Hit 100 yards of carpet in one day last fall - was that a good thing or not?

I finally cracked 100 linear yards installed in a single day back in October. It was a basic builder grade job, no patterns, just a straight shot down a hallway and into three bedrooms. Felt like a monster at the time, but then I started thinking about the seams and the trimming. I caught myself rushing a couple of corners and had to go back and fix a spot where the backing was showing. So here's the debate - is cranking out high numbers worth it if you have to redo stuff later, or should we all just slow down and aim for 70 yards of perfect work? What's your magic number for a solid day without cutting corners?

3 comments

3 Comments

tara_patel1mo ago

Wait, isn't that 100 yard day basically just paying yourself to learn a lesson the hard way? I hit 95 once on a warehouse job and spent the next morning pulling up a whole section where I'd folded the padding wrong. Felt like a hero until I was crawling around with a seam roller fixing my own mess. These days I aim for 80 yards and call it good, because nothing kills your hourly rate like driving back to a house because you rushed a corner and the carpet is bubbling up by the baseboard.

milesbailey1mo ago

100 yards in a day sounds like a lot of rushing to me. I'd rather do 60 yards of clean work than 100 yards that I have to go back and fix the next morning. Those corners you had to redo cost you time and material, so what did you really gain? The backing showing is a rookie mistake that happens when you're pushing too hard. My magic number is 75 yards on a good day with basic carpet, and I sleep better knowing I won't get a call back. Speed means nothing if the seams are gonna pop or the tack strip is showing.

jordanblack1mo ago

I get what you're saying but I look at it different honestly. If you're only doing 60-70 yards a day you're leaving money on the table when the job is basic builder grade with zero pattern matching. That 100 yard day still paid out way more than a slower one even with a quick fix on one corner.