Just been down to Paul Simon's to check out the sales as we need some new
carpets. Not replaced ours before so a little out of my depth. Do the
following prices seem good and the materials sensible for the application:

Underlay - £7.99 /m2
Fitting - £3.00 /m2

Bedroom is 7.5 m2
Lounge is 34.5 m2
Hall is 5.2 m2
Landing is 1.7 m2
Stairs join them ...

Total about 50 m2 I think ... dunno how to measure stairs. From his
calculations based on my drawings he converted (very badly!) to yards and
then back to meters and came up with 65 m2 ... which is a bit more than my
calculations, but then they'll come and measure up anyway if I go ahead with
this.

Based on his 65 m2 and taking the living room as 35 m2, he reckoned on £1500
total for a wool carpet in the living room and a nylon, tufted, woven backed
carpet for the rest with medium quality underlay and some spike strips (as
the stairs and landing are currently not carpeted). The nylon carpets are
at 75% off currently (£5.97 /m2) and the wool ones varied quite a bit, but
were more expensive (I think £10 /m2 for the standard ones, but some really
expensive ones (about £40 /m2 originally) were down to about £20 /m2 and the
quote was based on them).

How does this all sound? Any help appreciated )



a

al wrote:

Just been down to Paul Simon's to check out the sales as we need some new
carpets. Not replaced ours before so a little out of my depth. Do the
following prices seem good and the materials sensible for the application:

Underlay - ï½£7.99 /m2
Fitting - ï½£3.00 /m2

Expensive...

Just ordered some from http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/
paid 3.59/sq m for Clound 9 Cirrus underlay. Last time I had a carpet
fitted IIRC, the price was something like 30 per room, or 45 for stairs
(i.e. flat rate not per sq meter).

Bedroom is 7.5 m2
Lounge is 34.5 m2
Hall is 5.2 m2
Landing is 1.7 m2
Stairs join them ...

Based on his 65 m2 and taking the living room as 35 m2, he reckoned on ï½£1500
total for a wool carpet in the living room and a nylon, tufted, woven backed
carpet for the rest with medium quality underlay and some spike strips (as
the stairs and landing are currently not carpeted). The nylon carpets are
at 75% off currently (ï½£5.97 /m2) and the wool ones varied quite a bit, but
were more expensive (I think ï½£10 /m2 for the standard ones, but some really
expensive ones (about ï½£40 /m2 originally) were down to about ï½£20 /m2 and the
quote was based on them).

How does this all sound? Any help appreciated )

That is much harder to call unless you know exactly what you are getting
and are hence able to compare like for like.



--
Cheers,

John.

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\================================================= ================/

In article ,
al wrote:
Total about 50 m2 I think ... dunno how to measure stairs. From his
calculations based on my drawings he converted (very badly!) to yards
and then back to meters and came up with 65 m2 ... which is a bit more
than my calculations, but then they'll come and measure up anyway if I
go ahead with this.

Since carpet comes in only certain widths, there will always be some waste
- unless you're very lucky.

--
*If I throw a stick, will you leave?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
al wrote:
Underlay - ?7.99 /m2
Fitting - ?3.00 /m2

Expensive...

Just ordered some from http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/
paid 3.59/sq m for Clound 9 Cirrus underlay. Last time I had a carpet
fitted IIRC, the price was something like 30 per room, or 45 for stairs
(i.e. flat rate not per sq meter).

Interesting ... perhaps you could help explain the appropriate application
of each thickness/quality level. What would you recommend for stairs,
landing & hall? Same for bedroom? Perhaps a better one for the lounge as
it's a better carpet there too? Any guidance appreciated!




a

al wrote:

Interesting ... perhaps you could help explain the appropriate application
of each thickness/quality level. What would you recommend for stairs,
landing & hall? Same for bedroom? Perhaps a better one for the lounge as
it's a better carpet there too? Any guidance appreciated!

There is a fair amount of helpfull information on the site actually.
These two pages I found quite handy:

http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/index1.html
http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/faq.html

I went for the Cloud 9 Cirrus (9mm thick) version. That will be used for
landing and stairs, plus two bedrooms.




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

John Rumm wrote:

There is a fair amount of helpfull information on the site actually.
These two pages I found quite handy:

http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/index1.html
http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/faq.html

I went for the Cloud 9 Cirrus (9mm thick) version. That will be used for
landing and stairs, plus two bedrooms.

Do you lay the carpet yourself or are you able to find someone locally
who will fit carpet without supplying it?

David

Lobster wrote:

Do you lay the carpet yourself or are you able to find someone locally
who will fit carpet without supplying it?

I will probably get it laid by fitters from the shop where I buy the
carpet - just onto "existing" underlay and grippers (which I will fit
myself the day before!).

