will clean up really good. And polyester fiber is less expensive that most other fibers that on on the market. It has a very good hand to it. I recently made contact with a supplier in Georgia that sends me a bag of new cutting every week of discontinued styles made by Beaulieu of America. We just installed a 70 ounce 100 % nylon over 1/2 8 lb. padding in Blue Ash, Ohio for $ 3.42 sf. What a terrific value ! If you can be a little flexible on the shade of beige we can really get you a great value in drops and closeouts. Just remember the potential home buyer has really put a lot of their available income into the purchase price. They want to move in and not incur major expenses. A new carpet and padding in the main areas of the home can go a long way in making the sale come quicker. Neutrals and plush carpet go with just about any furniture and decor. Well, I’m off to Loveland, Ohio to look at a living and family room to replace for a lady who is fixing up to sell and downsize. Have a question ? E-mail at gkeairns@yahoo.com.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Complete Flooring Makeover In Loveland, Ohio


My Zimbio
Top Stories
We just recently completed a beautiful hardwood and carpet install near the Oasis Country Club in Loveland, Ohio. I have some great before and after picture of the recent 1000 sf hardwood job we just completed. The home is occupied by couple and their two daughters.They just recently moved into the home from the Los Angles, California area. They have 2 lab dogs and were just a pleasure to work for. First we tore out 750 sf of 5" wide yellow pine 3/4 " thick hardwood. We prepared the subfloor and installed Somerset Hardwood style Character Grade color.. Hickory Saddle 3 1/4" wide 3/4" thick nail down wood over AquaBar moisture resistant paper. We extended the wood into the family room that was previously Berber carpet. To get a perfect fit we scribed the new wood underneath the stone fireplace and installed six new flush mount floor vents and stained to match the hickory saddle color. New cloverleaf toe strip was added to complement the new wood. The job took five working days including tear out and new board installation. The old pine flooring was even recycled thanks to Building Values which is a branch of the Easter Seals in Cincinnati, Ohio. They reclaim cabinets, other building materials and resale to profit the Easter Seals here in Cincinnati. Building Values is a great place to find super values in home construction materials.
The complete job also consisted of 250 sq.yards of Bliss by Beaulieu Palazano frieze carpet. The new carpet replaced the existing carpet in 4 bedrooms, hall, steps, living room and dining room. The carpet features Beaulieu's 20 YEAR LIMITED DURABILITY WARRANTY,
3M LIFETIME SCOTCHGUARD STAIN WARRANTY, 20 YEAR LIMITED TEXTURE RETENTION, 20 YEAR LIMITED FADE, and 20 YEAR LIMITED MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. The carpet installation took 3 full days and the old carpet and padding was recycled to create new carpet and padding.
We had a total of 6 workers in the customers home for 8 full days over a 2 week time period. It was truly a pleasure working for this family and building a relationship with them for years to come.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Should I Buy Carpet Off The Internet ?

My Zimbio Top Stories Because carpet is a "touch/feely" product, and you are not looking at a product that is easy to return if you aren't happy with what you receive, I feel that it is not in the your best interest to attempt to purchase carpet online from a jobber or broker. First of all, the sample you receive in the mail from a vendor selling online may not at all match the roll of carpet you receive from that vendor. You have no recourse when this happens, as you have already sent your money, and the supplier has no representative to send to your home to help you with your problem. Secondly, if there is a defect that does not show up until after installation,example- sidematch problems, flaws then again, you have no way of getting satisfaction from the seller when it comes to paying for the installation a second time. Finally, the best reason not to buy carpet online is that selection is so limited compared to your local floorcovering store. There is no way an online source can put one of several hundred samples in your hands for you to closely examine and feel. You want to see it where you use it. I am sure the sample you may get online from one of the online suppliers will not have branded fiber names, and it will not contain any information as to who really makes the carpet. It also will not have any specifications on the back of the sample. Also, I am aware that many of these "samples" are thicker than the new carpet that is delivered to your home. The old bait and switch trick.Of course, you are stuck, because how to you take the carpet back to Dalton. My best advice is to shop at your local flooring store.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Enginerred Hardwood Over Slate Flooring...Great Fix

We just recently installed a 3" wide engineered hardwood floor over slate in the Montgomery area of Cincinnati, Ohio. This type of hardwood flooring is designed to go over cement floors on or below grade. The advantage of engineered hardwood is that the product is more stable than conventional 3/4 " solid wood flooring. You can also float the floor or directly glue to the subfloor. The home was a tri-level and we removed the carpet in the lower level and installed the Bruce floating hardwood over Quit Walk cushion. The cushion adds warmth and helps disguise flaws and imperfections in the subfloor. There were also 7 steps that the customer wanted to refinish to match the new wood on the lower level as well as the new wood we installed over top of the slate on the main level. Engineered wood is another plus because you can float it over ceramic tile or slate. After the new wood installation which was Bruce Turlington we installed Bliss by Beaulieu wall to wall carpet in the living room and dining room. The carpet was a beautiful plush in a mat finish that features Scotchguard and texture retention warranty. The entire job took four days with wood installation and staining the steps to match along with installing the new wall to wall carpet. Needless to say the customer was very pleased and told me the match on the steps was just perfect.