Carpets in your facilities should not have hidden costs (actually, if you have anything hidden in your carpets, it means you definitely need better or more regular carpet maintenance).
But much too often, carpet budgets are determined only on a first-cost basis. This is understandable if your budget is not really flexible, but you should know that if you only account for first costs, in the long term you will almost certainly end up spending more than you calculated for your carpeting.
Calculating based on life-cycle costs which include scheduled carpet cleaning and maintenance is a much more prudent approach. If you take long-term factors into account from the get go, you will have a budget that is more reflective of your facilities exact needs. Additional investments, like in regular budgeted carpet cleaning, will help you get the most out of your initial investment, extending carpet life and reducing life-cycle cost.
There are many variables when it comes to making an optimal plan for carpet maintenance. The first thing is the selection of the carpet itself. Of course, there are numerous manufacturers with products of varying quality, made from different materials. And there is an even larger variation in the types of facilities and spaces which need carpeting. This means there is no quick, one-shot solution for your specific enterprise or facility to choose the best option for its specific needs.
To solve this conundrum, you should liberally apply common sense and above all. think practically.
Locations that see a lot of foot traffic should have floor covering of higher quality, and more frequent cleaning is a must. Locations that need to present your organization in the best possible light should go for aesthetics – stand out patterns or eye-catching designs, according to your taste and representing what the organization stands for. It goes without saying that these locations, wherever they are, should be kept spotless and well-groomed, because they are reflective of your organization’s spirit and approach to doing things.
The bottom line is that you need to choose the appropriate product for the appropriate location and try to keep it there as long as possible, in as good a condition as possible. This means you will get the maximum out of its life-cycle while minimizing the possibility of having to replace it early and thus make unexpected dents in your budget. The wrong carpet for a specific locations means that it will syphon money from the budget, waste your precious time and tarnish the image of your organization or facility.
When it comes to choosing the product itself, you should consider the manufacturer, what material was used in making it, as well as color and style.
Don’t go for bright and light colors at a location with a lot of foot traffic, like the main entrance to the company HQ. Don’t go with dark colors in places that lack good illumination because damage and stains may remain unnoticed for too long, making the carpet deteriorate quicker, so when you finally discover the damage, your carpet could be beyond repair.
An Important Calculation
In order to ascertain the life cycle of your carpet, you should make a simple calculation: add up the initial cost with the cost of maintenance (you can get a quote from us anytime, just call or email us and we will schedule an appraisal) and the cost of carpet removal. Then, divide that number with total years of use, and you will get your life-cycle cost.
This calculation captures all the costs related to carpet, so that none remain hidden: the initial carpet purchase, the removal of the old flooring material, the preparation and installation of the new carpet, the cost of business disruption, disposing of old floor covering, maintenance requirements of the new carpet and associated costs, plus the costs of cleaning. All these must be accounted for in order for you to get the most precise possible estimate of the costs involved with your carpet.
Years of use is actually a number that you yourself determine, but do make an informed estimate because it will affect your entire calculation. This number means literally how long you wish for the carpet to last. This largely depends upon the type of facility and the exact location of the carpet within the facility. Sometimes you will wish it to wear well and get the most out of it, but other times you will want to change it for a new carpet as soon as it shows the first minuscule signs of wear and tear (this is especially true in the hospitality industry).
In order to determine how long the carpet will last, you also have to know what type and frequency of traffic will it be subjected to, so you can ascertain your carpet buying and maintenance needs. Sometimes it is actually a wiser choice to buy a lower-quality product and invest a little more in its upkeep. All this may look really obvious when it’s spelled out like this, but you wouldn’t believe how often we’ve seen these basic principles ignored or overlooked at otherwise exemplary companies and upscale facilities.
Traffic areas in every facility can be divided into three categories: light, such as storage space or executive offices; medium, such as office spaces and higher-end commercial spaces; and heavy, such as corridors, classrooms, cafeterias and high-turnover commercial spaces.
Finding the right solution for your particular facility boils down to knowing your facility well. You know what is its primary purpose. What type of foot traffic. How often people come and how long they stay. Basically, the facility in question is your business facility, you should treat your carpet just like you treat your business. After all, it is a part of your business expenses as well as a part of your business’ image.
Providing that you are armed with this knowledge and the patience to consider your choices carefully, you have the highest chance of selecting the right product for your specific needs. more appropriate the product for the application, the longer it will last.
