I definitely recommend that you seek out a Certified Cost Segregation Professional so that you are confident in the quality of the work performed and the deliverables produced.

If it is decent quality then I would keep the carpet in place and see how it wears.

I'm a pay for quality kinda guy. 

Also, brand suggestions for quality?

Now he says he is negotiating nationwide deals on materials that are priced so low the quality is non existent.

There has been a flight to the more quality areas of Austin.I agree on us having hit the bottom, time will tell but I think we'll see demand increase and rates decrease over the next few months Yeah - I was more talking about outlook for 2025+, I think the correction has likely completed (just opinion) 

So sticks to path of progress, real top shelf A quality properties.

Its all about quality leads, not the tool.This analogy is similar here;   a really good contractor can give a better rsult with crapy materials vs a crapy contractor with top materials

For quality options, expect $2.5-5 per sf.Click-Lock vs.

@Davin Manfredi first, regardless of what you do make sure you ask how they are going to run a vent and let them know you have to approve of the work that's going to be done and do quality control afterward.