ABC Carpet & Upholstery

Description of Work: I needed my carpet cleaned and repaired

Description of Work: Rental carpet cleaned

Description of Work: Stained carpet cleaned

Description of Work: Sofa cleaned.

Description of Work: Clean my carpet

Description of Work: Wall to wall carpet cleaned

Description of Work: Clean my upholstered chairs

Description of Work: Area rug cleaned

Description of Work: Leather couch cleaning

Description of Work: Rug cleaning

Description of Work: I purchased an area rug from ABC Carpet & Upholstery Company in February.

Description of Work: First of all let me emphasize that the date of service and the amount we paid are only estimates -- I am not sure of the exact amount, but feel that this info is fairly close to the actual figures. Second, I have been in the home and commercial carpet cleaning business myself (about 20 years ago), so I know a few things about carpet cleaning. I didn't make any complaints at the time, but the work was not up to the truly professional standards that I was expecting for carpet cleaning. Some of our carpet was light-colored and pretty badly stained; other rooms were laid in very dark shades of carpet and should have been easier to clean. But when the men left and the carpet dried (about 24 hours after the service), I felt that I had been ripped off. Many stains were still in the carpet, and some carpet was stiff and starchy, which indicated that all the old soap and water had not been thoroughly removed. The cleaners were in and out in a very short time, which tells me that they didn't do much more than run through the 3 carpeted rooms, grab their check, and head out the door. For the money we paid it should not have been that way. It's as if the experience was sped up, like an old vinyl record played too fast. If it had been played slowly, it would have been good; as it was, the minimum technical requirements were met, but the job was not done satisfactorily. In other words, they did clean the carpets, but not to any reasonable person's standards. For example, they did not "rake" the carpet to lift the fibers; this speeds drying and gives the carpet a fresh, new feel, and helps prevent places where the carpet is matted down. I would not use this company's services again. It's not a matter of money; I know what good carpet cleaning is worth, and would be willing to pay a reasonable price any time. But the price I paid was way to high for the quality we got. Let's talk a moment about the "estimate." The guy had a wheel that, when run across the room, indicated the number of feet. By measuring one way, then measuring the other, and multiplying the two numbers, you get a general idea of the footage. For example, if the N-S measurement is 30 feet, and the E-W measurement is 20 feet, you have a 600 square foot room. At $0.20 per square foot for cleaning, the room would cost $120.00 to clean. And that would not be a "bad" price, IF the service moved furniture, made sure spots were pre-treated, and raked the finished carpet. But if they come in, as these guys did, with a mix of cleaners already in the machine; and start blasting their mixture on wooden table legs, sofa legs, etc., and to treat stained areas, just held the nozzle over the stain for a few seconds of intense spraying and extraction...and then gave you a bill of about $200 for that room -- no, that's not the way professionals do it. I feel like the astronaut who said to his co-pilot, "You realize our engines were made by the lowest bidder." Having the lowest price does not in any way mean that you'll have the highest quality. In fact, you can bet that you won't. An estimate is not just about how big a room is. If 30, 40, or 50 percent of the floor is covered with furniture, then the actual cleanable floor space is much smaller than the room size . . . unless the cleaners are willing to move sofas and other large furniture out of the room. You may say, "But there is nothing under the sofa that needs cleaning. Ah, but this is not true. Dust, mites, and many other factors are at work to eat away at your carpet, even the areas you don't walk on. So, here are 5 things you MUST watch for and insist upon: 1) Get a copy of the written estimate, showing square feet per room, COST per square feet, and noting anything they can't fix such as tears, rips, runs, or stains that are too old to come out. Also (this is the part they won't want to document) note in writing whether they will move large pieces of furniture (sofas, buffets, tables, desks, etc.). If these pieces of furniture are NOT going to be moved from the room, the price for cleaning the carpet should be LOWER. Why should you pay for carpet that is not cleaned? 2) The written estimate should specify in writing or drawing any stains, tears, or spots that cannot be repaired at the basic carpet cleaning rate; the charge for these items should be specified elsewhere, or else noted that you do not expect the cleaners to fix these problems with basic carpet cleaning. 3) Pay in cash. It's much simpler for everybody. Some people worry that the carpet cleaners won't turn in the full amount to the boss, but that is not your concern. Your business with them ceases when they leave your property. 4) If the cleaners do good work, make sure you offer them plenty of cold water to drink, as well as anything you can do to make their work more pleasant. This has the added bonus of keeping them on the job longer, which may mean they do a better job. In any case offer them cold water (no alcohol) to drink while they are at your home. 5) If they do an excellent job of cleaning, raking (fluffing) the cleaned carpet, spending time on heavy spots/stains, moving furniture properly, and cleaning up after themselves, give each of them a CASH tip. Do not give the lead person a bunch of money and tell him to distribute it around. It may well go around alright -- around his waist and into his pocket. No, hand each laborer a $20 bill. shake his hand, and thank him. Maybe you'll want to give the "boss man" a little more. Be as generous as you can, balanced by the quality of the work you see around you. In conclusion, be advised that many of the day laborers in the service industry are not legal immigrants. They may not speak English. They may be quite abused by their bosses. It's not your job to fix their lives, but you should treat such people with human courtesy. The higher-ups may well be shady, so don't be stupid! Don't show them your expensive collection of guns or jewelry; don't feel pressured to start the job that hour. Most of the time they will say something like, "We have the machine in the truck, we can go ahead and do this right now!" They may even offer a discount if you consent to a quickie. DO NOT DO THIS. Stay in control, tell them when it's convenient for YOU; their convenience is not the issue. Ask for references and CALL THEM. Speak with someone who has used these people (not just the company) in the recent past. Good luck -- may your carpets get the professional care they deserve!

Description of Work: Delivered six days later than promised date. Very good cleaning job, but delay in returning carpet upset us.

Description of Work: I picked out some remnant pieces from their warehouse and then had them bind the pieces together to make two carpet rugs. They also delivered them for me. The caret pieces were about were 20 x 20 feet.

Description of Work: THEY PUT IN NEW RUNNERS.

Description of Work: THEY REPAIRED AND CLEANED MY OLD RUG.

Description of Work: THEY CAME OUT AND CLEANED ONE SOFA.

Description of Work: CLEANED LIVING AND DINING ROOM

Description of Work: THEY REMOVED OLD CARPETING AND INSTALLED NEW PADDING AND NEW CARPETING.

Description of Work: THEY REPLACED THE CARPET PADDING IN THREE ROOMS.

Description of Work: THEY CLEANED OUR CARPETS.

Description of Work: THEY CLEANED A COUCH, A CHAIR, TWO RUGS, AND MY SHADES FOR ME.

Description of Work: THEY CLEANED ALL OF OUR CARPETS.

Description of Work: THEY CLEANED ALL OF MY RUGS.

Description of Work: THEY INSTALLED OUR CARPET.