Bad Advice Comes Cheap

A friend of mine picked me up from the airport the other day, and the conversation eventually ended up about flooring.  Imagine that.  It seems like every conversation I end up in turns to flooring at some point or another…

Before I knew Ken, I guess he bought and installed some travertine on his own which is no surprise because he seems like a real do-it-yourselfer.  Prior military myself, like Ken, I can say confidently that most of us are the same way, and we like to have straight answers as well, which is why we research the devil out of something.

In Ken’s case, he definitely sought advice, but the problem came when his advice was incorrect.  My question is how can you know the advice is correct if you have no basis from which to judge it?  In other words, if you are a complete novice, how do you know the person giving you the advice is any more knowledgeable?

Ken’s story was just fine, and it sounded like he did a great job.  He said he lucked out by finding a guy who knew everything about tile installation at Home Depot or Lowes.  He even told him how to decrease sag in the thin set by adding Styrofoam insulation beads to the mix.  WHAT???????  What a great way to void your warranty and eliminate the longevity of the installation!  My gosh, you may as well install it using Elmer’s Glue or construction adhesive.

Here’s the scoop.  You do not use thin set to install travertine (a natural stone) in the first place.  Thin set is just that—it is thin set!  When you set stone, you have to use a medium bed mortar, or stone setting materials.  Come on people.  You big box guys give me a ton of work; unfortunately, it is always cleaning up your messes and bad advice.  Thin set mortar is used under ceramic and porcelain where thinner layers of mortar are required because the weight of the tile is nominal compared to stone.  When setting stone, you have to have a mortar that does not sag; otherwise, you end up having major difficulties as you move along keeping them level.

Adding Styrofoam beads to a mortar, against the manufacturer’s directions, does nothing but interfere with the chemical bonds created by the Portland cement once you add the water and the curing process begins.  You can throw candy in some whip cream, but it doesn’t make a milkshake.  In this case, if Ken had followed the directions on the bag, he would have realized he was using the improper setting materials in the first place because thin set states very clearly that it can only be used to set ceramic tile.

You can see from this story that bad advice really does come cheap.  Cut a corner, save a dime, reap a lifetime of unhappiness, sometimes….

Tips from Carpet One Floor & Home in Panama City: Moisture and Hardwood in your home

Few things will ruin your day than coming home to find your brand new wood floor buckled and broken off your floor.  Regretfully, the only cause for it is moisture, and it didn’t come from installation, unless of course, the installer didn’t place enough expansion space between the wall and the wood.

Water comes from many areas, and few people even think about it until it becomes a problem.  Unfortunately, by that time, it is too late.  They should have planned ahead.  A professional hardwood reseller knows how to look for problems before they become issues.  I’ll give you a personal example from yesterday.

I had a customer who came to my store to purchase hardwood, and she knew what she wanted before she visited me.  She had hardwood installed by us over ten years ago, and she wanted to match the product.  I happened to recognize the product on the floor immediately and was able to satisfy her product requirements immediately.  After conducting a measure and estimate, she was satisfied with the price and wanted to move forward.  Now, I told her that I needed to do a moisture test prior to completing the work, but mind you, most people take a look at the two existing rooms with wood and decide that since no issues happened with the existing wood, what could possibly happen? HA!

I took my moisture meter to the home, picked a corner of the room on an exterior wall, pulled the carpet back to expose the concrete, and immediately saw a problem.  Not only was the concrete visibly wet, underneath the carpet and pad, but the tackstrip was black and rotten.  Needless to say, it pegged my meter.  I found the same situation on the back exterior wall in another room, but not nearly as bad.

Hardwood is not for the faint hearted, and neither is it for the inexperienced.  I had to find the source because believe it or not, I’d still like to give the customer what they want: hardwood in all rooms.  A quick look around the house revealed several things to me: landscape mulch piled against the house, sprinklers hitting the home, no gutters, poor drainage, and the list goes on.

