New stair carpet laid recently looks as if it has a seam across it

[zena123]

Hello, I would love advice re:
new carpet on the flat part of a winder looks as if it has a join across its width, 8" in from (& parallel to) the edge. Depth of tread is 22" at its deepest point. So it is pretty obvious, and visitors have remarked that it's an odd place to have a join. The company said it's not a join. But we haven't got much further than that. What can I reasonably expect to do about it ? Can they just fit one tread and if so, what about the issue of colour matching. Additional facts: The fitters wanted me to order the carpet in early, (said they couldn't guarantee being able to get it - it's not special, just cost a bit more than carpet on the upper stairs, as it is near the front door (greater traffic). Then couldn't fit it for just over a month (fitter had accident to hand, & I can well empathise), and then I had to delay fitting by 3 weeks. But obv. I don't feel I should have to pay extra

for a replacement piece, if the seam/crease was caused by standing around in their storage. Or am I being unreasonable. Surely when stored they are rolled & don't crease? I will try to attach photo to show. Thanks so much.

 

[Mottie]

Looks like a join to me. Have you paid them? Did you mention it before they left? Pull it up and have a look - It's not hard, I've had my stair carpets up quite a few times in the past and it's pretty easy to re-lay it. If it isn't a join, it's a fault so get them to re-do it.

 

[footprints]

If it is a fold vacuuming it after rubbing the pile with your fingers should get rid of it, if not it may be a fault as you say.
Not difficult to infill a section without showing the repair though. Often done on awkward staircases.

 

[zena123]

Thank you (Motman & Footprints) for replying. Gave me courage to speak to carpet guy (see below) & he has received the same photos I posted on this thread. I have only paid the deposit so far. I've rubbed lightly & hoovered as you suggest, but didn't want to damage it, in case he says it's my fault. For that reason also, I haven't taken the carpet up to look at it. Our conversation went thus: He says it's not a seam but is a "pole mark" His exact words: "Never in a million years would we lay a join on a stair.... a pole mark happens where you have the tube at the end of a roll, where it digs into pile and goes all across the carpet. You get it on every carpet. The more it's walked on, it will vanish. Depends on the wear. I guarantee it will vanish in time. Can I take the balance in the meantime ?" .... I politely said that I would prefer to pay after taking advice .... Will the mark disappear shortly ?? and should I just let this go ? - would you, in your home ? Tx v. much

 

[Doggit]

If you do a search for "carpet pole marks", you'll find it may well be true, but whilst most comments say they should disappear, they don't always.

 

[footprints]

We did have asimilar mark on our lounge carpet and that was the same thing you fitter suggested it did go after a couple of weeks and two or three hoovers, our upright "beater" type worked better than the plain suction henry vac.

 

[Mottie]

We have a 3” joining strip in our lounge carpet but it’s only in the recesses and furniture covers it but it was made invisible before they left and if you hadn’t seen it, you wouldn’t have noticed it. Perhaps hold something substantial back until it disappears because if it doesn’t, he will!

 

[Doggit]

Do you have any offcuts left; and check with the fitters to see if they haven't thrown it out yet. If you've got a spare bit, then I'm sure they'll come back and redo that stair on it's own if necessary. It is only one stair tread, so I think a bit of perspective is needed, but if they do need to get another piece, then it may require the whole stair to be redone so that the colours the same.

 

[zena123]

Brilliant idea Motman. I guess it's an article of faith that it will disappear & if it takes 3 weeks to a month to disappear, then he gets fully paid in 3 weeks to a month ! Wonder if I'll have the brass nerve !
Thank you.

 

[foxhole]

carpets are stored on tubes not poles and the backing is in contact not the pile. Get them to change, steps are often done individually or a few at a time as it avoids wastage of offcuts.

 

[zena123]

Thank you foxhole for your advice. I think that is what I'd ideally like to do, but am conflicted about what is ethical & obviously he & I are coming at it from opposite positions.

Doggit : unfortunately, no offcuts : I think the pre-measuring was very precise. Also, as he turned up late (went to wrong address) I had to leave him to finish, as had appointment to go to. So, though there was plenty of
time to discuss the issue while I was there, he didn't take the opportunity. When he left, he said he had only got 10-20 minutes more to do & that involved the landing. So it seems he avoided raising the 'pole line' as
an issue & hoped it would 'go away'. Having said all that, the rest of the job has been done v. well.

 

[footprints]

If it is a "pole mark" it is caused not by a pole it is where the carpet is tightly rolled around a tube, the edge or end of the carpet is pushed into the pile causing a dent in the pile over the whole length.

 

[zena123]

Is it likely that a pole mark would be 15-16" in from the edge of the carpet ?? On thinking about this, I believe I ordered a carpet and didn't expect it to come with extra bother. Otherwise
I would have ordered a carpet with extra bother ! Am feeling a bit fed up that, during the initial negotiations, extra bonuses like pole marks weren't mentioned AND am also thinking that a
seller in this case is trying to pull the wool over a novice buyer's eyes (re: carpets, anyway), ... a carpet should have been delivered as any other customer would have expected.
A typical example of "buyer beware". I might have expected this extra waste of my time had I bought direct from Amazon or Ebay and, maybe next time that's what I shall do !
(as you can see, am feeling a bit jaded - skipped breakfast & lunch today & am now waiting for food to cook), but maybe tomorrow morning I'll have a brighter perspective !).
At present, taking a straw poll, the views are 50-50 split as to whether I should ask them to come & replace that one tread .... Are there any more comments to add to the poll, from people who, by chance,
read this thread ???

 

[Doggit]

Try and be reasonable over this Zena. Have glass of wine with your meal tonight, and wait a few weeks to see if the mark drops out (as a lot of threads on the internet suggest it will), but if it doesn't, then you tell them you want the stairs redone if it hasn't. Give them the chance to show you they're right, then come down on them like a ton of bricks if they're wrong, as trust me, you'll get nowhere fast demanding they correct it now. Drop them a line saying you're not happy, but you'll give it a few weeks, but you reserve the right to ask them to redo the stairs if it doesn't correct itself.

 

[pete50]

Having had lots of carpets laid in the 30 odd years that we have lived in our bungalow I have never seen anything like that. We have an L shaped hallway and that requires a join unless I pay for a huge amount of wasted carpet. We have had 4 carpets laid in that hall over the years and I defy anyone to tell me where the join is. For the price you pay to have a carpet laid I would expect perfection, something becoming increasingly rare in this day and age from "tradesmen". I would tell him to rip it all out and start again.

B*****x to Doggit's reply tell the guy to sort it.