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Frequently Asked Questions

Can we take samples home?

 

At Kerns Carpet One Floor and Home we highly recommend customers take home samples. We suggest looking at samples in the daytime and nighttime hours. In addition, we would advise you look at the samples in different rooms of the house due to different lighting issues. This exercise will help you finalize a decision.

 

 

Does Kerns Carpet One Floor and Home sell more than carpet?

 

Absolutely! In fact, Kerns Carpet One is one of the largest suppliers of wood, laminate floors vinyl, and luxury vinyl tile/plank in Southeastern WI. In addition all hard surface products purchased and installed by Kerns certified installers backed by our lifetime installation warranty.

 

 

We have heard the term “Carpet One” used in your name. What does this mean?

 

Good question. Carpet One is the largest purchaser of flooring in the world. As an affiliate of this buying co-operative we are able to buy better, provide the best warranties, and have access to the latest trends. In fact, we buy more flooring than Home Depot, Lowes and Empire combined and can offer better pricing than the big box stores or the competition in Milwaukee!

 

 

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

 

This depends on the size and scope of the project. Plus, material can dictate timing as well.

 

 

Getting the material is the easy part. Installing the material can take days due to acclimation issues or floor conditions.

 

 

Carpet is the easiest and least cumbersome product to install. A typical job of between 500 – 1000sf can be done in one day provided the area is free of furniture and take up/disposal of existing carpet.

 

 

Hard surface can take upwards of 1 – 4 days depending on the conditions. In most cases we can install between 300 – 450sf per day provided the room is free of furniture, appliances, etc. If underlayment or prep work (poor floor condition) is required this could delay our timetable.

 

 

Should you have special needs or require immediate assistance we can work directly with you on a timeline to insure the work is completed on time and to your satisfaction.

 

 

Is Pat Kerns still involved with Kerns Carpet One?

 

Yes, he is. Pat Kerns’ face has been a staple in the Milwaukee market since 1986. Despite his age he continues to be the face of the organization and continues to play a significant role within Kerns Carpet One. His son, Bill, runs the day to day operations, and recently Bill’s son, Michael joined the family business and is managing the Brookfield and Mequon stores.

 

 

What kind of installation warranty does Kerns Carpet One offer?

 

Kerns Carpet One is the only specialty flooring store in Milwaukee to offer a lifetime installation warranty* on everything we sell and install. If a problem occurs contact your sales person for assistance. The sales person will make an appointment to look at the area and if a repair is needed, he or she will follow up to schedule a date to address the problem.

 

*See store for details.

 

Do you offer design service?

 

We have several designers on staff that are dedicated to assist you with your flooring project. Our flooring consultants are required to attend periodic training classes in design, color coordination, product knowledge and installation services and techniques, through online training with our suppliers and attend Carpet One University classes.

 

We are very proud of our staff and believe you will find them friendly, knowledgeable, and provide outstanding customer service from the start to the finish of your project.

 

 
Do we need to move the furniture and take up the old flooring?

 

These two issues come up often and we have found customers put off their projects because they don’t want to move the furniture or remove their old flooring.

 

I have some good news for you……..Kerns will do both at a nominal fee! That’s right, for pennies on the dollar Kerns will move and re-set your furniture* and take up the old carpet or hardsurface, when necessary. In addition, we also will dispose of your old carpet* and hard surface floors.

 

*Carpet is not bio-degradable and will take over 100 years to decompose.  Kerns is proud to recycle carpet and padding. Carpet fibers and the backing materials can be repurposed and used to make new carpet, dashboards, and home and garden tools.    

 

There are certain restrictions on moving the furniture and appliances. For example, computers need to be disconnected, we cannot move a water bed, or hospital bed. Plus, things like slate pool tables, grand pianos/organs, must be moved by others. We do have access to people who can move the items listed above for a nominal fee.

 

 

For a comprehensive list of items we either move or need someone else to facilitate check with your flooring consultant for the installation checklist.

 

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

 

In order to do the job right we need to move appliances. We can move these items for a nominal fee, but cannot disconnect a gas line or the water line to the ice maker. Unusual toilets, etc. might require a plumber.

