Quality Carpet & Tile, Not Just Carpet and Tile Anymore

October 23, 2007
By Hal Brown
Special to LIVE!

Laura Rodriguez, owner of Quality Carpet and Tile in Del Rio, knows that first impressions start at a home’s front door. She and the rest of the family-owned business do their best to make that happen.

Rodriguez, raised in the carpet business in Eagle Pass, established Quality Carpet and Tile in Del Rio eight years ago. There, a brother-in-law runs Rodriguez Carpet and Tile in Eagle Pass, another family business.

Quality Carpet and Tile has expanded its services since its beginnings doing primarily carpets.

"With all the new construction and everything we [also] started selling tile," she said. "Now we're doing granite countertops and we fabricate them here in Del Rio, locally."

New construction and remodeling jobs keep four or five crews busy all the time.

"A lot of people buy houses then they have to change out their floors to update the house," she said. "If the house was built in the '80s they want a more modern look so they’ll change the floor. It makes a big difference on the house."

Floor fashion tastes depend on the individual customers, Rodriguez said.

"A lot of people go tile throughout the whole house," she said. "There are people who carpet and tile. They want carpet in the bedroom because it's more comfortable. When it cools off outside it’s not cold like tile."

Right now, she said, big floor tiles are the fashion.

"People are putting in 18 x 18, 20 x20 and 24x 24 tile," she said. "The bigger the tile the bigger it makes the room look, instead of having small tiles with a bunch of grout joints."

The larger tile is easier to lay, and fewer grout joints between the tiles mean it's easier to keep clean, as well.

Quality Carpet and Tile does wood floors and granite countertops, as well.

The countertops are popular.

"We do remodeling on older houses," Rodriguez said. "We'll tear up the existing counter and put in new granite, then change out the backsplash.

"Granite is really 'in' right now," she said. "It increases the value of your house. There are so many houses out there for sale. If you have a house that has granite it would be a difference from other houses. If yours has granite and the others have Formica people would lean toward the granite because it is nicer."

For that special entryway, Quality Carpet and Tile also has tile medallions.

"A lot of people like them," she said. "When they walk in, they see something nice."

Quality Carpet and Tile is located at 2900 Veterans Boulevard, Del Rio. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For more information call (830) 768-1667.