By doing this simple inspection, I found some good information for the customer.  Regardless of what she does with me and my hardwood product, she needs to fix her problem lest she find bigger ones later on: rotten walls, termites, etc…

I am glad I know what I know, but I am not happy with how I had to learn sometimes.  I made many mistakes, but I swore not to let them happen again.  If you are interested in hardwood in your home, take a look at your home to ensure you are not welcoming moisture indoors: affix gutters to your roof with downspouts leading several feet away from the home, ensure the ground slopes away from the home and the foundation is clearly above ground level, look for visible signs of moisture damage inside the house around baseboards, and hire a professional to check the moisture in your subfloor.  It will save you an arm and a leg…

Installation Professionals—Five Diamond Professionals, Carpet One Floor & Home® |Panama City,FL

Our installers undergo regular training to achieve the highest levels of technical and customer service expertise.  In fact, check around, and you will see that our store has the only certified installers in Panama City, FL.  It is not because we are satisfied with what we do that our people achieve excellence--it is because we care about doing more for our customers.  We demand the best from each installer, and we match their skills with each job to ensure the best possible performance.  When new products come out, we ensure proper training is received, and we pass on the newest industry information and standards to ensure that the customer receives the very best possible job the first time, every time.  Come in our store, and you will see for yourself the hard work and dedication demonstrated by our Installation Team on our Wall of Fame.

Carpet One Floor & Home® |Panama City,FL

Top 10 Pink Items for Your Home – Panama City, FL - Zabitatz: Inspiration for YOUR home

It’s October again and the pink ribbons are popping up everywhere. Here’s our list of favorite pink products that support the breast cancer cause. We’ll give you the scoop on the cool pink products for your home and what’s actually being donated.

1. Pink Snuggie. Not looking forward to another chilly winter? Saving some cash while keeping warm can be tricky, but here comes Snuggie to the rescue and a beautiful shade of pink. Stay warm and support the cause. Allstar Products Group, the maker of Snuggie, will donate $50,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) based on pink Snuggie sales. For only $14.99, you could be enjoying the coziness of your own beautiful Snuggie.
2. Carpet One Floor & Home Welcome Mats. We loved the last year and we’re still loving them. Now they have more new designs. Our favorite for fall….Harvest Welcome. Find your favorite at your local Carpet One Floor & Home Store. For $24.99, you get a fun indoor/outdoor welcome mat that’s machine washable. Plus a full 25% of the purchase price goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society depending on where the mat is sold.
3. KitchenAid. Not only do they have a line of pink appliances, but they also host events across the nation to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. You can also get involved with Cook for the Cure by hosting your own party. Visit the Cook for a Cure website for your party planning kit.
4. Cuisinart. Cusinart has a whole line of pink appliances. They’ll be donating $30,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation so if you love pink, you have to check out
   these fun appliances. Don’t miss the EasyPop popcorn maker. It gives old-fashioned air poppers a new look. More at Cuisinart.com.
5. Tomboy Tools. Tomboy Tools will be donating proceeds from specific pink products, like the Impact Drill, to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. You can also find them joining the walkers in Wellness Village in the "Tool School 101 Tent". They will be doing various "How To" demonstrations. You will learn such things as the basics of tool knowledge, how to repair drywall in Find Your Stud, how to operate power tools in Power Up and more! Don't be shy! The Tomboy Tools women encourage hands-on training and want you to gain the experience you need to walk away with the confidence to complete your own home projects.
6. Earth Totes. You can be “green” and “pink” all at the same time with these roomy multipurpose totes. Use them for groceries, books, or anything you need to carry. $5.00 from the sale of every bag will be donated to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade. Large totes are $18.00 and be purchase through the Earth Totes website.
7. Culinary Arts: Tea Party Dinnerware. Set a charming table with this set of earthenware in a mix and match hand-painted pattern. The dishes are available at target.com for $49.99. $2 of each set sold will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available at Target.
   