 

 

Also, if you’re considering a vinyl or ceramic tile floor remember underlayment or cement board may be needed. This will raise your floor by 1/4” to 3/4”. This added height would change the existing transitions to other floors and alter appliance heights as well. At Kerns Carpet One, every effort will be made to address these issues prior to the installation of your new floor.

 

 

Does Kerns make custom area rugs?

 

Absolutely. In fact, we are one of the largest producers of custom area rugs in Milwaukee. We not only do work for our customers, but many of our competitors use our services as well.

 

 

Any carpet we sell can be made into a rug. To better understand the size needed keep the following in mind.

“Bare Floor” rules: The traditional rule states that there should be approximately 18” of floor space between the rug edges and the walls. If the room is small, reduce the “Bare Floor” to 8”.

Some other things you should consider as well.

 

 

NOTE: If you have carpet leftover from your job regardless if you’re a Kerns customer or not, we would be more than happy to make a custom rug for you. Stop in to see the options available.

 


Below, is a list of services we provide:

 

1). Binding or serging edges of carpet

2). Insets or borders

3). Rugs cut in ovals and circles

4). Beveling

5). Install runners on stairs

 

 

Why should I buy from Kerns and not the big box stores, in-home flooring outfit, or a specialty flooring store?

 

First and foremost, Kerns has been in business since 1935. We are the oldest specialty flooring store in the Milwaukee metro area. We have sold and installed over 1 million square feet of carpet in the past 88+ years!

 

 

We are very different than the big box stores or the shop at home businesses. Our focus is on you, not your pocket book. We are dedicated professionals determined to find the right fit for your home and budget.

 

 

We spend countless hours on training and educating our sales staff and installers through Carpet One University, in-store product knowledge seminars, and attending installation related symposiums. We have found the big box stores and the in-home selling operation’s personnel are poorly trained and are challenged to answer basic questions on product placement or installation related issues.

 

 

Remember, flooring is an expensive purchase and mistakes can be made. At Kerns we offer you an insurance policy called our Beautiful Guarantee*. If the style or color selected and installed is not what you anticipated, we will replace the goods with a comparable style and color, plus pay the labor! What big box store, in-home shopping, and specialty retail/wholesale operation can offers a similar The Beautiful Guarantee?

 

*Applies to core products only.

 

 

Making a room look beautiful is no easy task, especially if the job is installed by someone unqualified to do the work. We see this often and have taken steps over the years to mandate that all installers working for Kerns be certified by Carpet One’s  Installation Excellence.

 

 

We take installation very seriously and understand an installer can make or break our reputation. To help us maintain our edge in the marketplace we rate our installers based on a four part grading system. The grading system has led to constant improvement in the performance of our installation teams and enabled us to achieve a repair ratio of less than 1/10th of 1% for the past three years!

 

 

We understand flooring is a big ticket item and customers are very concerned about cost. With our affiliation with the largest buying group of flooring we are confident we can save you money and add tremendous value to your purchase.

 

 

Our buying group is the single largest purchaser of flooring in the world and buys more than Depot, Lowes and Empire combined. Our buying power enables us to secure the lowest prices available on carpet and hard surface products. Rest assured, buying from Kerns will not break the bank and in fact, save you money and provide years of enjoyment with your new floor.

 

 

Finally, Kerns Carpet One is proud of being locally owned and operated. We are a family business and our employees and installers live here. The money you spend in our store stays here, unlike the big box stores and in-home out of state operations. We pride ourselves on giving back to the community by donating our time and money to organizations like the Community Warehouse, Habitat for Humanites, Children’s Outing Association and the Ronald McDonald Home.

 

 

Does Kerns do commercial work?

 

Absolutely. In fact, we do everything from main street commercial work to health care. We have dedicated staff people who have years of experience and design backgrounds to show you the latest trends and can demonstrate how you can get more bang for your buck. For additional information contact Kerns Carpet One at (414) 358-1925.

 

 

What should someone expect to pay for flooring?

 

Every transaction is different due to several factors such as floor conditions, type of flooring chosen, and the challenge the flooring might be to install.

 

 

Here is an estimate on what you can expect to pay for materials.

 

Keep in mind this is only a range and price points are all over the map. My suggestion would be to check our pricing guide on the website to better understand the cost of material you want.

 

Once you have selected your material, we can provide you with an estimate on how much the entire project will cost.

 

Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me at billk@kernscarpets.com.

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