Carpet installers can transform a house almost as quick as painters. Just look at this job. This old basement rec room was spiffed up in a hurry with some nice new carpeting----it even makes the old paneling look passable. But again---because of over specialization of the trades and lack of adequate training in the responsibilities of other trades (maybe we should call this “cross-trading”)---this carpet installer has made a mess of things in spite of how nice their work looks in the picture. The carpet has been installed over the hearth for a very nice “clean/crisp” look, and the fireplace has been transformed into a plant holder. The hearth on this fireplace should protrude in front of the opening at least 18” and be non-combustible----unlike the carpet. Not a difficult fix for a carpet installer that knows what they are doing.
Charles Buell
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PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.
My WORDLESS WEDNESDAY pictures and some selected POEMS & STORIES.
Hi, Charles,
Good grief, what was he thinking? Did the seller tell the carpet installer to do it that way, or was it his creative genius at work?
Charles, thanks for sharing. It is hard to get good help anymore!
You think he would have thought of the fire hazard in doing this.
Dana----I see 3 or 4 installations like this a year---pretty sure it is more than one installer:)
Jen, yup.
Pat, you would think so wouldn't you?
That's sort of funny...in a no duh kind of way. That's why we have inspections :)
Do you think the carpet installer had never seen a fireplace before? :) And never went to camp, sat in front of a campfire, or anything else related to fires? :)
Theresa---I hear you
Shoshana----yes but they were doing doobies at the time:)
Hi Charles: I love the crackle of a winter fire - bring the fireplace back!
:)
Matt, given how inefficient they are, don't look for a comeback any time soon----better go camping:)
Wow, Charles. Maybe the carpet installer never owned a fireplace and doesn't realize why a hearth is there in the first place.
Chuckie Bee,
I had a fireplace a couple months back. Somehow it registered I had not seen the chimney. It ended in the attic under the sheathing.
Heather---good question
Steve, that just doesn't seem right to me:)
Mr Charles,
Based on my experience, working as your apprentice, I imagine that your recommendation was that they use liquid nails to attach a piece of plywood over the opening so it would not be a fire hazard. I always admired your practical approach.
Nutsy S. Wallenda (trained by Buell)
PS-- Mr Charles, you forgot to mention that either the whole house tilts or the fireplace is a bit off of level. I hope you reported that.
Nutsy
Nutsy the fireplace is perfectly level---you just have one eye higher than the other---tilt your head a little and you will see that I am right.
Charles, that's almost too dumb to be believed unless the fireplace is never going to be used again.
Nope Charles, you are wrong. The paneling is still ugly, new carpet or not.
Tell me what you think of this one. The folks put new vinyl in the bath rooms and the workers chipped off the first row of tile in order to slide the vinyl under. OOPS! How'd they put it back on? They didn't. Couldn't find a way. Am I dumb to be thinking they were the dumbest installers in White County?
Barbara, yup---and your tile job is a doozy as well. Looks like they maybe took off the old tile base that had a "roll" to the bottom and then tried to cut the roll off and then it wasn't tall enough. See that middle tile? Doesn't it still have a little bit of the roll still on it?:)
Tamy, I stand SO corrected:)
Charles, I don't think they even tried to cut off the slight roll. They were just idiots enough to think they could slide them back in place. Why they didn't do the tile like they did the bathtub is beyond me. I told the owner she needs to ask the carpet store owner to make it good.
Wow, you sure did burst my bubble, I thought pretty was all that mattered.
Barbara, does seem strange.
Jack, it is "better to look good than feel good":)
That's some weird stuff! I keep thinking the fireplace is tilted and everything would slide off the mantle.
Lizette, I must admit the perspective is a little odd:)
We can only assume that the owners wanted it that way and don't intend to use the fireplace anymore.
I never was a fan of a fireplace being used as a decorative, display place.
Good post!
Charlie - Probably somebody crunching numbers and thought more about saving money on carpet installation. Unbelieveable - cutting corners by not cutting corners.
Tony, thanks
Carol---good point:)
Key phrase is "know what they are doing..."
absolutely