8. Yankee Candle. Enjoy the fresh sent of Mandarin Cranberry in this beautiful pink candle. Yankee Candle supports the National Breast Cancer Foundation in their mission to fund mammograms for those in need. Give a light of hope to those affected by this disease. Plus, enjoy the wonderful Mandarin Cranberry fragrance which is bursting with the vibrant, fruity sensation of sweet, sunny oranges and crisp, tangy cranberries.
9. Teleflora: Pink Hope Bouquet. This adorable pink bouquet arrives in a delicate pink satiny cylinder bursting with pink lilies and roses. It will make a perfect centerpiece for the next dinner you host. The arrangement is $49.95 and 15% will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available at teleflora.com.
10. Floral Sculpted Nesting Bowls. The centerpiece is not the only place to make a statement with flowers. Check out these flower shaped nesting bowls in durable Melamine. Not only does Spoonsisters.com donate ten percent of sales of these pink beauties to the Continuum Cancer Centers of New York, but the manufacturer also donates 5% to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Top 10 Pink Items for Your Home - Zabitatz: Inspiration for YOUR home

Fall Cleaning Checklist, Carpet One Panama City- Zabitatz: Inspiration for YOUR home

 

Fall Cleaning Checklist

• Added on September 16, 2009 at 8:05am

Fall is just around the corner and there’s lots you can do to get your home clean and organized for the winter hibernation. Don’t know where to start? Zabitatz is here to help with a checklist of tasks for your fall cleaning. Check them off one project at a time and before you know it, you’ll be enjoying a cozy winter in a clean and organized home.

Let’s start off simple…

• Thoroughly dust all the rooms in your house taking everything off of shelves and getting every corner.
• Vacuum/Sweep all floors moving furniture out of the way as you go so you are cleaning every inch. Make not of any areas that will need extra cleaning
• Wipe down walls and closet doors.
• Wash or dry-clean curtains and drapes and wipe down blinds and shades.
• Pull out those heavy blankets and bedding and make sure they’re fresh and clean.
• Clean and air out area rugs.

Step it up a notch…

• Clean all your outdoor furniture and store it in your garage or basement to protect is during the winter months.
• Pull out dead annuals from outdoor flower pots and store them for next year.
• Clean out the gutters. You’ll want to wait until after all the leaves have fallen off the trees so you don’t have to do it again. While you’re up on the ladder, take a look at the roof and make sure it’s ready for winter.
• Rake the leaves and clean up any debris in the yard to protect your lawn and help it come back strong next spring. .
• Clean the windows inside and out, change out your screens for storm windows.

The nitty gritty…

• Rotate summer to winter wardrobes in your closet. Get rid of any summer clothes that you didn’t wear over the summer.
• Clean the grill and put it in the garage or make sure it is covered securely.
• Have your chimneys cleaned and clean out any wood stoves or fire places.
• Clean out the refrigerator including the coils on the back. Pull the refrigerator away from the wall and clean underneath.
• Have your heating system checked. Change any air filters, dust baseboard heaters and clean vents.

Fall Cleaning Checklist - Zabitatz: Inspiration for YOUR home

Sow some seed for fall plants

By Theresa Friday (Theresa has her own blog as well, and you should check out her tips and advice at http://www.gulf1.net/Columns/Friday/FridayFrame.htm!)

Even though it's still hot and humid, August is the time to start thinking about fall planting.  Now is the time to begin sowing seeds for fall transplants. By starting now you can have ornamentals such as pansies, petunias, calendulas and snapdragons ready to plant in the garden in early October.  If you are a vegetable lover, now is the time to start seeds of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and other cool season vegetables.

According to William Adams, a retired Horticulture Agent at Texas A&M, if starting your own transplants has been disastrous for you in the past, especially in the spring, then take heart because starting fall transplants is easier. Since the soil is not as cool as it is in spring, there is not much damping-off disease. Gardeners are able to start the transplants outside where they can get plenty of sunlight. But, it is best if the transplants don't get too much sun - morning sun and afternoon shade make a good combination.

There are many different types of containers that can be used to grow seeds. Even foam coffee cups, discarded by people whenever they take a coffee break, can be used simply by poking three or four holes in the side at the bottom of the cup.  If you are reusing containers, be sure to clean and sterilize them prior to planting.  Typically, a washing with soap and water followed by a 15 minute soak in a 1:10 dilution of bleach and then a thorough rinse is all that is needed.

In order to ensure success, use a good potting soil mix. Many standard potting soils will work fairly well, or you can make your own.  If you decide to make your own, do not include garden soil.  Garden soil can harbor weed seed, fungus diseases, insects and nematodes.

