Flooring Gallery-Windsor Heights

awesome experience

I know the company has closed, but here's my review in case the owner gets new financing and re-opens...I started off quite pleased. The salesperson had a lot of knowledge and experience-- she said she had been in the business like 18 years. I was specifically looking for DuPont SmartStrand carpeting, based on what I'd seen elsewhere and read online. They had an excellent price on carpet like what I'd been looking at elsewhere; she said that they ordered that style in bulk and kept in hand because it was so popular, and so could offer a good price. After a couple days more of checking elsewhere and thinking it over, I decided to go with it. The salesperson told me they'd get it ordered and should have it ready to install within two weeks. That should have been a red flag, since it conflicted with what I'd been told earlier; I should have questioned it but figured I was buying more than they had on hand. From my online reading, I knew that DuPont's no-wrinkle warranty stated that the carpet had to be power stretched when it was installed. I asked about that on my first visit, and was assured that wasn't an issue, and when I placed the order reiterated that I wanted the carpet power stretched. The saleswoman said she'd be sure to note that on the installation order. I was insistent on this as my old carpet had a couple spots that had wrinkled over the years, and I had just sold my late mother's home where the carpet had badly wrinkled in ten years. On installation day, the crew was there bright and early, about 7:15 a.m. I retired to the deck with coffee and the newspaper to be out of the way, and then started on yard work. They got right at it. About 90 minutes later one of the installers started laying the carpet in the bedroom with the sliders to the back yard, and I saw that he was knee-kicking the carpet into place. I checked on the progress-- the living room was done, the hallway was done, and there was no sign of a power stretcher. I checked the installer's van and there wasn't one there either. I considered making the installers stop, but obviously they couldn't power stretch the remaining rooms nor redo the others without having the equipment, and I didn't want them to leave with the job half-finished. They wrapped up the install in about three hours-- my guess is that power stretching wouldn't have been nearly so fast. As soon as the installers left, I went to Flooring Gallery to express my displeasure and seek some satisfaction. The saleswoman claimed she had no idea that the installers wouldn't have power stretched the carpet. The manager was also there, and in discussing the crew, I found that this they had used this crew for many years and Bo (Beau?) was considered a top installer. I agree, he was quite skilled, but: a) since they've used him for many years, they knew d**ned well that he knee-kicked his installs, and b) they had agreed that the carpet would be power stretched. I mentioned to the manager that I wanted it power stretched because of the DuPont warranty and the problems that my mother and I had had with carpeting, and she immediately jumped in that wrinkles aren't caused by poor installs, but by sliding furniture rather than lifting it. I countered that my mother was in her 70s and 80s and wasn't moving her furniture, and my wrinkle was in a hallway where there was no furniture. She ended up stressing how any problem with wrinkling would be seen in the first year, they have a one-year installation warranty, and she'd note right on my records my concerns and they'd take care of any issue the first year, no questions asked. Now that they're closed, that one year installation warranty isn't worth the paper it's printed on. The carpet does look good, but I'm always going to wonder if I got screwed on the install. I've decided to be philosophical about it; if I do have to have someone come and power stretch it in five or eight years, I'll still be money ahead over my second choice. But I know from a friend that purchased her carpet from the other dealer, the other place would have power stretched the carpet on installation.

It went very well. Leanne Young was my sales representative. She was very helpful and knowledgeable. They gave me a lot of samples to try. There weren't any hidden fees or costs. They were very considerate, on time, did the work as scheduled and cleaned up well. They left my home in as good, or even better shape than it was better the work started.

Flooring Gallery installed a hardwood floor in my new house. When the dust settled, I found that they had installed all the dark boards in one place and all the light boards somewhere else. They did not bother to mix them up! Also, there were some very large (1"+) knots that they filled in with putty. They billed me for the full $5k in advance as I financed it through their finance company - a big mistake! When I complained, Flooring Gallery offered me $500 and a throw rug. I filed a dispute with their finance company (GE/Mohawk) but, being beholden to them, the finance company denied it for bogus reasons. I sued in small claims court but they showed up with a lawyer and an "expert" who was actually a 20-year company employee, so I lost. I ultimately had the floor torn out and replaced by Barnum (who did a nice job) for another $8k out of pocket. Steer clear from Flooring Gallery - they are incompetent crooks who prefer to fight than to do a good job.?