carpet fitting

[heidi h]

Am looking for someone to fit a sissal carpet that will need glueing in a room 20 metres squared. So far I have been quoted 9 euros a square metre. This seeems a lot of money for something that from past experience is done very quickly. Does anyone know what the going rate should be? Can anyone recomend someone in dept 11?[:D]

[Gluestick]

Heidi, that sounds like a lot of dough.

As a rough guide - from recent work done - commercial carpet fitters in the South East UK are paid £2.50/Sq. M laid. "Retail" price works out at circa £3.50/M + VAT.

Obviously, a small job would be charged a premium to cover travel all plus material cost, i.e. glue.

Are there unusual aspects to this? For example, have they to float a synthetic screed first, or lay a resin membrane? What's the surface?

 

[heidi h]

thanks for the reply gluestick.....got some other quotes today - even more expensive 10-12 euros per sq metre! we were told that because we are putting down 'Sisal ' (natural fibre) it will cost more. Still, it seems ludicrous to pay so much for 1 room going down onto tiles. Hey ho, will keep looking, thanks again.[8-)]

[Gluestick]

Heidi:

Further comment. Are you happy that you have a good barrier (membrane) beneath the tiles?

There can be a significant problem when either natural or synthetic materials are laid over tiles.

Older French floors are designed to breathe. Covering them up causes all sorts of probs, including mold, which sadly destroys carpet.

Do any of the quote include sealing the floor? If so that's why it appears so expensive.

For the record, this information comes from my closest friend, who is founder and chairman of probably the largest industrial and commercial floor covering biz in the South East of England, who also has an old farmhouse in Northern France. He does know what he's about with floors.

 

[cooperlola]

Ah, Gluey, you bring back memories!  Our previous house in Blighty had quarry tiles laid directly onto the earth - the previous owners had had the brilliant idea of putting carpet down directly on top of them.  Many a happy hour was spent scraping ancient - and very smelly - foam backing off those tiles!

[Gluestick]

Happy days, John-Eric.

It constantly amazes me how many people lay carpet or even laminated floor over tiles with no thought for what happens next.............

In fact my chum's biggest major problem with major projects his company work on, is persauding the client (huge contracting and construction companies who ought to know better!), to let "Green" concrete dry out sufficiently before his teams lay floor coverings. Obviously, they always test the humidity level first; however site agents often disagree, as time is lots of money on these major projects and they are invairiably running behind schedule.............................

He has helped me lots with sound advice on our house. The rule of thumb seems to be with old French properties, leave the carpets out: the odd rug is fine, provided you move it around from time to time.

At first, come the Spring, I thought we had major probs with rising damp in all the floors. Not so.The ambient humidity is particularly high then and as soon as people start breathing, taking showers, boiling kettles and well, living, then the floor collected buckets of water, 'cos it's cold and therefore acts as a wonderful condensor!

Solution: a large dehumidifier and I was staggered at the volume of water it extracted from the inside air!

I have also fitted skirting-level wall vents in three key areas which has helped considerably.

 

[cooperlola]

Yes, the sad thing was that the 150-year-old quarry tiles were just beautiful!  Once said c**p was removed and we buffed them up, the place looked so much better!  One also begins to realise when one lives in a place with tiled floors, just how warm they are and how well they retain the heat.  I wouldn't have carpets again if you paid me - quick flip round with the broom occasionally and the odd mopping and they always look great.  And who cares if anybody spills anything any more - you just wipe it up.  Bliss. Johneric.

Back to carpets - do you have a Mondial Moquette (I think that's what they are called) near you? They do free fitting on all carpets and vinyl flooring sold.

[Gluestick]

Yes, J-E, I quite agree. Also more hygienic as skin mites can't live on tiled floors either.

Heidi: The body of knowledge, militates heavily agains fitting carpets over tiled floors.

If you must proceed, consider resin poured sealing: however, this may well drive moisture into the walls.

French houses are constructed to be sort of self-conditioning between floors walls and etc.

Proceed with caution, perhaps?

 

[tracteurtom]

Carpets - so British - next you'll have the central heating on at night! 

[heidi h]

Dear PC Whizz, it may relieve you to know that the reason I am laying carpet ( in only one room of the house) is because the the floor underneath the existing mangy carpet is covered in glue that we cannot remove. Re covering it seems the best solution. As to central heating - what central heating! I should be so lucky, I write huddled up on top of the only fire wearing 4 layers of jumpers. [:P]

Anyway have today found someone to lay the carpet for under 50 euros. hoorah! Perseverance pays off

[tracteurtom]

Dear Heidi H,

It was only a joke - honest [:D]

I know what you mean about glue on the floor.  We had the same problem on oak floor boards - in the Kitchen!!  What these French get up to. 

