'04 Itasca Horizon, NEW CARPET, YAHOOOOO!

[Dutch Star Don]

As I read this post, and knowing you from years of threads, I was amazed that you allowed someone else to do this job. I was waiting for your step by step procedure, only to find you hired someone. You know what that means, you've made your first step in letting go and allowing someone else to do the work. Something you and I have a VERY difficult time doing!

[FIRE UP]

Hey Don,
You know, you’re pretty close to being right. Notice I said “pretty close”. Yep, I did hand this job over to someone else. Due to the fact we decided on carpet instead of any other flooring, we both knew that, as qualified as I am to perform many, many types of maintenance, modifications, alterations and repairs, I AM NOT a carpet layer.

To us, carpet laying is an art. One really has to know what they’re doing in order for the job to come out looking like a professional did the work. Don, if you checked out my last thread on how much engine work I just completed, you’d see that, it was a major job and I was TIRED! I topped off the engine job with some interior and compartment LED work.

Our carpet was horrible looking. So much so that, we didn’t like inviting people into our coach, AT ANY TIME. I knew way in advance this job was not one I’d like to tackle. But, it HAD to be done. So when we checked out our friends recently done carpet job,and was told the price, it took me about 10 seconds to make the decision to have the same person put it in ours.

You are very much right in the fact that it’s very hard to allow someone else do work in/on your motor home when YOUVE done it all for so long!
Scott

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Don and Scott, I have to laugh!

Count me among those who haven't found a local flooring installer who meets my standards- yet.

There was one. He installed wood floors in our house in 2008. Did a great job, but he was very slow. He's not sure he has the skill or the energy to tackle the coach. Next time I see him in the mirror, I'll have to give him a stern talking-to, to get off his butt and go find someone who will!

[coachkids]

That's really beautiful![emoji108][emoji106]

[scbwr]

Thanks for sharing this information and the cost. We're looking for a used class a gas motorhome (moving up from a travel trailer) and this information could be very helpful. How did you find the installer?

[tmw188]

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

Don and Scott, I have to laugh!

Count me among those who haven't found a local flooring installer who meets my standards- yet.

There was one. He installed wood floors in our house in 2008. Did a great job, but he was very slow. He's not sure he has the skill or the energy to tackle the coach. Next time I see him in the mirror, I'll have to give him a stern talking-to, to get off his butt and go find someone who will!

How’d that worked out for you?

[Bloodyhell]

Originally Posted by Bloodyhell

I’m with you on the carpet thing, too. I’ve even added carpet tiles over the vinyl strip in the kitchen and the bathroom, so we are 100% carpet now. Since they are tiles, we can just replace one if we have a bad spill. Hasn’t happened yet, though.

We did that too! No more vinyl under bare feet.

[ftodaro]

Scott, I may have missed it, did you replace the sub-flooring also?

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by scbwr

Thanks for sharing this information and the cost. We're looking for a used class a gas motorhome (moving up from a travel trailer) and this information could be very helpful. How did you find the installer?

scbwr,
I've gotten to know quite a few nice folks here in Lake Havasu AZ and, we've done some camping and traveling together. Great folks. Anyway, two of the couples have the same year coach as ours but, different makes. That means that the coaches of that era all pretty much had carpet in much of the flooring. And, being that old, they ALL needed either carpet replacement with some sort of flooring as many have done, or, re-carpet.

Well, one of the couples found carpet/flooring place here in town and stopped by to check out what they had to offer. The owner showed them all of what he had and, offered to come to their motor home and give them an estimate of replacement. When they heard the estimate and, all of what was going to be done, WITHOUT any work from them, they jumped on it.

When theirs was done, they called us over to see it as we were talking of doing the same thing. I walked in their coach, saw how incredibly nice it looked and even better, how it felt. Well, it took me all of about 1 minute to make the decision to have that same company do ours. We went from their coach to the show room floor and met the owner. The wife made the pick of what was to be installed (I just make the payment) and he came up to ours and gave us an estimate. 10 seconds later, we were all in agreement.