While I have fitted carpets myself a few times, it is not a job I like
or do that well, so probably better to outsource it!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
news:41d87e0a$0$44959$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-
I will probably get it laid by fitters from the shop where I buy the
carpet - just onto "existing" underlay and grippers (which I will fit
myself the day before!).

While I have fitted carpets myself a few times, it is not a job I like or
do that well, so probably better to outsource it!

I'm in the same boat ... except I've never tried it before. On the topic of
grippers - are the existing ones normally good enough for 2nd hand use?
Thought they'd be virtually free, but they want to charge about £150 if new
strips are laid down all around!

Also, what's the easiest way to lift the current carpet? In work I have a
tile-lifting tool that sticks some spikes into the carpet in opposing
directions and locks ... therefore allowing you to lift. Is this the type
of tool you'd need to un-hook your existing carpet from the grippers? Is it
easy to damage the grippers?

With underlay - do you tape joins or just lay it as is, side by side?




a

"John Rumm" wrote in message
news:41d71b2b$0$45524$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-
There is a fair amount of helpfull information on the site actually. These
two pages I found quite handy:

http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/index1.html
http://www.discounted-carpet-underlay.co.uk/faq.html

I went for the Cloud 9 Cirrus (9mm thick) version. That will be used for
landing and stairs, plus two bedrooms.


My worry with the stairs was that if it were too thick, it may be difficult
to get the carpet to "bend" tight into the corners. Come to think of it ...
how does it work on stairs anyway? I presume the underlay comes as far as
the gripper and stops? Does that mean you have 10 pieces of underlay up
your stairs that you hope stays in place while you cover it with a carpet?

Also, would you go for a thicker one for the lounge or is 9mm pretty
standard for domestic use? Don't want to go overboard ....


a

In article ,
"al" writes:

I'm in the same boat ... except I've never tried it before. On the topic of
grippers - are the existing ones normally good enough for 2nd hand use?

Yes, they don't wear out. Make sure they are still well attached.
Also, they are usually made of wood which rots in about 5 seconds
if it has ever got wet.

Thought they'd be virtually free, but they want to charge about £150 if new
strips are laid down all around!

Also, what's the easiest way to lift the current carpet? In work I have a
tile-lifting tool that sticks some spikes into the carpet in opposing
directions and locks ... therefore allowing you to lift. Is this the type
of tool you'd need to un-hook your existing carpet from the grippers? Is it
easy to damage the grippers?

Use a pair of pointed pliers to dig into the corner and lift it from
there. Unless the carpet was recently laid, it will probably have
stretched a little and will easily lift off the grippers.

With underlay - do you tape joins or just lay it as is, side by side?

IME, laid side by side, and stapled to the floor every 12" along each
edge.

Another tip -- if you have a rubber backed carpet which has left rubber
stuck to the floor, a flat edged garden spade is probably the easiest
way to get it off.

Yet another tip -- if you have some complicated shapes to carpet, such
as winders on a staircase, use the old carpet as a pattern to cut out
new carpet the right shape.

--
Andrew Gabriel

al wrote:

"John Rumm" wrote in message
news:41d87e0a$0$44959$ed2e19e4@ptn-nntp-

I will probably get it laid by fitters from the shop where I buy the
carpet - just onto "existing" underlay and grippers (which I will fit
myself the day before!).

While I have fitted carpets myself a few times, it is not a job I like or
do that well, so probably better to outsource it!


I'm in the same boat ... except I've never tried it before. On the topic of
grippers - are the existing ones normally good enough for 2nd hand use?
Thought they'd be virtually free, but they want to charge about ï½£150 if new
strips are laid down all around!

Keep the existing ones. If you need more then you can add them yourself
(i bought a "box" of gripper at the same time as the underlay (going in
newly constructed rooms), was about 35 quid for 150 meters of the stuff.

(hence I expect I will have 70m ledt over at the end if anyone is
interested!)

Also, what's the easiest way to lift the current carpet? In work I have a
tile-lifting tool that sticks some spikes into the carpet in opposing
directions and locks ... therefore allowing you to lift. Is this the type
of tool you'd need to un-hook your existing carpet from the grippers? Is it
easy to damage the grippers?

Pair of pliers to grab a bit of pile. Once you have an edge free it is
easy.

With underlay - do you tape joins or just lay it as is, side by side?

With ordinary rooms I just leave it unfixed. On stairs I staple it since
it is only in small sections.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

al wrote:

My worry with the stairs was that if it were too thick, it may be difficult
to get the carpet to "bend" tight into the corners. Come to think of it ...
how does it work on stairs anyway? I presume the underlay comes as far as
the gripper and stops? Does that mean you have 10 pieces of underlay up

You do.

your stairs that you hope stays in place while you cover it with a carpet?

