Unpopular opinion: I keep quiet about tiny subfloor dips if the carpet will hide them. Am I wrong?

Last week, I was prepping a bedroom for new carpet and found a slight dip in the plywood near the wall. I mean, it was maybe a quarter inch deep over three feet. The pad and carpet would probably smooth it out, and the customer was on a tight budget. Part of me says I should always point out any flaw and offer to fix it, even if it means charging more. But another part thinks that's just creating work and worry for something that won't matter once the furniture is back. I've seen guys who go overboard with leveling compound for every little thing, and others who just roll with it. Idk, maybe it's just me, but I feel like we walk a line between being thorough and being practical. What do you all think? Do you always flag every imperfection, or only the ones that'll actually show?

4 comments

4 Comments

young.nora2d ago

@rubyrodriguez hit on something real with the door latch issue. I'd say a quarter inch dip over three feet is borderline - if the carpet pad is thick enough, you'll never notice it, but if it's thin commercial grade, that dip can telegraph through and cause a visible wave. I always tell homeowners if it's under an eighth of an inch and the pad is decent, I'm not touching it. But once you're over that, especially near doorways or where furniture won't sit, fill it with some patch and save everyone the headache later.

hannah_webb713mo ago

I mean, a quarter inch dip? That seems huge.

carr.lee3mo ago

Foundation shifts often begin with a quarter inch. Usually from poor drainage around the property. Can warp door frames within a season.

rubyrodriguez3mo ago

Feel the same way, it sounds tiny until you live with it. Had a similar dip by my back door last year and it made the latch scrape every time we opened it. Small shifts really do mess with the whole house feel.