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Stretch vs power stretcher debate that still bugs me
Last month I was on a job in a big living room in Denver. The homeowner kept saying I should just use a knee kicker for the whole thing. Said his last guy did it and it looked fine. I tried to explain why you need a power stretcher for width. He got kind of defensive about it. Made me wonder how many bad installs happen because people skip the right tool. Any of you ever have a customer argue about installation methods?
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lucashart19d ago
His last guy did it and it looked fine" - that's the problem right there. Most homeowners can't spot a bad install unless there's a visible wrinkle or bubble. They don't know about loose seams or carpet that'll separate in six months. I had a guy once who swore his old carpet was still tight after ten years. When I pulled it up the backing was completely shot from being overstretched with a knee kicker. He never saw the damage because it was hidden until the pad showed through.
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Man oh man, that Denver customer story hits close to home. I've had a few homeowners argue that a knee kicker is just as good, and honestly I think they just don't understand how the carpet relaxes over time. A power stretcher pulls from the other side of the room and keeps tension even across the whole width, where a knee kicker only gets you a few feet at a time. I always tell them straight up that a knee kicker is for edges and stairs, not for the main field. You have to explain it like they're a kid sometimes but it's worth it to save a callback down the road. What do you do when they keep pushing back after you explain it?
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