Frequently Asked Questions

Can We Take Samples Home?

At Kerns Carpet One we highly recommend that a customer take home samples. We suggest looking at samples in the daytime, at night and in different parts of the room under consideration. We ask that samples be returned within 48 hours.

Do you have a Shop-at-Home Service?

Yes, Kerns Carpet One does. If you cannot come to one of our stores, we are more than happy to bring our store to you. To contact our shop-at-home specialist, call (262) 432 – 4500.

Does Kerns Carpet One handle more than just carpet?

Yes! Kerns Carpet One specializes in hardwood flooring, ceramic tile, laminate floors, vinyl flooring (sheet and tile), area rugs, and specialty flooring. Our Brookfield and Fox Point locations also handle window treatments and wallpaper. We pride ourselves on service and offer installation on everything we sell.

What is Carpet One?

Carpet One is the largest organization of independent floor covering retailers in the world. Our affiliation allows us to buy better, offer the best warranties in the flooring business, and to have access to the latest trends. Our buying power of over 1,700 stores worldwide provides us with better pricing than big box locations.

How long does it take to have a new floor installed?

This depends on what type of material you select. Hard surface (i.e. laminate, sheet vinyl/vinyl tile, wood, and ceramic tile) are readily available. Carpet on the other hand is ordered based on the size of the room and can take several days or weeks (depends on availability) to receive.

If you have a special need let our sales associates know immediately  (e.g. having a company or a family function). If this is the case we will do whatever we can to find you a product that fits your budget and time requirements.

We are unique in our business approach, and more interested in quality rather than quantity. At Kerns Carpet One we work very hard to put the right installer on the right job. Due to the nature of the floor covering, this might cause a slight delay in the installation of your new floor.

Is Pat Kerns still involved in the business?

Yes he is. The man whose face has graced local television since 1986 continues to play an active role within the organization. His son, Bill, is also featured in many of Kerns Carpet One’s commercials.

What kind of installation warranty can I expect?

Kerns Carpet One is the only specialty retail store in Milwaukee to offer a lifetime installation warranty* on all the products we install. If a problem occurs following the installation of your flooring, contact your sales person. He or she will visit the job site and inspect the area. If the area warrants a repair, a repair notice will be filed and our customer service department will call within 48 hours of receipt to set up an appointment.

What type of training do your sales people experience?

At Kerns Carpet One we spend a great deal of time working with our sales staff on product knowledge, flooring trends, and installation procedures. Our sales staff is required to attend product seminars, conduct online training through Carpet One University, and attend installation clinics. All of our sales associates are required to earn the prestigious Certified Flooring Specialist (CFS) designation from the World Floor Covering Association.

Do we need to move the furniture?

Can you do this for us? Yes and yes! In order for a carpet or any other type of flooring to be installed correctly, all furniture must be removed from the room. We can move the furniture for a nominal fee. If you elected us to move the furniture please understand that the mechanics are professional floor covering installers, not professional movers. Our services are limited to moving heavy pieces of furniture, not the contents. We will not move waterbeds, Grandfather clocks, disconnect electronic equipment i.e. computers/printers, cable connections, Direct TV boxes, and stereos. In addition, aquariums, heavy pool tables (slate), grand pianos/organs, and safes cannot be moved by our installation crews. If you do not have a source to move these items, Kerns Carpet One can make arrangements to have someone do this for you. If you do it yourself, please make sure this is done before the installers arrive.

We are considering new flooring for our kitchen. What happens to the appliances?

Appliances need to be moved. Kerns Carpet One can remove the appliances for a nominal fee. We will not disconnect gas lines or water lines to refrigerators. Unusual toilets will require a plumber.

Also, if you are considering a vinyl or ceramic floor remember underlayment is required in most cases. This may raise your existing floor 1/4" to 3/4". This added height would change existing transitions to other floors and alter appliance heights. At Kerns Carpet One every effort will be made to address this issue prior to the installation of your new floor.

How long has Kerns Carpet One been in business?

Kerns Carpet One is celebrating its 72^nd anniversary in October. The business was started by Milton Kerns in 1935. His son, Pat, joined him in 1955 and Pat’s son Bill, joined the family business in 1987.

Do you offer financing?

Yes. Kerns Carpet One has a finance program designed to fit your budget. Stop in and visit with any of our sales staff and he or she can explain what options are available.

