Sources of Installers

Look under Carpet Installation Equipment and Supplies. These supply houses can be the best source of top installers – but you’ve got to set them up else you'll fall victim to their favoritism and greed (kick-backs). If you use the following line of questioning, you’ll find the ‘one in thirty’ who qualify quicker than any other way:
Ask to speak to one of the guys at the sales counter. Here's what you ask, “Have you got any really good installers you could recommend?” Usually they’ll rattle off a name & number right off the top of their heads. Don’t even write it down. These are the installers who bribe sales people for work.
Say,
1. “I want an installer who’s been buying from you for years?”
2. “I want an older guy, at least 35 years old.”
3. “Are you sure he does his own work?”
Anybody they give you who meets these three qualifications is worth calling.

CFI Certified

http://www.fcibcertified.com/home.html This service stresses accountability (my favorite word) of its members. Notice there aren't many members. Very few installers even qualify for this elite group because they have an actual ongoing performance evaluation. Someday this will be the only place we’ll need to go to find top installers. But right now, their list is pretty short. It’s because there’s still too many gypsies laying rugs. Once enough consumers have been burned, there won’t be any Lemmings left. (Oh well, I can dream can't I?)

CRI Certified

http://www.carpet-rug.com/drill_down_2.cfm?page=7&Sub=2&PartnerID=3. This is a much longer list of Certified Installers than the CFI list. There’s plenty of highly skilled craftsmen in here. Let the tough six questions help you separate the wheat from the chaff.

Yellow pages

Look under Carpet Installers. These are all the BNCs and installers who must advertise because they aren’t good enough to survive on their referrals. Or they’re too new to have established themselves yet. Since the number one goal is to find an individual, I’d pass over the company names and focus on peoples’ names like Bob’s Installation. Just be sure you get Bob. You can always go back through and call the BNCs if you strike out on individuals.

Wholesalers

Wholesalers can be good source (but usually aren’t).
This is where me and most other contractors get our flooring. It’s also where a lot of installers hang out. Every wholesale store will have an installers’ list and there’s usually a couple of top installers on it, but you’ll play Hell finding out which ones they are. Most have inside deals with the people running the wholesale stores. If you take the word of the people behind the counter, who knows, you may be lining their pockets. There’s lots of kick-backs and hidden agendas going on. Few of the installers on these lists do their own work. Fewer still are certified. Fewer still follow our Industry's Installation guidelines. Fewer still will sell you goods at wholesale. Most of them want full retail on both labor & material.

Be prepared to be approached by contractors and designers wandering around the store looking for victims. If they approach you, be cordial. Ask them if they do their own installs. If not, they’re just middle men. You don’t need them. Remember, you're looking for an individual - an actual top installer - these guys don't hang out at stores. They're out doing what they do - installations. But go ahead, show them a carpet sample and let them give you a price. Who knows? They may give it to you at 40% off like I do. If not, just say no thanks.

Retailers

Retailers are your absolute worst source of installers.
I wouldn’t recommend you call a retailer for a referral. They probably would never give up their installers unless you’re prepared to buy from them – and pay retail for both labor & material, naturally. If they even have a good installer, he’ll be out fixing all their other installers’ screw-ups. If you ever find a store which lets you interview their installers, please let me know. Somebody’s got to ask the tough six questions, and that means you. You’ve simply got to get through to the actual guy who’s gonna be doing the work!