How can I find a good contractor to install carpeting on really short notice?

May 30, 2007 2:50 PM

I need carpeting installed in an apartment in Yonkers NY within the next 48 hours. I also don't want to spend a lot.

I'm starting a new job in NYC this coming Monday. Finding an apartment took long than I expected, and I only finally managed to sign the lease yesterday. According to the lease, I have to have 90% of the apartment carpeted before they will give me the keys.

When I was signing the lease, I asked the assistant superintendent who they recommended for carpeting. They contacted a local contractor, who measured the room, and requested a payment for the actual materials upfront. He would not accept my out of state check, and so I paid part of the amount he requested in cash. I was told to contact him today after 4pm to figure out how to pay the rest of the materials cost. I call the supplied number, left a voicemail, waited a bit, called again, got someone who didn't seem to understand english that well & hung up on me. Tried calling again, no luck. So I'm scared that this has fallen through, and am working on worst-possible-scenario reasoning.

I need the carpeting to be installed & finished by 4pm Friday at the latest, and I don't exactly have much funds to pay for this until my first paycheck. Is there any reliable carpet place in the Yonkers region that could install carpeting on such short notice?

posted by Darke to home & garden (6 comments total)

800-588-2300, Empire, Today!

Hmm, how many times have I seen that commercial... According to their website, they do provide service in the 10710 zipcode which Google says is Yonkers.
posted by odi.et.amo at 3:07 PM on May 30, 2007

Out of curiosity- what kind of crazy lease did you sign that requires you to do work on the apartment before you can move in?
posted by mkultra at 4:54 PM on May 30, 2007

I fear you're in the classic situation of "Fast, cheap, good -- pick any two!"
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 5:39 PM on May 30, 2007

Thanks, odi.et.amo. I called Empire to set up an estimate appointment tomorrow. Amusingly, the original contractor called at that same time, and I was able to pretty much square that up. So at the very least, I have a backup option if any trouble arises. Thanks!
posted by Darke at 6:04 PM on May 30, 2007

I'm a landlord, and the situation you've described is literally unheard of to me.

You may not have much choice at this point, but I would try to find someone, like a tenant resource helpline for Yonkers, who can go over your lease with you. These guys sound like they saw you coming from wherever and sized you up as desperate. Like a car dealer selling you a car, but you can go down the street to his brother Tony to buy tires.
posted by dhartung at 11:40 PM on May 30, 2007

Seconding dhartung, though I'm not a landlord. This is a ridiculous requirement to have in a lease. Sometimes leases require that you have 70 or 80% of the floor covered (as in with area rugs, not wall-to-wall), but it's assumed that you do that once you move in. This seems really fishy to me, and I wouldn't put up with it unless the rent on this place is way below market value, and you're willing to deal with other shadiness for the rest of the time you live there.
posted by CiaoMela at 7:39 AM on May 31, 2007