Most seeds should be barely covered with the soil mix, but some tiny seeds like lettuce should not be covered at all. Once planted, water them in thoroughly.  Allow the containers to drain and then put them in a plastic bag out of sunlight. Within a few days the seedlings will begin to grow. As soon as this happens, take the containers out of the bags and put them in a well-ventilated area. As the seedlings begin to make growth, use any soluble houseplant fertilizer to keep them growing vigorously.

Before you know it, you'll have a container full of tiny seedlings that can either be transplanted into individual containers, or if there aren't too many in the pot, held until time to go into the garden. Perhaps the simplest technique is just to plant two or three seeds in each pot, thinning them to one plant after a few weeks.

If you opt for transplanting, be sure that you handle the young seedling only by the leaves. If you grasp the stem and damage it to any extent, the young seedling will be stunted. Pots for transplants should be filled to within 1/4 inch of the rim. A pencil can be used to make a hole in the center of the potting soil mixture. This is where a little moisture is critical; dry soil won't allow the hole to stay open. Carefully lower the seedling roots into the hole and then use the pencil again in a lever-like action to firm the soil against the root system. Be sure to water the plants carefully, picking up any that get knocked into the soil.

So peruse the seed catalogs and see what's new.  Just be sure to know which flowers and vegetables are recommended for fall planting.  For recommendations of cool-season annuals and vegetables for Florida, review the University of Florida online publications at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VH021 and http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG319.

Small Business Health Insurance Update

Well, there is hope for the business owner.  I received this update from WJHG via twitter yesterday, and it addresses the ability for self employed people to get health insurance without respect to pre-existing conditions.

If you have any experience with health insurance, then you know what a debacle it can be sometimes.  For one, it is expensive, and second, it is sometimes unattainable, especially if you are unhealthy.  What a system we created for ourselves.  Without getting into the who’s and what for’s, I’ll just say that I’ve experienced our current system first hand, and I know that it is barely affordable in its current state.

In the State of Florida, insurers are required to provide individual policies to self employed people without respect to pre-existing conditions.  Of course, no one says how much that will cost, but I suppose any element of protection can be worth the price, given the opportunity.  Previously, the only way to have insurance and not eliminate your pre-existing condition was to get on a group policy, but they don’t give group policies unless you have a minimum amount of people.  If you owned your own business, and it was just you, you pretty much had no way to insure yourself against illness if you have exhibited the symptoms before, or at least had it treated.

I am curious to see what the cost will be for a typical policy because I am fairly certain it will be exorbitant.  It is not really a surprise though; someone has to pay for it don’t they?

Click to read article...

The Advantages of Buying From a Brick and Mortar Store Versus the Internet Bohemoth

I’d like to say that the brick and mortar store holds all the cards in the match up against the big box stores and internet clearing houses, but it just isn’t so.  Unlike the internet mavens, the brick and mortar locations have things like real people and real overhead.  Take all that out, and you have one good looking price, but is it the only thing?

Brick and mortar stores are one of my favorite topics because inevitably it comes up when we are talking about price.  Generally, the conversation starts because the customer is concerned that they can buy product X over the internet at so much less than in a real store.  It may be true, but is there more than meets the eye?  I suppose if you plan on doing everything yourself, and you don’t mind accepting responsibility for the entire process, then the deal may be much closer to stopping there.  What happens with all of the unknowns?  For instance, what if the product never comes, what if it’s not what was promised, what if there is a problem with the color, what if there is a problem with the quality, what if there is a problem during installation, what if the flooring gets damaged during installation and you need more, what if you mess it up while you are cleaning it, and the list of questions goes on and on…

I certainly acknowledge that internet mavens have the price advantage, if indeed they are buying the same things, but are they???  It is a funny question, because we as individuals believe the best in everyone.  We automatically assume that the person on the other end of the computer is who he says he is, and the product is what he says it is.  In fact, when it comes in the boxes, and the manufacturer’s label is on the outside, doesn’t that tell you everything you need to know?  Perhaps, but not necessarily.  Do you know the conditions in which it was stored, and what has the flooring been subjected to in a warehouse half a country away?  And what about the phone tech who took your order?  Does he even know what he’s doing, and is he trustworthy with personal financial data?  In the internet society where we buy millions everyday this way, these questions are almost moot…

One thing you cannot get from an internet company that you can from a brick and mortar store is service.  Without a doubt, when you have a problem, you will have an easier time getting support from a brick and mortar store, because you can camp outside with a picket sign if you can’t get resolution to your problem.  Most often, you will find that most brick and mortar companies want to preserve their reputations enough to satisfy all their customers.  Individual reputations in a marketplace are invaluable, and those with poor reputations rarely stick around for more than a year or so.

