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Cherry Carpets are a well-established supplier of commercial and domestic flooring across London, Kent and Surrey.
Choosing a company to work in your home or commercial space can be a difficult exercise. Below are what we consider to be 10 points for you to look out for when choosing your new flooring supplier – if you feel that something is not quite right, then your instincts are probably correct.
Click on each topic to read our guide on what to look out for:
The first warning sign is always a request to be paid in cash with a promise of no VAT to be added. Legitimate businesses do not operate in this way.
Always check for reviews. A reputable company will have a review system set up which is monitored by an independent body such as Checkatrade. You can also check Google Maps and search where you should find reviews, if you can’t find any reviews be very careful, there could be a reason.
Just make sure you get a written quote and costing for the project. Get a time frame for each stage of the work, too. And if it doesn’t look professional. i.e. a computer printout or pdf document then walk away. Poor attention to detail on a quote could well mean the same attention to detail on your flooring project.
Always get at least 3 written quotes to provide you with a sanity check. If you get a very low quote from one of the companies – consider the reasons why. If you feel like a quote isn’t quite right always ask the question, any professional company will tender to your needs as a customer.
If a company tries to pressure you into a decision by saying they can squeeze your project in before another big project starts – be wary. Is it true? Why are they rushing you into a decision?
Why not ask them to show you around a recent project? This is a very reasonable request.
No landline number? Why? Check on Google to see whether they have a physical address. If they don’t, then they have either just started out (so let them gain experience on someone else) or they are not a professional company.
Yes, these are still working in the industry, denigrating the work of other companies is a sure sign that you’re not dealing with a professional. If he is dirty, unkempt, in a dirty tracksuit – he is not the man you’re looking for.
If you are having your carpet installed by the retailer, this is an incredibly important question. Ask if the company uses its own installers or if it hires out sub-contractors. It is likely to not be a problem if a company uses sub-contractors, provided the company itself oversees the installations. Ideally, you book everything through the store itself, and contact the store staff if you have any problems. If the salesperson sells you the carpet and then hands you the phone number for the installer, or tells you the installer will contact you, back away (with your money). You may have no recourse if you have any difficulty with the installer, as the retailer may tell you the sub-contractor is a separate entity over which it has no control.
One way of spotting a cowboy company is when they come knocking on your door. Cold calling companies aren’t real companies. Good and reputable companies are always busy so they don’t have time to come asking you for work in this way.
Any and all of the above should raise a red flag. Just take your time to make a decision and don’t allow anyone to pressure you. Use your common sense and find someone like minded who shares the same values as you do.
At Cherry Carpets, we take great pride in every job, regardless of the size and we go the extra mile to ensure that we exceed your expectations and continue to build on the excellent reputation we have built. Our team are all fully employed by Cherry Carpets, meaning you get the benefit of fully accountable staff and also avoid the additional cost of paying a sub-contractors premium.
So, if you are considering a new floor for your home or commercial space then please call us on 020 8249 9726 or click here to complete the contact form and we will be in contact within 24 hours.
We are proud members of Checkatrade and you can view feedback from our many satisfied customers on our company profile by clicking this link.
We are proud members of Checkatrade and you can view feedback from our many satisfied customers on our company profile by clicking this logo:
