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I was cutting my own underlayment for years before a client's comment made me stop
For the longest time, I would buy big rolls of foam underlayment and cut them down to size myself with a utility knife. I thought I was saving money and doing a cleaner job. Then, about two months ago, I was installing some laminate in a condo in the West End, and the homeowner, an older guy who used to be a cabinet maker, just quietly watched me for a minute. He finally said, 'You know, they sell that stuff pre-cut to the plank width now, right? It's maybe ten cents more a square foot.' I felt like an idiot. I went to the supplier that afternoon and sure enough, there it was. The pre-cut stuff lines up perfectly, no gaps, and it saves me at least 15 minutes per room. I've been doing this for eight years and never even looked. Has anyone else had a simple supplier change that saved them a ton of hassle?
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webb.derek5d ago
That "ten cents more a square foot" line would have gotten me too. I was the same way, always thought the extra work meant I was doing it right and saving cash. Then I saw a guy on another crew just rolling out the pre-cut strips and his floor was done in half the time. It's like what nora54 said about the stair foam, you don't know what you're missing until you actually see it. Now I won't go back, the time I save is worth way more than what I thought I was pinching.
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