Carpeteria offers a wide variety of carpet; area rugs; and hardwood, laminate, luxury vinyl, and tile flooring products at four locations in San Leandro, Campbell, and Los Altos. Established in 1973, the family-owned and operated company provides flooring installation services for residential and commercial clients throughout the Greater Bay Area, and its showrooms are open six days a week for its customers’ convenience (closed Sunday for family time).
President Sam Gulesserian says Carpeteria’s dedication to customer service for 50-plus years has allowed it to build and maintain a loyal clientele base. “Whether our clients need help choosing products or want us to install new flooring in their homes, we treat them like family. They really appreciate the fact that we can handle the entire flooring process, from material selection to delivery and installation.”
Carpeteria maintains a large warehouse in the Bay Area that keeps thousands of flooring products in stock, which means they’re immediately available for installation or carry-out. “We strive to make it as convenient as possible for our customers to get the floors they want,” says Mr. Gulesserian. “They know we have the products and knowledge to take care of anything they need.”
“We want every customer to have a positive experience, so we take the time to determine their needs and show them options that perfectly fit their lifestyle and budget. We utilize our decades of experience to guide our customers in the right direction and make sure they’re completely satisfied with their decisions.”
If you’re in the market for new flooring, make sure you’re aware of all the advancements the industry has to offer.
Technology is simplifying our lives and changing traditional products to make them sturdier and more environmentally-friendly, and the flooring industry is no exception. Here are some examples of recent advancements:
Laminate that stands up to water damage
Even though laminate is a popular flooring product for high-traffic areas of the home, early versions of the material were susceptible to moisture and water issues, which left many homeowners disappointed. Areas where laminate is most often installed (kitchens, bathrooms, entryways) are prone to water splashing, tracking and seeping. When older laminate was exposed to this type of water, it could bubble, buckle and warp, which left homeowners with swollen, warped and irreparably damaged flooring that had to be replaced.
But the popularity and benefits of laminate floors won out. “Laminate manufacturers have done a tremendous amount of research and development to come up with new products,” explains Tony Balian, vice president of marketing at Carpeteria. “New laminates have the positive attributes and looks of traditional laminate with the added benefits of being completely waterproof and watertight.”
Those properties protect the floor from water that’s spilled from above or wicks up from below. “One of the most popular products looks like hardwood but is 100 percent laminate,” says Mr. Balian. “This floor could have two inches of water sitting on it for a week and a contractor would be able to take it apart, dry it, repair the leak, and reinstall the floor without it getting damaged. It’s pretty amazing.”
If you’re worried about the expense involved with choosing such a sturdy product, Mr. Balian says you might be pleasantly surprised. “It’s actually not much more expensive than traditional laminate flooring, and the peace of mind you’ll get from a well-researched, carefully developed product is invaluable.”
Better materials make better carpeting
Forward-thinking companies like Mohawk take plastic water bottles, melt them down and convert them into carpet fibers. “Different fibers have different recycled content,” explains Mr. Balian. “In some cases, 100 percent of the material is made from recycled content, while in other cases it’s 30 to 40 percent.” This environmentally-friendly carpeting looks and wears just like traditional carpeting, but it’s often more resilient and longer-lasting.
Flooring showrooms are always looking for ways to differentiate themselves from their competition, and those that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award are already several steps ahead. In addition to its Diamond Certified status, Carpeteria sets itself apart by providing a lifetime warranty on any carpet that's purchased and installed through its stores. "As long as a customer owns the carpet in their home, they can count on us to take care of it if anything happens," confirms VP of Marketing Tony Balian. "Regardless of whether the carpet wrinkles, comes apart at the seams, or needs to be repaired or restretched, we'll be there to handle it."
Since opening its first location in 1973, Carpeteria has been offering a variety of carpet; area rugs; and hardwood, laminate, porcelain, luxury tile, and natural stone flooring products at five stores in San Leandro, Campbell, Concord, Dublin, and Mountain View. The family-owned and operated company also installs and maintains floors for residential and commercial clients throughout the Greater Bay Area, and its showrooms are open seven days a week for the convenience of its customers.
Unlike flooring companies that only handle the sales side of the process and leave the installation responsibilities to their customers, Carpeteria manages every phase of every project from beginning to end. "We sell the product, go to the client's home to measure the area, order the flooring and perform the installation," says President Sam Gulesserian. "That means our customers have a single point of contact for their entire job, which improves communication and makes for a smoother experience."
Another distinguishing attribute of Carpeteria is its dedication to educating its clients and helping them find flooring products that are right for their specific situations. "Sometimes a customer will come in with an idea of what they want, but that type of flooring isn't the best fit for their home," explains Mr. Balian. "Our employees are trained to listen to our customers and determine their goals so they can make the right recommendations for their homes. This prevents them from making expensive mistakes and gets them the results they want without compromising quality."
