I finally saw what happens when you skip the power stretcher on a big room

I was helping a friend fix a job in a Denver apartment last month where the original installer just kicked in the carpet along the walls. The room was maybe 25 feet long, and after a few weeks, you could see ripples and waves everywhere. It looked awful. The guy saved maybe 20 minutes by not setting up the power stretcher, but now the whole thing needs to be re-stretched. In my experience, a knee kicker just can't get enough tension over that distance, and the carpet will always relax and buckle. It's a corner you can't cut. Has anyone else had to go back and fix a job like this, and how do you explain the extra time to a client who thinks the first quote was fine?

3 comments

3 Comments

milalopez2mo ago

A knee kicker is only for touching up small spots.

thomas832mo agoTop Commenter

Saw a pro installer on youtube using one to set a whole room. He said the trick is getting the angle right on the first hit. Makes it way faster than a power stretcher for some jobs.

simonm671mo ago

Yeah, that's exactly why I won't touch a big room without the power stretcher. Had a call last year for a living room full of ripples, same deal. I just showed the client how the carpet had zero tension by lifting a corner, and explained that the first install was basically just laid down, not locked in. Told them the re-stretch was a full reset, not a quick fix, so it takes the same time and care as a new install. They got it once they saw the problem up close.