When completing your installation, if there are problems with the material or the installation, a local company has relationships with the suppliers and installers to hold them accountable, and they can efficiently fix them.  They know who to call, and they have the numbers.  Have you ever tried to get an installer you hired directly to come back and fix something?  If you have, it is a tricky operation because most of the time, they are doing another job that is actually going to get them another check at the end of the week.

The local store is going to provide more control over the material, and it is a place that you can walk into and see.  Products like hardwood are very particular with where they can be stored, and at what temperatures as well.  Who says the internet company is even telling the truth?  Nowadays, there is no shortage of them out there, and they can close and set up shop in a matter of minutes, and you never know it…

I can relate a couple of instances from my own personal inspection experience.  One job I went to look at involved a customer who purchased the wood over the internet to save her money.  She hired an installer based on the recommendations of her condominium maintenance guy.  The installer left her job a mess, she couldn’t get him to come and fix it, and when she called me to inspect it, she had puddles of water sitting on top of the wood from the condensation from the windows.  Was  moisture test even done?  Of course not.  The installer left no expansion spaces and left huge gaps between the wood and subfloor because the floor was not flat enough in its current state to accept a hardwood floor, let alone dry enough.

In another case, a man called to have his floor inspected because he thought the wood was defective.  It wouldn’t go together properly.  Upon arrival, I read the instructions, showed him how to do it, and the floor was fine.  Lastly, and my favorite by far, I received a call about wood from a major internet retailer who actually has brick and mortar stores as well.  They purchased it from the branch store and attempted to glue it down.  The problem was that the glue down method was not a recommended method for their 3/8” solid hardwood product.  Further, when they ordered the product a second time, the branch told them yet again to glue it down, but to use a moisture vapor barrier first, and sold them the wood and glue.  After beginning the second installation, they discovered that the floor was cupping, not only on the floor, but also out of the box.  Well, hmmm.  Defective material combined with defective advice, a deadly combination.  It’s been three weeks with no resolution.  One angry homeowner and a very frazzled contractor trying to finish the home.

The best solution for all the issues above is to hire a local person with a local reputation.  Even when a national company has a branch store, they are not the most knowledgeable, mainly because they have no training.  Find a company with a lengthy history, call the Better Business Bureau, check with the Chamber of Commerce.  I’m sure you will find that once you do your research, you will be much happier with your results….

Pizza Hut ran out of pizza

Okay, have you ever gone somewhere to do something, or talked to somebody about anything, or heard something so outrageous, and just not know what to say because what you saw, or what you heard, just defies all human comprehension? Well, try walking into the Pizza Hut in Augusta, GA tonight and you might just find that Charmin lost its squeeze, or Downy lost its bounce, or Pepsi lost its fizz. First I ordered a Pizzone only to find out a few minutes later they didn't have any left. Okay, a little out of the ordinary, how about some pizza, wait let me be honest with you, we're out of most everything, well what do you have, do you have pasta, yes, ok I'll take some of that.

Hmmm, I say. Pizza Hut ran out of pizza. I'll say this for the waitress, she was great, and positive, and she didn't let it spoil the meal. She comp'd me out on the salad, the drink, and some breadsticks. This was a nice, clean place too, so I got to talking with her. Apparently the manager forgot to order the dough. Crazy, huh? Can you imagine that? Pizza Hut has to have dough I think. Not having dough in Pizza Hut is like a lumberjack going to work without an ax or a saw.

Hey, bottom line, good customer service trumped it all. I know I learned that a positive attitude in the face of unchangeable circumstances certainly goes a long way in changing a potentially bad customer experience into a good one. I look at it this way: I wanted to try the Tuscani Pasta anyway, so I had to do it when I didn't ordinarily intend to. So what, I got good service, and a good discount to boot. Plus, I'm so full right now I can barely walk, and they promised to have crust tomorrow night!

