What is teeh best carpet underlay and where to buy it

[Mike-H]

Pretty much what it says in the title. Over the next few months I will replace carpet in several bedrooms, hall, stairs etc. One shop quoted me £10/sq meter for their 'good stuff'. Sounds expensive to me. Any thoughts on where to buy good underlay online.

 

[crazydaze]

You need to understand what different types of underlay do for your installation, and what you have been offerered at £10m2

Not all underlays do the same thing in different installs, the type of carpet is important, the deeper and softer the underlay, the more pressure, traffic marks etc (but it will feel soft) the firmer the underlay the better the wear and appearance retention.

If it's a rubber waffle or PU Foam style underlay (i.e. cloud 9) walk away, your being ripped off.

You should be able to source a fantastic natural felt underlay such as Axminster Axfelt65 through a good independent shop for less than £8m2 with room for negotiation easily.

If you have 'blindly' been offered underlay at £10m2 and not been shown a selection of different styles of underlay (not different thicknesses, but different types, i.e. Rubber Waffle, PU Foam, Crumb rubber, Felt) and not had the differences and advantages and disadvantages of the different types available explained, then you should also consider wether the retailer has honestly advised you correctly in your flooring choice as well. Comapnies offering limited choice in such important things as underlay may well be limiting you in the choice and quality of the carpeting and fitting services too.

I had a customer contact me this week 'I've had another quote, its £35 less than yours will you price match?' (this is on a £3000 order!!!!!!) 'certainly, can you confirm the underlay you have been quoted for?' customer 'yes its ******** 9mm pu foam' 'well sir our quote is for Axminster Axfelt65 underlay at £7.99m2 your 'cheaper quote' is for an underlay that we would normally charge £3.99 for!!!!!!!!'

Who in there right mind is 'disonest enough' to claim a £3.99 underlay is a 'premium product' to fit under a £52m2 carpet???? unfortunately there are people out there that try it on and don't care.

Do your research, and as for online underlay prices, do those companies fit the underlay for those prices? OF COURSE THEY DON'T !!!!!!!!! so expect fitters and shops to charge extra for fitting if you supply the underlay.

It's also well known in the trade that some of the online retailers regularly pass off seconds and end of line lower grade products off as premium grade.

In general you pays your money and take your choice, you will have more come back if you purchase everything together and can ofetn negotiate further if you buy all your services from the same place.

If you hav'nt already, seek the advice of a good local independant retailer, they are likely to offer you more time, advice and probably a bettr price and service than the out of town 'sheds'

 

[Petest67]

You need to understand what different types of underlay do for your installation, and what you have been offerered at £10m2

Not all underlays do the same thing in different installs, the type of carpet is important, the deeper and softer the underlay, the more pressure, traffic marks etc (but it will feel soft) the firmer the underlay the better the wear and appearance retention.

If it's a rubber waffle or PU Foam style underlay (i.e. cloud 9) walk away, your being ripped off.

You should be able to source a fantastic natural felt underlay such as Axminster Axfelt65 through a good independent shop for less than £8m2 with room for negotiation easily.

If you have 'blindly' been offered underlay at £10m2 and not been shown a selection of different styles of underlay (not different thicknesses, but different types, i.e. Rubber Waffle, PU Foam, Crumb rubber, Felt) and not had the differences and advantages and disadvantages of the different types available explained, then you should also consider wether the retailer has honestly advised you correctly in your flooring choice as well. Comapnies offering limited choice in such important things as underlay may well be limiting you in the choice and quality of the carpeting and fitting services too.

I had a customer contact me this week 'I've had another quote, its £35 less than yours will you price match?' (this is on a £3000 order!!!!!!) 'certainly, can you confirm the underlay you have been quoted for?' customer 'yes its ******** 9mm pu foam' 'well sir our quote is for Axminster Axfelt65 underlay at £7.99m2 your 'cheaper quote' is for an underlay that we would normally charge £3.99 for!!!!!!!!'

Who in there right mind is 'disonest enough' to claim a £3.99 underlay is a 'premium product' to fit under a £52m2 carpet???? unfortunately there are people out there that try it on and don't care.

Do your research, and as for online underlay prices, do those companies fit the underlay for those prices? OF COURSE THEY DON'T !!!!!!!!! so expect fitters and shops to charge extra for fitting if you supply the underlay.

It's also well known in the trade that some of the online retailers regularly pass off seconds and end of line lower grade products off as premium grade.

In general you pays your money and take your choice, you will have more come back if you purchase everything together and can ofetn negotiate further if you buy all your services from the same place.

If you hav'nt already, seek the advice of a good local independant retailer, they are likely to offer you more time, advice and probably a bettr price and service than the out of town 'sheds'

Second that.

 

[lymmranger]

Thirded

 

[Mike-H]

It was one of the sheds, carpet right, offering a rubber underlay at £10 per m2. Looks like i can buy similar online at about £4-5 for Tredaire, Duralay for about £3.50-4. There is an alternative called Cloud 9 Cumulus at about £3.

I am looking for hard wearing underlay. It will be used in 3 bedrooms and the stairs and landing. Yes I want comfort, but I do not want it to show where heavy traffic is.

What is 'the best' underlay for this?

I have spoken to a local firm and they are certainly better priced. They even identified a carpet that carpet right sell. It was renamed but the same product. Strangely enough it was priced sensibly and not a zillion pound reduced by lots of silly discounts. They are coming out to measure and negotiate on Saturday. Gave me lots of samples to take home too - no hassle or deposits.

