With beautiful weather warming up our days & blue skies lightening our hearts I feel compelled to share something with the readers that has nothing to do with carpet binding!
Bubble Gum.
One of Dan's buddies jokingly bought him a case that contains about 850 gum balls. When I first saw this box I thought; "Oh boy, that's going to take up unnecessary space for a looooong time." Little did I know how wrong I would be!
Every time somebody walks into our shop Dan asks "Hey, do you like gum balls?"
"Gum balls?"
"Yeah, I buy them buy the case. I eat about 50 a day!"
I observe as men in their 40's and 50's make their way over to the case of gum balls, seemingly unimpressed at first. They might pop one or two balls in at a time depending on how adventurous they're feeling. Then as I listen to what sounds like horses or cows grazing on sloppy wet grass, I see the same unimpressed faces light up with delight. The same 40 or 50 year old man is transformed into a young lad and a smile emerges! It's almost as if you can see them reminiscing about a summer day running with a friend down an immensely green, grassy hill or riding a bike around their childhood neighborhood. Then...
::POP!::
(a bubble popping, exploding onto the face of the person responsible for it.)
For just an instant, they don't know what it means to stress out over unpaid bills, or whether or not they've forgot to pick up Billy or Susie from school on time.
Aside from our excellent service & hard working nature, here at DWP Carpet Binding we offer a short escape from the real world. Even if it's with such small gestures as offering a gum ball...
Sweet, magic gum balls!
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITES:
http://dwpcarpetbinding.com/
http://www.etsy.com/people/kellygreencarpets
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Early Dismissal!
DWP Carpet Binding will be closing early
Friday, April 22, 2011.
You have until noon to get all your orders in
(or to pick any orders up)!
We will resume our regular business hours on Monday!
Enjoy the long weekend!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Reiteration of Quality-
Due to the prediction of inclement weather, no flea markets were attended this past weekend.
On to today's topic:
It's easy for a person or a business to say they're the best or have the best quality product. Most of us are familiar with the saying "it's easier said than done". In previous posts our quality service & stand-out turn around was discussed. This is part of what DWP Carpet Binding prides itself on. However, it does not necessarily exemplify how our products and work are top quality. With that being said, it's time to discuss what makes us stand out from other binding services. Although a lot of this information will be repeat information from our web-site, which I invite you to check out, it's pertinent information when talking about the quality of work!
First and foremost, our standard polyester binding application is 1.25 inches wide. This is a bigger gauge than that of the standard 7/8 inch, which most others use as a standard.
Why is it better?
What is the difference?
It's better because the gauge is bigger, allowing for the binding to get a better grab on the carpet. This is especially effective on those super thick carpets! Another benefit to using a wider gauge binding is that the wider binding is folded three times as opposed to just in half. This is beneficial because the material that is showing on the front facing of the carpet has a crisp finish because the exterior edge was folded under while being stitched into place. When the binding material is folded in half, the exterior edge can get ratty looking. It also tends to have an effect of sticking upwards because there is nothing to hold the excess material down. When it is folded on the top facing it gives a smooth edging. It also adds a layer of binding that the thinner gauge material does not, meaning your binding will have a longer time frame before needing a replacement!
Another way DWP Carpet Binding differentiates ourselves is by using a blind-stitch application for all wide border/ sisal binding work. There was a lot of experimentation during our first couple of years of operation, in order to come up with what we feel is the best look for this work. Sisal binding/ wide border binding was a new adventure upon opening. Initially we offered a stitched look or a blind stitched look. After difficulties with proper fastening techniques and finding the desired sleek look, Dan decided we would only offer the blind-stitched look. This came about because when we used a folder for the material it was not always a 100% guarantee that the material fastened without wrinkling occurring in the material. There were variables that caused this outcome; the binding material wasn't starched as heavily as it could have been, making it more pliable. The fibers of the carpet were long and loose, causing rippling in the material. After having completed jobs that were not up to our personal standards, we figured it would be best to continue with the technique that has the best results all the time.
What this has translated to is more labor to complete the job, but the end result always hits a home run with both DWP Carpet Binding & the customer who ordered the carpet. However, because of the cost of the material and the amount of labor that goes into each piece, it is not an inexpensive proposition to have a piece done with sisal binding/wide border binding. Many people think that this application is as easy as the standard binding application, but nothing could be further from the truth. The process is a 7-step process for each side that is bound with sisal binding/wide border binding.
It's already been discussed that we do quality control by double-checking and sometimes triple-checking our work. Since we work at waste level, it's easy to take a few extra seconds to make sure the binding is securely fastened & there are no skips in the stitching.
Those are just a couple of ways that DWP Carpet Binding tries to distinguish themselves from other binding services. There is another way that we also distinguish ourselves. We offer job-site work! Mind you, it is not inexpensive. In order to accommodate the time spent out of the shop, there is a trip charge for traveling at a minimum of $75.00. That is not inclusive of the binding work being done. Although we never like to steer away business, if a person can bring their piece into our shop, it's much more cost effective to them to do so. If they are willing to pay the travel charge and additional charges for binding, then our on-site services is a great way to get the job completed! Most recently, we did job-site work at Rentschler Field!
"Go Huskies!"
Being a two-man team, DWP Carpet Binding can not accommodate everybody who might need job-site work. It has to be scheduled and in most cases we have a two week "heads-up" on when the project will start. I would be dishonest if I said we can make residential job-site calls. Again, it's not cost effective to the consumer or DWP to go out to every house or home that needs a carpet bound or serged.
On to today's topic:
It's easy for a person or a business to say they're the best or have the best quality product. Most of us are familiar with the saying "it's easier said than done". In previous posts our quality service & stand-out turn around was discussed. This is part of what DWP Carpet Binding prides itself on. However, it does not necessarily exemplify how our products and work are top quality. With that being said, it's time to discuss what makes us stand out from other binding services. Although a lot of this information will be repeat information from our web-site, which I invite you to check out, it's pertinent information when talking about the quality of work!
First and foremost, our standard polyester binding application is 1.25 inches wide. This is a bigger gauge than that of the standard 7/8 inch, which most others use as a standard.
Why is it better?
What is the difference?
It's better because the gauge is bigger, allowing for the binding to get a better grab on the carpet. This is especially effective on those super thick carpets! Another benefit to using a wider gauge binding is that the wider binding is folded three times as opposed to just in half. This is beneficial because the material that is showing on the front facing of the carpet has a crisp finish because the exterior edge was folded under while being stitched into place. When the binding material is folded in half, the exterior edge can get ratty looking. It also tends to have an effect of sticking upwards because there is nothing to hold the excess material down. When it is folded on the top facing it gives a smooth edging. It also adds a layer of binding that the thinner gauge material does not, meaning your binding will have a longer time frame before needing a replacement!
Another way DWP Carpet Binding differentiates ourselves is by using a blind-stitch application for all wide border/ sisal binding work. There was a lot of experimentation during our first couple of years of operation, in order to come up with what we feel is the best look for this work. Sisal binding/ wide border binding was a new adventure upon opening. Initially we offered a stitched look or a blind stitched look. After difficulties with proper fastening techniques and finding the desired sleek look, Dan decided we would only offer the blind-stitched look. This came about because when we used a folder for the material it was not always a 100% guarantee that the material fastened without wrinkling occurring in the material. There were variables that caused this outcome; the binding material wasn't starched as heavily as it could have been, making it more pliable. The fibers of the carpet were long and loose, causing rippling in the material. After having completed jobs that were not up to our personal standards, we figured it would be best to continue with the technique that has the best results all the time.
What this has translated to is more labor to complete the job, but the end result always hits a home run with both DWP Carpet Binding & the customer who ordered the carpet. However, because of the cost of the material and the amount of labor that goes into each piece, it is not an inexpensive proposition to have a piece done with sisal binding/wide border binding. Many people think that this application is as easy as the standard binding application, but nothing could be further from the truth. The process is a 7-step process for each side that is bound with sisal binding/wide border binding.
It's already been discussed that we do quality control by double-checking and sometimes triple-checking our work. Since we work at waste level, it's easy to take a few extra seconds to make sure the binding is securely fastened & there are no skips in the stitching.
Those are just a couple of ways that DWP Carpet Binding tries to distinguish themselves from other binding services. There is another way that we also distinguish ourselves. We offer job-site work! Mind you, it is not inexpensive. In order to accommodate the time spent out of the shop, there is a trip charge for traveling at a minimum of $75.00. That is not inclusive of the binding work being done. Although we never like to steer away business, if a person can bring their piece into our shop, it's much more cost effective to them to do so. If they are willing to pay the travel charge and additional charges for binding, then our on-site services is a great way to get the job completed! Most recently, we did job-site work at Rentschler Field!
"Go Huskies!"
Being a two-man team, DWP Carpet Binding can not accommodate everybody who might need job-site work. It has to be scheduled and in most cases we have a two week "heads-up" on when the project will start. I would be dishonest if I said we can make residential job-site calls. Again, it's not cost effective to the consumer or DWP to go out to every house or home that needs a carpet bound or serged.
Featured Product of the Day:
Although we have announced and advertised on having stock pieces available for sale, you may not know of one product that could be extremely helpful to your home! Vinyl backed peel-n-stick stair treads! One of the trailer loads that Dan picked up had a ton of carpet that was vinyl backed, peel-n-stick material. It is a commercial product, which typically does not need binding since the likelihood of it unraveling is slim. The vinyl backing makes it a super durable product. The peel-n-stick aspect is just an additional bonus. Although it would still require the use of staples or nails to properly fasten, the peel-n-stick property helps with securing the material in place, prior to stapling or nailing it in place. DWP Carpet Binding's stair treads come in various sizes and widths, most being 8 inches or 9 inches by 27 inches through about 31 inches. Usually there are 13 or 14 pieces per package. If you are in the market for stair treads, please consider checking out DWP Carpet Binding's stock of pre-cut material- cut, wrapped & ready for install!
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE & ETSY STORE:
Friday, April 8, 2011
Where's Waldo this Weekend?!
This weekend you can find "Waldo" at the Redwood Country Flea Market
in Wallingford, CT.
170 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford Center, CT 06492-4320
 | ||
| Image is courtesy of a google search; DWP Carpet Binding does not own any rights & is using it for mere comical purposes. |
Check out Dan's "bargain table" for low (and I mean LOW) prices on small pieces!
Have a great weekend!
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR BLOG & ETSY STORE:
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
"Psssst... There's a HUGE carpet sale at
DWP Carpet Binding...
DWP Carpet Binding...
 | ||||||
| ... fly in before your friends do!" |
- Prefabricated pieces with binding, serging or
sisal/wide border binding
- Hundreds of hallway runners or stairway runners of various sizes
- Area Rugs from 4 ft. by 6 ft. up to 9 ft. by 12 ft.
- Small mats 2 ft. by 3 ft.
- 3 ft. by 5 ft. ovals
- 4 ft. & 5 ft. circles
Think Green!
All of our stock pieces were salvaged from remnants that would have otherwise gone into a landfill!
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE & ETSY STORE:
Monday, March 28, 2011
Lower Prices Could Just Mean Cheaper Quality-
"Waldo" made an impromptu visit to the Mansfield Theatre & Marketplace this past Sunday! Did anybody find him?
In this current economy it is obvious that everybody wants to get the best price for the goods that they purchase. Let's keep in mind that "best price" is not always the same as the "lowest price". This of course leads me to the topic of quality versus quantity. It would be pointless to buy the cheapest light-bulb available if you knew that it wouldn't work when you screwed it into your lamp at home, right? The same would hold true for flooring products & tools.
If you were to be shopping around for a carpet you would know that all kinds of department stores carry & sell various types of carpet. Lowe's, Home Depot, Target, Wal-mart, Sears, Pier 1, Ikea, Big Lots & Ocean State Job Lot all have carpets for sale. The price range varies greatly from carpet to carpet & place to place. The major focus should be on the quality of the carpet; furthermore, not just the carpet but the binding application as well! If you find a gorgeous woven rug from Ikea but the serging yarn is defective or not properly fastened, what function does that provide for you? Replacing the existing serging could cost a pretty penny depending on your location, so why buy something that doesn't live up to the quality standard? It is little things like that that should change the perspective of the deal you may or may not be getting. Buying a carpet that looks like it's worth $1,000 for the price of $100 might seem like a good deal, but if the carpet fell apart within two weeks, would you replace it with the same carpet? Most likely not.
Looking for a good deal in pricing doesn't mean you should sacrifice where the quality of the product is concerned. For instance, certain nail guns if purchased from a local wholesaler will garner a better warranty for the product , whereas the "same" nail gun purchased from Home Depot will be cheaper in price with a warranty that is less than that of the wholesaler's. This is because they use lesser quality products to make that nail gun cheaper in order for Home Depot to sell it at such low costs. We're talking about a warranty (wholesaler's) that is literally 10 times greater than that of Home Depot's. This is a fact.
So, why as consumers should we fall prey to these scams of the big box stores? If one is advertising they have "the lowest prices" then the quality of their goods should be as good, if not better!
When shopping around for "steals and deals" it's relevant to keep the quality of the product in mind. Paying the lowest price does not translate to getting the best deal nor product.
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE AND ETSY STORE:
http://dwpcarpetbinding.com/
http://www.etsy.com/people/kellygreencarpets
In this current economy it is obvious that everybody wants to get the best price for the goods that they purchase. Let's keep in mind that "best price" is not always the same as the "lowest price". This of course leads me to the topic of quality versus quantity. It would be pointless to buy the cheapest light-bulb available if you knew that it wouldn't work when you screwed it into your lamp at home, right? The same would hold true for flooring products & tools.
If you were to be shopping around for a carpet you would know that all kinds of department stores carry & sell various types of carpet. Lowe's, Home Depot, Target, Wal-mart, Sears, Pier 1, Ikea, Big Lots & Ocean State Job Lot all have carpets for sale. The price range varies greatly from carpet to carpet & place to place. The major focus should be on the quality of the carpet; furthermore, not just the carpet but the binding application as well! If you find a gorgeous woven rug from Ikea but the serging yarn is defective or not properly fastened, what function does that provide for you? Replacing the existing serging could cost a pretty penny depending on your location, so why buy something that doesn't live up to the quality standard? It is little things like that that should change the perspective of the deal you may or may not be getting. Buying a carpet that looks like it's worth $1,000 for the price of $100 might seem like a good deal, but if the carpet fell apart within two weeks, would you replace it with the same carpet? Most likely not.
Looking for a good deal in pricing doesn't mean you should sacrifice where the quality of the product is concerned. For instance, certain nail guns if purchased from a local wholesaler will garner a better warranty for the product , whereas the "same" nail gun purchased from Home Depot will be cheaper in price with a warranty that is less than that of the wholesaler's. This is because they use lesser quality products to make that nail gun cheaper in order for Home Depot to sell it at such low costs. We're talking about a warranty (wholesaler's) that is literally 10 times greater than that of Home Depot's. This is a fact.
So, why as consumers should we fall prey to these scams of the big box stores? If one is advertising they have "the lowest prices" then the quality of their goods should be as good, if not better!
When shopping around for "steals and deals" it's relevant to keep the quality of the product in mind. Paying the lowest price does not translate to getting the best deal nor product.
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE AND ETSY STORE:
http://dwpcarpetbinding.com/
http://www.etsy.com/people/kellygreencarpets
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Pricing Job Quotes Correctly:
DWP Carpet Binding has recently made some "renovations" to its web-site, that we are very pleased with! However, there was some information that was omitted from the new site, which I would like to use as a blog topic today!
Many potential customers call or e-mail us asking for pricing structure on one of the many binding services we offer. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as having a price for each service. Each carpet is different, requiring different services. There is a difference between your options & variables to contend with depending on the type of carpet you have.
Your options involve anything you get to CHOOSE. You choose your application, you can choose the color of the application, you choose the shape & size of your carpet.
Variables involve the factors that will increase the pricing structure for the services required to finish the job. Variables include:
Thick carpets require power beveling. Power beveling is when the carpet fibers are cut on a 45 degree angle to allow for the binding machines to get a better hold on the back of the carpet; it is important to bevel thick pieces for this reason. If thick pieces weren't beveled, the binding application would not hold up as well as if they were beveled. Carpets with long fibers are also classified as pieces that should be beveled. Even if they are not super thick, the long fibers will need to be trimmed so that the binding application get securely fastened in place. Beveling is an extra cost when using a place for binding services.
If you have a piece that already has existing binding or serging (or any application), you have to choose whether you would like to match the application as close as possible OR if you would like to have the entire perimeter of the carpet redone. Usually when customers bring in a carpet that only needs one side done, you deal with minimum charges. However, if you decide you wanted to keep everything symmetrical and similar in nature, then pricing would be per linear foot. If you decide to have the entire piece redone with the binding application of your choice, there would be an increase in cost to remove the existing application on top of the other services requested.
Custom jobs that are related to boats, RV's or airplanes will be priced on an hourly shop rate, as well as linear footage involved. These custom pieces usually require quite a bit of time to complete. Any piece that has straight edges will be priced per linear foot, whereas the pieces that are custom shape with multiple cut-outs or interior radii will be priced per hour as they usually require hand-binding. Cutting the custom pieces to size will also be priced by an hourly figure because it usually involves trace-cutting, which takes more time.
For those of you who may be wondering about carpet base/cove base, the pricing structure changes based upon the amount of linear feet involved with the job and whether or not we will be cutting the carpet as well. The only time the cutting cost changes is if the base is patterned carpet or if the carpet is the vinyl backed peel-n-stick kind. Patterned & peel-n-stick carpets involve more labor to cut, therefore the cost to cut the carpet would increase.