What brands do you carry?

At Kerns Carpet One we provide you with different flooring options not available at any other flooring retailer in our area. We carry such name brands as Stainmaster, Karastan, Bigelow, Lees for Living, Good Housekeeping, Milliken, Pergo, Armstrong, Mannington, Wilsonart, Bruce, Daltile, Mohawk, Shaw and more.

In addition, Kerns Carpet One is Milwaukee’s only flooring dealer to offer the new LIZ Claiborne home furnishing collection.

Should I wait to paint or wallpaper my room after the new floor is installed?

If you plan on painting the room we suggest doing this prior to the new floor being installed. Old carpet, vinyl, etc make for a great drop rag.

If you plan on wallpapering, we suggest this project be completed after the new floor is installed. Some flooring products have stiff backs and can damage wallpaper and painted walls quite easily. Touching up a painted area requires minimal work. Touching up a wallpapered area can be a daunting task. Make sure you have extra paint and wallpaper after the project is complete.

Our installers will use extreme care to minimize any damage.

I bought flooring from a dealer that is no longer in business. I have a buckle in my carpet or a tear in my vinyl flooring. Can you help me?

Absolutely. We have a repair person who has many years of flooring experience. For a nominal fee (the hourly cost depends on the extent of the problem) he can come to your home and attempt to fix** the problem area. Our repair department can be reached at (262) 782–4430.

Why should I buy from you and not one of your competitors or the big boxes?

Very good question. First and foremost Kerns Carpet One specializes in floor covering. This is what we do everyday. We don’t sell hammers, paint, appliances, garden equipment, etc. All we sell is flooring with unparalleled service.

We offer over 3500 different flooring options. Most big box stores offer much less and don’t carry name brands such as Karastan, Bigelow, LEES, Mannington, or Wilsonart.

Kerns Carpet One is very dedicated to training and customer service. All new employees must go through several months of training on all facets of the business before becoming a full fledged sales professional. Additionally, Kerns Carpet One’s sales professionals are required to attend product seminars, participate in Carpet One’s online training programs, and participate in installation clinics throughout the year.

At Kerns Carpet One we want to take the guesswork out of the selection process. At all three of our locations we offer design assistance and our sales staff welcomes the opportunity to make house calls.

Remember floor covering is an expensive proposition. Make certain the sales professional you deal with is educated and understands your needs. Kerns Carpet One sales associates have over 350 cumulative years of flooring experience and are trained to help the customer chose the right product for the right situation.

Furthermore, our mission is a satisfied customer. At Kerns Carpet One we offer the best warranties in the flooring industry. Many of the products we sell and install come with the exclusive, "No questions asked replacement warranty", and our LEES Carpet collection provides a 25 year no questions asked warranty on staining! Additionally, we offer many different finance options on all products we sell.

The biggest complaint we hear from customers is on installation. At Kerns Carpet One our installers are all certified and have gone through extensive training with Karastan, CFI (Carpet Flooring Installer accreditation), and Carpet One’s Installation Excellence program. We have found through the years that certified installers are more dedicated to their profession and take what they do very seriously. In addition, certification requires years of training and commitment to the profession.

Our installers are also the only contractors in the Midwest that are rated based on a four part grading system. The system has resulted in constant improvement in the performance of our installation base thereby assuring you of the very best installation in our industry.

Certain types of flooring are more sensitive to install and require an expert (certified craftsman) installer to do the job right. At Kerns Carpet One we make certain the right installer is assigned the right job. In addition, the sales staff provides each installer with a diagram /plan, a breakdown on what is needed i.e. take up/haul away, transition pieces, furniture removal, and materials required to do the job correctly.

Be careful on whomever you select to do your flooring project. Ask them about experiences and background of their flooring crews. Question them on certification and the ongoing training the installers go through, and request references.

No one wants a bad install. Avoid the possibilities by asking the right questions.

If you have any additional questions regarding flooring please feel free to contact us.

• * Installation warranty applies to all floors we install. Certain conditions need to be met in order for this warranty to apply. See store for details.
• ** In some cases the existing floor cannot be fixed. This may be due to a number of reasons. Every effort will be made to explain the problem and why the floor cannot be repaired.
• *** Many of the Carpet One products feature replacement warranties. See store for more complete details. Certain conditions apply.