# Is Lowe's out of their mind?? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 26, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lowes-out-of-their-mind/487571 "2009-02-26T22:19:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lowes-out-of-their-mind/487571/21 "2009-02-27T23:42:31Z")
Well just got back from getting some ideas about prices from the independent stores. Apparently Lowes IS the cheapest in the area. The other stores priced their carpets on the price per square yard for the carpet, pad AND installation. The average price for decent carpet at the other stores was $35-45 a square yard but didn’t include removal of the old carpet. That’s well over $1300 on the low end for the size I needed. Lowes worked out to be $21 a square yard with installation costs if we ripped out the carpet ourselves. So…we just went with Lowes. Ended up being about $820. > [@fireman](#): > > As a former carpet store clerk and Installer (I’ve had a few different jobs), I can tell you that older mobile home walls were not anything like standard house walls. The studs and plates were not 2x4 or whatever passed for 2x4. I saw the aftermath of a co-workers install attempt using a carpet stretcher. The footplate and the stretcher board went out through the wall. Extra caution, or alternate installation techniques were advised for mobile home work. Yup, this is what the lady at Lowes explained to us. I still think it’s bull that we have to pay extra for them to be more careful but whatever. I just want to get this done with so I can move in! Good news is we got the ordering part done with. Bad news is the carpet won’t be in till the 12th of March. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![fireman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@fireman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fireman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lowes-out-of-their-mind/487571/22 "2009-02-28T00:37:42Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Well just got back from getting some ideas about prices from the independent stores. Apparently Lowes IS the cheapest in the area. The other stores priced their carpets on the price per square yard for the carpet, pad AND installation. The average price for decent carpet at the other stores was $35-45 a square yard but didn’t include removal of the old carpet. That’s well over $1300 on the low end for the size I needed. Lowes worked out to be $21 a square yard with installation costs if we ripped out the carpet ourselves. So…we just went with Lowes. Ended up being about $820. > > Yup, this is what the lady at Lowes explained to us. I still think it’s bull that we have to pay extra for them to be more careful but whatever. I just want to get this done with so I can move in! Good news is we got the ordering part done with. Bad news is the carpet won’t be in till the 12th of March. ☹ Ok, a word of advice, if this is the original carpet in these rooms, you will need a utility knife with extra blades. Chances are, the carpet was put down before the walls were built. This is (was) common in mobile homes. You will have to cut along the base of the wall to get the carpet loose. If it is not the original carpet, and has tack strips already, if you are careful removing it, you may be able to reuse the existing strips. It would save a little on the labor and material. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2009, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lowes-out-of-their-mind/487571/23 "2009-02-28T03:56:01Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > One suggestion … do NOT go cheap Charlie on the pad. The difference between the cheapest & the 2nd-most expensive pad will be only a few bucks, maybe $30 over the whole job. > > A good pad will make cheap carpet seem nice, while cheap pad will make a good carpet seem cheap. IOW, the most bang for your buck in nice-feeling carpeting comes from getting great pad & then adding the nicest carpet that fits your overall budget. > > Usually the top-of-the-line pad is only a little better than #2, but costs 2x as much. That’s for the “gotta have the Best suburban shopaholic interior decorator wannabe”. So skip that one. Cannot agree more. And I wouldn’t buy my carpet from a big box store–too expensive. Independents may make cheesy commercials, but they really do tend to have the best deals. ETA: never mind. Didn’t read to the end before posting. Sorry! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-lowes-out-of-their-mind/487571.md?page=1)