Need Carpet installer Daytona, Central FL area

[Bill Root]

I'm not sure if this belongs here or on the sandbar, so forgive me if I've posted in the wrong place.

We're in the process of redecorating BUFFALO GAL. Finding a good carpet installer who is willing to work on a boat is proving to be more of a problem than I thought. Apparently business must be better down here than the newspapers are reporting. Even after explaining that I understand they would need to charge appropriately for the difficulty of the work, the response so far has been "I really don't want to get into boats or RV's".

Does anyone out there in the Daytona/Sanford/Orlando area have someone to recommend? I suppose I can wait until I take the boat up to Lamb's in Jacksonville in the spring, but I was really hoping to get everything done before I leave.

 

[magnawake]

I here what you are saying.....Seems like "if" the economy is that bad, people would be jumping at the chance for work. Last year I had trouble finding anyone to show up and work. They said, yeah, I'll do it, then didnt show up. It ticks me right off. I found a carpet installer here in southport to give me an estimate for replacing my carpet. I was thinking about hardwood too. Of course the ER access would need to be cut around so the work would be fairly time consuming. I was surprised at the affordable price he gave me. If you can move your own furniture and take some digital pictures and actually show the installers its not as bad as they think, then maybe they'll be more likely to want to do the job. Heck, they dont even need a power stretcher. Just a knee kicker will do. Some installers might just be intimidated. However, if I was a carpet installer and needed the money, I'd be all over it like a dog on a biscuit.

 

[Boatsb]

I here what you are saying.....Seems like "if" the economy is that bad, people would be jumping at the chance for work. Last year I had trouble finding anyone to show up and work. They said, yeah, I'll do it, then didnt show up. It ticks me right off. I found a carpet installer here in southport to give me an estimate for replacing my carpet. I was thinking about hardwood too. Of course the ER access would need to be cut around so the work would be fairly time consuming. I was surprised at the affordable price he gave me. If you can move your own furniture and take some digital pictures and actually show the installers its not as bad as they think, then maybe they'll be more likely to want to do the job. Heck, they dont even need a power stretcher. Just a knee kicker will do. Some installers might just be intimidated. However, if I was a carpet installer and needed the money, I'd be all over it like a dog on a biscuit.

Why not have the guys that sold you the carpet put it in? I've never had a supplier that would not install it.

 

[Bill Root]

Why not have the guys that sold you the carpet put it in? I've never had a supplier that would not install it.

Well, I haven't purchased the carpet yet. It's the dealers in the area who are telling me they don't have installers who will do boats or RV's. I think it's important to find an installer who knows how to do hatches and tight corners. The first guy I had do TUCANDU said he knew how to do it all, but I found out pretty quick that he didn't. I had to hire another person to do it right.

Maybe I should try the local RV outfitter. There's a big company in Sanford that does a lot of the big fancy Prevosts.

 

[magnawake]

Corners shouldnt be a problem, but your correct, hatches are not fun. The guy here in Southport said he could do it though. I would just wonder what it would look like. My middle ER access has a shiney metal trim ring around it and dressed out well. I have a rug covering it with a foot stool over it. However, the engine access panels are completely covered with carpet (one big piece), which was a problem replacing the blown head gasket last August. I just pulled the carpet up and rolled it back. Sounds easy, but it wasnt. Thats why I was wondering about installing wood with access panels cut in. Seems like there's no good way. Exposing the access panels are the best way to go for maintenance, but it doesnt look as good. If you get the same people that do the Prevost buses, you will need to give them your right arm to pay for it. Keep us posted. I'm interested in how they do.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

There's a man in Jacksonville (Murray) that only does boats... Know that doesn't help you... But there's people out there........

 

[Bill Root]

Why not have the guys that sold you the carpet put it in? I've never had a supplier that would not install it.

Any recommendations for dealers in the Daytona area, Scott? We're about 30 miles from Daytona.

 

[Bill Root]

There's a man in Jacksonville (Murray) that only does boats... Know that doesn't help you... But there's people out there........

Thanks, Charlie. We'll be at Lamb's in JAX having some work done end of March. If I can't find someone here in the Daytona/Sanford area I may just wait till I get to Lamb's. It would be much easier to do it now, though, because all the furniture is out of the salon being reupholstered. It will all be back in when we depart Sanford.

 

[GJH]

Have you tried asking at the West Marine in Daytona? They used to have some friendly and pretty knowledgable people there. Or the boat yards? Lighthouse at Ponce inlet has a list of contractors according to their web site.

 

[Bill Root]

Have you tried asking at the West Marine in Daytona? They used to have some friendly and pretty knowledgable people there. Or the boat yards? Lighthouse at Ponce inlet has a list of contractors according to their web site.

I hadn't thought of asking at West Marine. I'll give that a try today. Thanks.

 

[hibanx]

Call Martha at Kustom Kovers in Daytona 254-8040. She has a subcontracter she uses that does boat carpet all the time.

 

[PeterK]

Unless a carpet stretcher was the first thing the installer unloaded after the carpet, I would not let him on board. Flat out wrong carpet does not need to be stretched or it can be properly installed with a kicker. The one exception would be if it is glued direct to the substrate.

 

[magnawake]

Unless a carpet stretcher was the first thing the installer unloaded after the carpet, I would not let him on board. Flat out wrong carpet does not need to be stretched or it can be properly installed with a kicker. The one exception would be if it is glued direct to the substrate.

I'm confused with your statement. Are you saying he needs a stretcher or not ? Wrong carpet? Nobody would use glue down at all. Maybe I'm missing something.....

 

[Bill Root]

Call Martha at Kustom Kovers in Daytona 254-8040. She has a subcontracter she uses that does boat carpet all the time.

Thanks. I'll give Martha a call.

 

[Bill Root]

We met with Martha at Kustom Kovers in Daytona today. Picked out the carpet and we'e having it installed earlly March. Looks like she does very nice work. She's certainly very, very busy.

 

[PeterK]

Pate, a stretcher is a requirement for any carpet put over a separate pad. Industry standards and all that rot. The reality is unless you are putting in a small closet or installing stair, a kicker is only meant for moving and placement of carpet, not installation itself. Carpet is to be stretched 1-1.5% in both directions for proper installation.

Regarding gluing it down, there are numerous closed cell foam back products, primarily designed for the commercial market, that would be excellent choices for marine use. The only problem with these are they will eventually be taken up which is a brutal and labor intensive process.

Having spent my entire life in the flooring biz, first as an owner of a large commercial firm for 25 years (was the 3rd generation in the company) and for 15 years (until December 31st. Moved on board full time then!) as a forensic flooring expert, I would love to be able to assist anyone here with any issues they run into

BTW glad a good installation company was found!

 

[magnawake]

Yeah I figured you knew something about carpet installation. Most people dont even know what a power stretcher is. I used to own a carpet cleaning/ water damage business. I also repaired other peoples bad installations. I did own a power stretcher as well, I had to have one. You could almost set a clock to the carpet installed without a stretcher, after one year, the high traffic areas would ripple up. I will tell you this though, on my 43' it would be impossible to use a stretcher. There's only maybe one place in the salon where I could possible use the stretcher. Heck, I cant even use the knee kicker in the walkways around my bed in the aft stateroom. Throw in lots of stairs and engine room access covers, its a pretty hard installation. However, the bright side, you save money on the amount of carpet purchased. The 43' doesnt really have that much so the installers wont be tired of carring the big rolls even before they show up. I think the installation prices go up just because its a yacht and everyone thinks we are rich and dont mind spending the money. The cleaners want to rape you too, just to clean the carpet. Makes me sick. Anyway, glad you know the business and add good tips.

 

[hibanx]

We met with Martha at Kustom Kovers in Daytona today. Picked out the carpet and we'e having it installed earlly March. Looks like she does very nice work. She's certainly very, very busy.

Glad it worked out, she does fine work and stands behind it.