Home / David Hunt

Aug
30

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The Decline of Carpet

Category: Business of Flooring, Carpeting, Flooring Articles & Opinion Tags: , , | 10 Comments

The decline in carpet is due to one thing and one thing only: Poor quality.

Our industry has killed itself by selling products designed to meet a price point over tangible performance. The worthless warranties and those who sell them are only nails in the coffin.

The increase in hard surface sales IS NOT because people like living on hard surfaces and IT’S NOT about indoor air quality. Read More

Jun
29

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Patterned Carpet On Stairs

Category: Carpeting, Flooring Articles & Opinion, How-To's Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

An interesting question from a member came up on The Floor Pro Community forums (it happens all the time) and deserves a detailed answer. First, the question paraphrased:

I got into a discussion with a designer about running matches in patterned carpet on steps. She said the pattern should be in the same spot on each step. The designer suggested that every installer should know this. My belief is, if the carpet is left in a continuous piece, the pattern matches, but if cut to align a pattern on each step, the run of the carpet will not match. Which way is the right way?

While the customer is not always correct, they do deserve to have things done to fit their desire or definition of correct despite whether we believe it to be obtuse or ugly. That being said, in terms of design there are several factors to consider. Read More

Oct
20

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The Formula for Profiting On In-House Labor

Category: Business of Flooring, Flooring Articles & Opinion Tags: , , | Leave a Comment

This covers an aspect of business I have not heard much on around the various flooring sites. Perhaps you have and you may find this repetitive or boring. If so, my apologies. However, for those who have not, the point I hope to share comes from a pivotal point in my wife’s and my business becoming truly profitable. So here goes…

It would be easy to say the best formula for profit margins is to always have our income exceed our out-go. That’s really silly, it’s like saying the best way to avoid accidents is to not have them. You might need to read that sentence again. I know, it’s an obvious point. The problem is, doing the obvious is not always as easy as identifying it. Read More

Mar
8

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Retailer & Installer: Working Partnership?

Category: Business of Flooring, Flooring Articles & Opinion Tags: , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Flooring Retailer and Installer: Is It a Valued Working Partnership?

Partners are for dancing and the only ship that will never sail is a partnership. Installers who are looking for a partnership with a retailer, builder, designer or any other business entity are looking for love in all the wrong places.

As for respect, respect is something that begins within and is reflected or mirrored by those for whom we serve. We are not in this floorcovering business to be someone’s friend or substitute family member. We are here to do a job. We are trained, skilled, educated and knowledgeable about every aspect in the execution and delivery of our craft. Because we have respect for ourselves, we hold ourselves to a higher level of accountability than they will ever hold us. Because we are accountable for our actions we know what we will do and, even more important, we know what we will not do and Read More