Choosing a Carpet Fitter in Waterlooville: What to Ask

Featured business. Palmer Flooring Contractors has a complimentary featured placement on Waterlooville.co; it has not paid for it, and it has not seen or approved this guide. Palmer Flooring is a Portsmouth-based family business that says it serves Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. The business says Joe Palmer is NICF accredited. You can call Joe Palmer on 07896 497068. See the Palmer Flooring Contractors profile or the feature article.

A carpet is only as good as the way it is fitted. These are the things worth asking any fitter, whoever you choose.

Ask what the quote covers

Supply and fitting. Is the carpet included, or only the labour? Is underlay included?

The old floor. Who lifts and disposes of the old carpet, and is that in the price?

The base. Will the floor underneath be checked, and who deals with it if it needs work? See our guide to preparing a subfloor before new flooring.

Doors and edges. Will doors be trimmed if the new carpet is thicker, and what trims or threshold strips are included?

Furniture. Who moves it?

Get all of this in writing, so you can compare quotes like for like.

Ask for the measure

A fitter should measure the room properly rather than guess, and tell you how the carpet will be laid, where the joins will fall and which way the pile runs. Joins in a busy doorway are worth discussing before the day.

Ask about experience and examples

Ask how long they have been fitting and whether they can show similar jobs. The business says Joe Palmer has over 20 years of experience in the flooring industry; that is the business's own statement and we have not verified it. Asking to see examples of recent work is reasonable with any firm.

What is the NICF?

NICF stands for the National Institute of Carpet and Floorlayers. From its name, it is a trade body for people who fit carpets and floors. Palmer Flooring says Joe Palmer is NICF accredited. We have not checked what the NICF requires of its members or whether this accreditation is current, so if it matters to you, ask the fitter for their details and confirm them with the institute directly. This applies to any fitter who mentions an accreditation.

Domestic and commercial work

Homes and businesses need different things. A busy commercial floor may need a hard-wearing carpet or carpet tiles, while a bedroom may call for something softer. Palmer Flooring says it does both and shows one commercial carpet job on its website, at The Hog House in Drayton.

Before you say yes

Check the business is real and findable: a company name, a contact number that is answered and a website. Palmer Flooring Contractors Ltd is listed at Companies House under company number 16821222. Ask about the free consultation if one is offered. The business says it offers a free consultation and a no-obligation quote. If you are choosing between hard floors and carpet, see LVT vs laminate flooring.