I watched carefully last time I had some stairs carpeted. You have one
gripper on the back of the tread, and another at the base of the riser.
The underlay is cut into a section to cover the tread and then flop over
the front and down the riser to the next gripper. They then staple it in
place

With stair carpets I notice they also fix it in sections, with one
section only doing at most three steps. The joins being hidden in the
internal corner between tread and riser.

Also, would you go for a thicker one for the lounge or is 9mm pretty
standard for domestic use? Don't want to go overboard ....

Last time I got underlay (prior to this one) it was for (the old)
landing and stairs. So I bought a decent crumb rubber one so as to wear
well and also keep the foot fall noise down. The 9mm stuff I have just
gos looks to be similar or better, so I expect I would be quite happy
with that in most rooms.

(much of the underlay you get is of the "waffle" or "crumb rubber"
types, these are often specified in weight rather than thickness. Hence
it is not easy to compare size for size with the Cloud 9 stuff)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
news:41d96351$0$65413$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-
Keep the existing ones. If you need more then you can add them yourself (i
bought a "box" of gripper at the same time as the underlay (going in newly
constructed rooms), was about 35 quid for 150 meters of the stuff.

(hence I expect I will have 70m ledt over at the end if anyone is
interested!)

Not looking to start the project until late Feb or March at earliest ... so
if you're anywhere near London name a price




a

"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...
Use a pair of pointed pliers to dig into the corner and lift it from
there. Unless the carpet was recently laid, it will probably have
stretched a little and will easily lift off the grippers.


I'll give that a go .. damned if I'm going to pay £40-50 for them to take my
carpets up if that's all it takes!

With reference to fitting underlay - what if it's on a concrete floor (ie.
you can't staple it down)? Is there a particular glue to use?




a

al wrote:
"Andrew Gabriel" wrote in message
...

Use a pair of pointed pliers to dig into the corner and lift it from
there. Unless the carpet was recently laid, it will probably have
stretched a little and will easily lift off the grippers.


I'll give that a go .. damned if I'm going to pay £40-50 for them to take my
carpets up if that's all it takes!

With reference to fitting underlay - what if it's on a concrete floor (ie.
you can't staple it down)? Is there a particular glue to use?

My fitters used a combination of masonry nails and 'no more nails' gunk
(didn't see what sort it was); ie, glued, then nailed down to hold them
in place while the glue set.

David

Lobster wrote:

With reference to fitting underlay - what if it's on a concrete floor
(ie. you can't staple it down)? Is there a particular glue to use?

There is no real need to fix the underlay itself, just the gripper rods.

My fitters used a combination of masonry nails and 'no more nails' gunk
(didn't see what sort it was); ie, glued, then nailed down to hold them
in place while the glue set.

I think on the discount carpet underlay site they suggest that as a
solution as well. i.e. when fitting grippers to a solid floor, most pro
fitters just use the ordinary grippers designed for wood floors, but
pull the nails out and glue them instead (rather than buy special
grippers with masonry nails)

--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

al wrote:

Not looking to start the project until late Feb or March at earliest ... so
if you're anywhere near London name a price

SE Essex, so not too far.... how does 15 quid sound?

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
al wrote:

Not looking to start the project until late Feb or March at earliest ...
so if you're anywhere near London name a price

SE Essex, so not too far.... how does 15 quid sound?


Sounds a distinct possibility! When are you finished your project?




a

al wrote:

Sounds a distinct possibility! When are you finished your project?

I shall probably get the bulk of the grippers down in the next week or
so. That will leave one room to do later, but I can always pull enough
spare strips out of the box to do that.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote in message
news:41d9655d$0$14599$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-
I watched carefully last time I had some stairs carpeted. You have one
gripper on the back of the tread, and another at the base of the riser.
The underlay is cut into a section to cover the tread and then flop over
the front and down the riser to the next gripper. They then staple it in
place


Pretty sure I know what you mean - anyone got any pictures of the bare
stairs before carpeting? Also, do you need to leave any gap from the
wall/stair face to the gripper or just nail it in plush? Ditto with the
corners.

Also, with the grippers - do you have to buy them to the same height as your
underlay or are they standard regardless of the underlay depth?




a

In article ,
al wrote:
Pretty sure I know what you mean - anyone got any pictures of the bare
stairs before carpeting? Also, do you need to leave any gap from the
wall/stair face to the gripper or just nail it in plush? Ditto with the
corners.

You leave the same gap between the grippers and the right angle surface as
you'd do between gripper and skirting board - ie about 1/2 inch. This
allows the carpet to be pushed into the gap between the horizontal and
vertical gripper to tighten it.

Also, with the grippers - do you have to buy them to the same height as
your underlay or are they standard regardless of the underlay depth?

I've only ever seen one thickness of gripper.

--
*Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.