Carpet Costs Guide

You may be looking to renovate your home by installing a brand new carpet, or perhaps your current carpet is in major need of a freshen-up. If so, you'll probably find yourself asking the same question as pretty much every homeowner... how much does it cost to buy and fit new carpets?

As with anything, there carpets come in different price points and can typically range between £5 per square, all the up to and beyond £50 per square metre.

Here at Flooring Megastore, our expansive range of carpets and floors covers all aspects of price points and budgets so no matter the nature of your project you can be confident that you'll find your perfect floor with us. We've created this handy carpet costs guide to help get a better grasp of what each price point can provide you.

Carpet costs will vary significantly depending on several factors, typically they are:

• The raw material used (polypropylene, wool, nylon, sisal, etc)
• The yarn technique (loop, twist, berber, velvet)
• The yarn depth (short, saxony, shaggy)
• The colour
• Most importantly, the brand & where it's made

You're likely to want different types of carpet for specific areas of the home e.g you might opt for a more robust carpet for the stairs and perhaps something softer for the bedrooms.

Starting from the bottom, our low-end carpets can be available from under £5 per square metre. You may consider this a 'cheap carpet' but in reality, many low-cost modern carpets look just as good as the middle range options. You'll get average durability with a general home rating so it won't typically be rated for long-lasting installations so carpets in this price bracket are perfect for those looking to quickly change carpets before a new tenant or before selling your property to give it that freshen up. Opting for an underlay from Tredaire or Cloud 9 will provide ultimate comfort and will be the perfect combination to ensure carpet longevity if this is a requirement from a carpet within this budget.

Our favourite in this category: Stainsafe Moorland Twist by Balta

Moving up - in general, mid-range carpets will tend to sit within the £10.00 - £22.50 bracket. Not only do these types of carpets look and feel much nicer and more often than not they will be made of finer quality materials such as polyester or perhaps a wool mix. What's more, you'll find that carpets within this bracket will also benefit from manufacturer warranties and stain guarantees, which will provide reassurance for those looking for carpets that need to stand up to busy households.

Our favourite in this category: Sensation Original by Cormar Carpets

Finally - introducing luxury carpets. These are premium, top-of-the-range products that will typically be price at £30.00 per square (minimum) and can go beyond £100.00 per square metre. If your budget allows a peek at what £30.00+ per square metre can get you, you really shouldn't hold back. Made from only the best materials, using the very best technologies to ensure ultimate performance in comfort, style, and longevity, they really will justify the price.

Carpets within this bracket will certainly look the part too, offering great aesthetics, a niche and sophisticated appearance and the all-important WOW factor.

Our favourite in this category: Cannes by ITC Natural Luxury Flooring

Another key consideration for homeowners wanting to lay a new carpet is the cost of installation. The price of fitting will vary on the below considerations for the works required:

• Uplift of old material
• Disposal of old material
• Movement of furniture
• Size, nature and time required

We advise allowing anywhere between £4 - £6 per square metre for installation. So if we take a room that's 30 square metres in size and an average-price, mid-ranged carpet, you'll be expecting to budget between £700 - £800 to buy and fit that floor. This will include removal of old flooring, the installation of underlay and the carpet and any other accessories needed such as grippers and door bars.

For a staircase-only install, you'll likely pay a flat fee of around £75. If your staircase is a little more intricate with turned and quarter landings it'll likely cost a bit more than this.

TOP TIP! A great way of saving money on installation costs is to make the areas in question totally empty prior to installation. That means no furniture and no prior material left down for the fitter to uplift. If they can arrive on the day and immediately get started, this is every carpet fitter's dream and it'll certainly help reduce costs on the fitting.

Always prepare for additional costs. Common add-ons are:

• Door shaving - More often than not, your carpet will be thicker than the old which may mean your doors need shaving. Not all fitters offer this service but if they do, we would advise allowing £10 - £15 per door.
• Custom cuts & seaming - Depending on the shape of your room or staircase, custom cuts might need to be made prior to arrival, which installers will always charge more for, but may not be included in the original quote.
• Movement of Furniture - This is a great area to save money on, by handling the movement of furniture yourself. If you are unable to move the furniture, ensure you show and tell all bits that the fitter will need to move whilst they are surveying the property so they can possibly organise another pair of hands depending on the amount needed to be moved.

Our go-to online databases to find quality, approved installers would be through www.checkatrade.com and www.nicfltd.org.uk. All names and details shown across these websites have been tested, monitored and are approved for proper tradesman professionalism so you're in safe hands with any installers found through these databases.