 

[crazydaze]

For heavy traffic areas you do not want rubber waffle or pu foam, you should be enquiring about crumb rubber such as Duralay Treadmore or ideally a natural felt product or combo crumb felt such as Axminster Axfelt65 or 54oz Felt.

Look and feel the samples for yourself, you will see the difference in quality and benefit of this type of product for heavy wear. Ask for advice for your installation and make a decision based on the 'even ness' of your subfloor and other possible localised issues, but ultimately, what you are asking for in your post is a Felt underlay, this will NOT cost you £10m2, like I say, un-discounted you should be paying around £8m2.

If any retailer insists on only showing you the same underlay but in different thicknesses, consider wether they are able to offer the same limited choice of carpets too ????

Your original post 'stank' of Carpetright customer service, it only takes a quick google search to get the real idea of what the shed's get up to re: quality, margin and service.

 

[Mike-H]

Stank indeed. The mark up on their product is ridiculous. Loads to look at so ideal for window shopping on colours etc. but no great for price.

Think I may opt for Axfelt 65. Seen it for around £6.50 m2.

 

[crazydaze]

Stank indeed. The mark up on their product is ridiculous. Loads to look at so ideal for window shopping on colours etc. but no great for price.

Think I may opt for Axfelt 65. Seen it for around £6.50 m2.

Bargain! (if that includes fitting )

 

[lymmranger]

.....part of the problem is that accesories such as underlay are rapidly becoming the only area where the retailer can actually make a profit!

The internet has a lot to answer for in this regard, constantly selling carpets and delivering them cheaper than us retailers can buy them - the fact that you get a full roll of carpet tipped on your front lawn (try lifting that) doesnt seem to click with customers. three times in the last year we have had panic calls from customers (sic) who got us to measure up and plan for them. They then order off the net. Carpet is "dropped" onto lawn/drive. Customer then expects us to come and "help" for free.

If this carry`s on much longer there wont be any shops......

 

[crazydaze]

.....part of the problem is that accesories such as underlay are rapidly becoming the only area where the retailer can actually make a profit!

The internet has a lot to answer for in this regard, constantly selling carpets and delivering them cheaper than us retailers can buy them - the fact that you get a full roll of carpet tipped on your front lawn (try lifting that) doesnt seem to click with customers. three times in the last year we have had panic calls from customers (sic) who got us to measure up and plan for them. They then order off the net. Carpet is "dropped" onto lawn/drive. Customer then expects us to come and "help" for free.

If this carry`s on much longer there wont be any shops......

X2 !!!!!

and don't get me started on our customers who buy laminate flooring as supply only as their builder is an 'expert' only to come in a few days after the install, unhappy with the finish of the floor thinking we should be correcting the builders fitting mistakes for no charge! Today we had a customer who we quoted a fitting price on 60m2 of Pergo for, as well as supply only (he took great delight in telling me my fitting prices were way more expensive than the builder) he came into the store having had his wife drop off a box of doorbars left over from the job, asking if carpet coverstrips, single edges and double edges should have been used to finish their new Pergo floors in doorways as well as 'why don't Pergo design a better sealant for the door ways, it's all gloopy!!!!!!!!!'

I despair at those customers that seem to think the m2 price of a product is the be all and end all of the installation. Like everything in life you get exactly what you pay for, if you want advice, expertise and educated guidence then dig deeper in your pocket and get the quality of floor and install you deserve.

 

[lymmranger]

Builders are experts in all types of flooring ....didnt you know?

Best one was very recent.

customer enquiring about LVT (we quote fully fitted price on this type of flooring)
customer adamant her (builder) hubby would fit, so what is the supply only cost?
I advised against it but gave her a price
3 weeks later, same customer came in and bought 2 large pieces of vinyl flooring. I said that I thought she wanted LVT - she then rather quietly admitted that they had bought £450 worth of the net and that hubby had totally mucked up the installation destroying it so bad it had to be binned, the vinyl was to cover the same floor.
I didnt have the heart to point out that in total she had easily paid out enough money to cover a pro job in LVT

customers hey (still cant eat a whole one)

 

[Mike-H]

Man from local firm visited this weekend. He suggested that Axfelt would be a bit ‘excessive’ for the bedrooms. He did discuss benefits of it but he thinks that Cloud 9 Cirus or Y&B Cosi 10 would be suitable for bedrooms, softer underfoot. There was no heavy sell on underlay as we had an open conversation about prices etc. with reference to internet options. To be fair he has left the choice of his best price or my internet price with me. He is not far off the internet price so he will probably get the order for that too as it means they will bring on day of delivery.

With reference to the cost of fitting underlay it seems that most firms outsource fitting. Tends to be the norm that you pay the fitter by room and the price was not affected by underlay. It is likely that this is due to the ease of fitting underlay in a standard size room.

Using a local company was such a better service than the sheds. Placed my order for carpet today and I can add underlay anytime up to day of fitting. We negotiated price which saved some pennies. They will fit one room and hold the rest in stock until the next room is decorated which is great as it was not a standard stock colour that we ordered. They will then fit room 2 and then room 3 several weeks later. Great service.

 

[lymmranger]

Alls well that ends well

glad you are sorted

 

[crazydaze]

Thats good news!

Now tell your friends