His installer, a 75 year old gent, was a retired carpet layer. But, he retired and found that he was dwindling away 'cause he was not as active as he used to be. So, 5-6 years after he retired, he went back to work, LAYING CARPET 'cause it's what he really knows and likes. He was very tedious, slow, efficient, and accurate all at once. I kind-a felt sorry for the guy 'cause he had a "gimp" to his walk 'cause he was in auto accident that banged him up pretty good. But, he keeps going, day to day.

I don't know if I stated it earlier but, we paid right at $2,200 for complete tearout of all the old stuff, install of all new padding (of good quality) and, some very nice carpet. That included having some exposed edges, like all along a 13' section of slide carpet, and other sections, sewn for a sealed edge look. And this job is front to back, including the entire bedroom, bedroom slide edges, up under the drivers feet and more.

Sorry for the long answer but, I kinda feel the need to explain how we got to where we are in this carpet thing. He has since done another couples coach in our group and, more are lining up.

Originally Posted by ftodaro

Scott, I may have missed it, did you replace the sub-flooring also?

ftodaro
No Sir, there was no need to. 99.9999% of my subfloor, plywood, was/is in great shape, for a 14 year old coach that is. I had ultra minor dry rot near a corner of the slide. I picked at it with an ice pic to see the depth and, it was surface only. So, go to go on that.
Scott

[Ernie Ekberg]

I'm 70 and still installing

[CountryB]

What is used at the "tile to carpet" transition (a tack strip, a metal edge, seamed carpet edge)?

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by CountryB

What is used at the "tile to carpet" transition (a tack strip, a metal edge, seamed carpet edge)?

Hey CountryB,
On ours, just a tack strip. He placed all along that area and, stretched it pretty good to nudge up against that tile. It really looks great there.
Scott

[scbwr]

Originally Posted by FIRE UP

scbwr,
I've gotten to know quite a few nice folks here in Lake Havasu AZ and, we've done some camping and traveling together. Great folks. Anyway, two of the couples have the same year coach as ours but, different makes. That means that the coaches of that era all pretty much had carpet in much of the flooring. And, being that old, they ALL needed either carpet replacement with some sort of flooring as many have done, or, re-carpet.

Well, one of the couples found carpet/flooring place here in town and stopped by to check out what they had to offer. The owner showed them all of what he had and, offered to come to their motor home and give them an estimate of replacement. When they heard the estimate and, all of what was going to be done, WITHOUT any work from them, they jumped on it.

When theirs was done, they called us over to see it as we were talking of doing the same thing. I walked in their coach, saw how incredibly nice it looked and even better, how it felt. Well, it took me all of about 1 minute to make the decision to have that same company do ours. We went from their coach to the show room floor and met the owner. The wife made the pick of what was to be installed (I just make the payment) and he came up to ours and gave us an estimate. 10 seconds later, we were all in agreement.

His installer, a 75 year old gent, was a retired carpet layer. But, he retired and found that he was dwindling away 'cause he was not as active as he used to be. So, 5-6 years after he retired, he went back to work, LAYING CARPET 'cause it's what he really knows and likes. He was very tedious, slow, efficient, and accurate all at once. I kind-a felt sorry for the guy 'cause he had a "gimp" to his walk 'cause he was in auto accident that banged him up pretty good. But, he keeps going, day to day.

I don't know if I stated it earlier but, we paid right at $2,200 for complete tearout of all the old stuff, install of all new padding (of good quality) and, some very nice carpet. That included having some exposed edges, like all along a 13' section of slide carpet, and other sections, sewn for a sealed edge look. And this job is front to back, including the entire bedroom, bedroom slide edges, up under the drivers feet and more.

Sorry for the long answer but, I kinda feel the need to explain how we got to where we are in this carpet thing. He has since done another couples coach in our group and, more are lining up.

Scott

Thanks so much for sharing the information. You were really lucky to find someone willing to do it a a reasonable price and willing and able to do it well!

[FIRE UP]

Originally Posted by scbwr

Thanks so much for sharing the information. You were really lucky to find someone willing to do it a a reasonable price and willing and able to do it well!

You're quite welcome. Some might think that price is a bit high. Well, yeah, it is if you're doing the same job only, replacing your old carpet with today's modern flooring and, doing the job yourself. I would have done that and was going to. But, as stated way earlier, we both still like carpet. Old school thinking? Yep, but, we get lots of nice compliments on it and it's just nice to have a warm, new, clean carpeted floor.
Scott