I solved the problem with a belt sander and 36 (I think?) grade paper.  It took quite a while to do, and many changes of paper, before we could start to use the finer grades and finish with 120s, but it was worth it in the end.

[Gastines]

Add on to Gluesticks comment on Green concrete. I had the same problem with site managers at at posh hotel in the New Forest. They had just built 3 blocks of Motel type accomadation and having advertised a Grand Opening, insisted the carpet went down on a certain day. I did visit the site with a piece of glass and a circle of plasticine to show them how green the floor was but they still wanted the carpet laid. It was Telsax wilton.Rather like laying battleship lino,absolutely solid back, laid on a nice cold day on hair felt and gripper.In the course of 2 weeks it pulled most of the gripper off the floor [stuck with styccobond ] and shrunk about 2". " Can you please restretch and put it right?" No, but I can replace it all at your expense, plus of course new felt as it is wet and smells. Fortunately I did get them to sign my job sheet that I had advised them.

On another note ref the Laminate flooring. I note that one of the main suppliers in the UK is in dire financial straits and that people are realising the problems with the cheap laminates. Very noisy, especially if in flats/apartments.One chip /scratch and you might as well start again,plus the amount of dust/air that circulates around old houses via floor space and skirting gaps.

Regards.

[Gluestick]

Gastines: Totally agree about cheap laminate floor. The "Click Together" has a  synthetic layer of circa one micron! Obviously, the best solution is Amtiko or almost as good - but not quite! - Karndean.

And if the surface don't scratch or chip the MDF will blow!

A very cost-effective solution is Wickes Vinyl: circa £8/sq M; self-adhesive looks nice. Usable for bathrooms, utility rooms and kitchens. Have just used it in upgrading an Edwardian flat we rent out. Looks good. (Oak effect). Did use exterior quality ply as substrate in the bathroom, however.

One major benefit is that being self-adhesive, it doesn't suffer from movement or creep and can thus be fitted right up to skirting, thus negating the dust prob.

Loved the "Can you restretch it......................." bit!

Do they never listen?

 

[Wilko]

Gluestick

A very cost-effective solution is Wickes Vinyl: circa £8/sq M; self-adhesive looks nice!!!!!!

It looks awful, maybe you like, but along with UPVC is environmentally unsound. POISON !!!

[Gluestick]

Well actually, for me, I prefer my Karndean Redwood..............

However in a flat which is rented, whatever one fits it is wrecked over time.

Tenants, sadly, don't normally exercise as much care with other people's possessions as they would with their own.

I have to disagree about the appearance: the light oak effect looks as good as if not better than the majority of the MDF base synthetic. And the seller warrants it for heavy domestic usage. If it fails, quickly, then we will have words with a cheque on the end coming in my direction!

Probably all synthetic materials are adverse, environmentally: as is most intensively produced food. As are cars, ferries, 'planes etc.

I do wish I could swim the Manche with all the things we seem to take each time we cross. Sadly I can't

What do you have on your floors, Wilko, as a matter of interest? Rushes? Straw?

Very environmentally friendly: personally I am not over-happy about the bugs! [;-)]

 

[Wilko]

G/Stick

You could try sea grass, replenishable resource, hard wearing, easy to keep clean and well priced.

Rgds Wilko

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Wilko"]

G/Stick

easy to keep clean .

Rgds Wilko

[/quote]Really?  For a few months way back, I cleaned people's houses - found the stuff an absolutely nightmare, especially if they had pets in the home - could never get the hairs off it![:D]

[Gluestick]

Each to his own, Wilko.

Nothing too wrong, environmentally, in my mind with pure natural wool carpet on hessian backing, for example: or natural timber or stone floors.

I do agree with Coop. My own experience with all these natural fibres used as floorcoverings is that are the very devil to keep clean.

Whilst I am very conscious of the environment (and have been something of an ecologist since 1973), one of the keys, in my mind is longevity.

Tiled French floors last almost forever, as do stone and slate.

Planned obsolescence is in my mind probably the greatest causer of environmental overload and strain.

My wife and I are not conspicuous consumers: we tend to buy good quality and keep it. I have leather shoes, for example which are 30 years old

One of the things I really liked about Karndean flooring was that if looked after it will last for perhaps 20 years, thus the environmental impact for myself isn't too excessive.