Retailer of the Year Award for Leadership (ROYAL)

Last year we received an award from the Florida Retail Federation that went a long way in demonstrating the effort that we have put into moving our company ahead in the marketplace. Through the work of many people, we achieved what many said could not be done.

For the last couple of years, we worked to set ourselves apart from the competition through technical expertise, training, and product knowledge. Beginning in 2004, we did this in a couple of ways. First, we embarked upon a journey to become Installation Excellence Five Diamond Certified. Installation Excellence is a Carpet One Floor & Home program that measures the ability of our sales and installation team to satisfy our customers, and we achieved it in a record setting six months. Most please to us was the absolutely high marks we received from our customers via the surveys we sent out with every job.

In conjunction with the Installation Excellence Program, we began a long certification process for our sales and installation personnel through a variety of industry resources. Carpet One Floor & Home has a robust training program mixing online, on site, and off site educational curriculum. When combined with the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), we certified two sales personnel as Certified Flooring Sales Consultants (CFS) and one person as a Certified Flooring Executive (CFE). All of the certifications are available online at the WFCA website. What achieved the certifications through WFCA? Hours of dedication on the part of our personnel taking product knowledge, design, decoration, colors, and all sorts of other courses to demonstrate a level of learning beyond the industry standard.

In addition to the learning programs, we had one individual attend a graduation two inspection programs through industry recognized leaders in their respective product categories: the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Through the TCNA sponsored educational organization Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF), we graduated the Ceramic Tile Inspector Course, and through NWFA, we have a Certified Wood Floor Inspector on staff. Click here to find out more about the NWFA certification.

Adding to our list of technical qualifications, we recently added the ability to install the Ardex Moisture Control System, an industry leading in concrete preparation for flooring installation. We achieved a technical certification from Certified Flooring Installers (CFI) as well.

Other courses and training include Wilsonart, the American Plywood Association (APA), Earthscapes, and Florida Retail Federation (FRF) Retail Masters.

In addition to our professional efforts, we made tremendous strides and inroads into the community through many charitable endeavors: Marine Corps Toys For Tots (TFT), American Cancer Society (ACS), Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSABC), Delta Society, Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), and many other local schools and organizations.

In recognition of our endeavors, several organizations recognized us for our endeavors. Carpet One Floor & Home presented us with the National Community Service Award in 2005 and 2007. The Bay County Chamber of Commerce awarded us the Small Business of the Year in 2005. The Better Business Bureau of Northwest Florida presented us with the Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics in 2006. The Panama City Jaycees awarded us the Community Leader of the Year in 2008. The Florida Retail Federation gave us the Retailer of the Year Award for Leadership (ROYAL) for 2008. As you can see, we are very active in the community, and we take it very seriously.

We hope that you will give us a chance to demonstrate what separates us from the competition. As a store, we commit to providing you the best service that money can buy with a product that is premium in quality, choice, and selection. Please stop by and learn about us or visit us online to find out more.

Click to watch a video about our efforts...

When Did Good Enough Become The Standard?

OK, so I'm walking through a brand new development on the beach tonight at a business function, and as always, my eyes are drawn to the floor like magnets. It seems that everywhere I go now, I critique the floors, like some kind of obsession. I can't help it, it's what I do. To top it off, I'm a Marine, and Once a Marine, Always a Marine! So I have an eye for detail. I couldn't help but notice that one of the most expensive developments on the beach had some very shoddy workmanship.

Last week, we were up in Virginia, and I had the opportunity to walk in a mall that was huge. The Fair Oaks Mall on the west side of Washington DC has so many wings and levels that it would take a GPS probably to navigate all the way around. Once again, critiquing what I saw, I couldn't help but notice they had the prettiest floors of any commercial job that I had seen. The floor was gorgeous, no high or low spots, the grout was even, the transitions were professionally done. I've also been in quite a few hotels on business travel lately, and like always, I'm seeing the floors for what they are. The thing is that in larger areas, the jobs are so much more professional, and yet, what makes the difference?