Sometimes I wonder if when people call or e-mail DWP Carpet Binding about price quotes if they think I'm playing "100 Questions" with them. They call looking for an answer to what may seem like a simple question, then end up having to answer 3 - 5 questions (okay, so that's not quite 100...) for us to give them an accurate quote! Even then, the quote may not always be 100% accurate. The best way to get the most accurate price quote from any binding service is to bring the carpet into the shop so that they can see what is involved with the job. If it's not possible or unlikely to bring the piece into the shop for an accurate quote, try to describe the carpet as best you can & ask for the highest price. It's always the worst to be quoted one price then have the actual price be quite a bit more than what you were expecting. Getting the highest possible price allows for you to be prepared.
Please keep these factors in mind when asking for price quotes for any binding service. The type of carpet you have and what you would like to have done with it changes the pricing per job. Other factors involve the amount of labor and time involved in completing a job.
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE & ETSY STORE:
http://dwpcarpetbinding.com
http://www.etsy.com/people/kellygreencarpets
Many potential customers call or e-mail us asking for pricing structure on one of the many binding services we offer. Unfortunately, it's not as easy as having a price for each service. Each carpet is different, requiring different services. There is a difference between your options & variables to contend with depending on the type of carpet you have.
Your options involve anything you get to CHOOSE. You choose your application, you can choose the color of the application, you choose the shape & size of your carpet.
Variables involve the factors that will increase the pricing structure for the services required to finish the job. Variables include:
- patterned carpets
- thick carpets
- existing binding/serging on the carpet
- custom jobs for a boat , RV or airplane
Thick carpets require power beveling. Power beveling is when the carpet fibers are cut on a 45 degree angle to allow for the binding machines to get a better hold on the back of the carpet; it is important to bevel thick pieces for this reason. If thick pieces weren't beveled, the binding application would not hold up as well as if they were beveled. Carpets with long fibers are also classified as pieces that should be beveled. Even if they are not super thick, the long fibers will need to be trimmed so that the binding application get securely fastened in place. Beveling is an extra cost when using a place for binding services.
If you have a piece that already has existing binding or serging (or any application), you have to choose whether you would like to match the application as close as possible OR if you would like to have the entire perimeter of the carpet redone. Usually when customers bring in a carpet that only needs one side done, you deal with minimum charges. However, if you decide you wanted to keep everything symmetrical and similar in nature, then pricing would be per linear foot. If you decide to have the entire piece redone with the binding application of your choice, there would be an increase in cost to remove the existing application on top of the other services requested.
Custom jobs that are related to boats, RV's or airplanes will be priced on an hourly shop rate, as well as linear footage involved. These custom pieces usually require quite a bit of time to complete. Any piece that has straight edges will be priced per linear foot, whereas the pieces that are custom shape with multiple cut-outs or interior radii will be priced per hour as they usually require hand-binding. Cutting the custom pieces to size will also be priced by an hourly figure because it usually involves trace-cutting, which takes more time.
For those of you who may be wondering about carpet base/cove base, the pricing structure changes based upon the amount of linear feet involved with the job and whether or not we will be cutting the carpet as well. The only time the cutting cost changes is if the base is patterned carpet or if the carpet is the vinyl backed peel-n-stick kind. Patterned & peel-n-stick carpets involve more labor to cut, therefore the cost to cut the carpet would increase.
Sometimes I wonder if when people call or e-mail DWP Carpet Binding about price quotes if they think I'm playing "100 Questions" with them. They call looking for an answer to what may seem like a simple question, then end up having to answer 3 - 5 questions (okay, so that's not quite 100...) for us to give them an accurate quote! Even then, the quote may not always be 100% accurate. The best way to get the most accurate price quote from any binding service is to bring the carpet into the shop so that they can see what is involved with the job. If it's not possible or unlikely to bring the piece into the shop for an accurate quote, try to describe the carpet as best you can & ask for the highest price. It's always the worst to be quoted one price then have the actual price be quite a bit more than what you were expecting. Getting the highest possible price allows for you to be prepared.
Please keep these factors in mind when asking for price quotes for any binding service. The type of carpet you have and what you would like to have done with it changes the pricing per job. Other factors involve the amount of labor and time involved in completing a job.
DON'T FORGET TO CHECK OUT OUR WEB-SITE & ETSY STORE:
http://dwpcarpetbinding.com
http://www.etsy.com/people/kellygreencarpets
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