I honestly do not know why anyone would pay the prices they do in this town and not demand the best for what they get. Every development on the beach ought to be luxurious, yet when you walk into them, the amenities and finishes frequently leave much to be desired. I know because we have gone into them for individual condo owners after their purchase to replace the brand new materials installed by the developer.

Lack of quality angers me, and so I've taken it upon myself to learn more and more about this profession so that we can do a better job. I was up in Maryland last week for a carpet certification class where I worked with installers of carpet who had been doing it for over 30 years. The critical thing that I learned is that the ability to do a job right is more a frame of mind than a reality. For instance, take two installers, both having installed for 30 years, and one chooses to do everything by the book, even helping to create the "book", yet the other has developed shortcuts throughout the years and made due with what he has been given. The one who has made due may produce a quality product, and he can tell you why he does every detail, yet his product does not last as long. Why? If he were in a different environment, or if his customer knew the difference, or if there was a standard to be upheld, or if he even knew the standard, then he would produce a better product because he wanted to. The only difference in the two installers is the environment in which they were brought up, and the professional atmosphere where they learned their skills.

It amazes me that both have 30 years of experience, and one tells you something is possible to be done right, yet the other denies it. I see it everyday. I learned early in my business to categorize installers by their capability and to allow only those willing to follow the rules to complete the most technical jobs. It doesn't work any other way because an installer who works over his head always finds himself in trouble. Put a man in a job that fits him, and you will be satisfied every time.

For the time being as I look around our community, I will remain puzzled as to why we can't see a professionally accomplished commercial jobsite.

Is Cheaper always less expensive ?

Is Cheaper always less expensive?

In today’s economy, I see many people who are comparing prices, and my job, while much more difficult at times, has become very interesting is seeing the many items that are available in the marketplace. As every person is different, everyone has something that they want, something that take precedence, something that causes them to buy. Nowadays, price seems to be the biggest driving factor in many people’s decision to do anything to their home anymore, and many times, people go with the “cheaper price” simply because they feel like it is a better deal.

About six months ago I had the pleasure of working with a nice couple on a tiled bathroom and shower. I sold them the materials however they chose a different company for the installation because they were $300.00 dollars cheaper. Last week this nice couple came back into my store to ask me to order some more tile for their shower and what it would cost to tear out and replace what the other company installed. Apparently, the shower was not installed properly and leaked, causing moisture and mold to get into the interior walls. They tried to call the company that installed it, but they were “out of business”.

My only point is that cheaper is not necessarily less expensive. For instance, if this couple would have contracted with us to complete the job from the beginning, they would not be out of the thousands of dollars it took to replace it. We would have fixed the problem, that we created, and replaced the tile at no charge.

When shopping for best price always consider several things. Reputation of the company, guarantee of the product and installation, as well as the ability and product knowledge of the company with whom you are contracting.
Here at Carpet One Floor & Home we take pride in every job we do. Our Sales staff and installers are always being trained on the best products to fit your needs with warranties that are the best in the industry, and we have been doing this for almost 30 years. We may not always be cheaper; however in the long run we are less expensive

USAA / Become a Member / Eligibility

USAA is all over the airwaves right now hunting for customers, and for good reason.  I’ve been a member since 1996, and I have all my insurance through them because they have the best customer service that I have ever experienced, not to mention rock solid stability.

I believe in this company because everything they do is for the customer, and when you call, you get answers.  Not only do they service on the phone, but they were servicing on the internet before most seemed to know it even existed.  Everything from posted paid envelopes for your deposits to fee reimbursements for ATMs that you utilize make them tops in the service arena.

At a point in time when companies like State Farm and Allstate are cancelling people left and right in the state of Florida, USAA has not cancelled one person—they actually stated that they would never cancel me in fact.  Further, they haven’t taken a cent in federal bailout money which is all the more reason in my book to patron them.  Self sufficiency is their mantra apparently, and in an apparent era of “what’s in it for me”, I find them to be a refreshing source of responsibility.  To top it all off, they give me a refund of premium every year on my insurance because they do so well—and they already have premiums 20% below anything else I’ve check out there, including GEICO.

Do yourself a favor and see if you are eligible.  USAA is a great institution.

USAA / Become a Member / Eligibility