It’s no secret: fresh flooring can completely transform a room. Even if your current carpet isn’t very old, bringing in a splash of colour can be a lot less messy than repainting, and can breathe new life into your home.
The cost of carpet varies considerably depending on the quality you decide to buy, as well as labour costs for professional installers. This is particularly important if you’ve bought an expensive material as you really don’t want to make a wrong cut and end up with the wrong size.
With this in mind, in this article we’ll be covering:
- How much carpet fitting costs
- What affects the cost of carpet fitting
- How to save money on carpeting
- How to know if carpeting is the best choice for your home
- What’s involved in fitting a new carpet
- How to find and hire a carpet fitter
If your floors have seen better days, and you think a plush carpet is the answer to all your problems, keep reading to find out how to replace your flooring in the most cost-effective way possible.
How Much Does Carpet Fitting Cost?
Carpet fitting costs will generally follow the same scale, based on the size of the room and the time it’ll take to fit:
| ROOM SIZE | ESTIMATED SUPPLY COST | LABOUR COSTS | TIME REQUIRED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (10 square metres) | £60 to £500 | £120 to £150 per day | 1 to 2 days |
| Medium (15 square metres) | £90 to £750 | £120 to £150 per day | 1 to 2 days |
| Large (20 square metres) | £120 to £1,000 | £120 to £150 per day | 1 to 2 days |
Small rooms will obviously require less carpeting, therefore being far cheaper on aggregate. To make things even more cost-effective, some manufacturers offer budget cuts at just £6 per square metre, giving you the opportunity to make positive choices with regard to your project’s budget.
For a small room size of around 10 square metres, you can expect to pay between £120 and £150 per day in labour costs, taking between one and two days for completion. Depending on the type of carpet you choose, you can expect to pay between £60 to £500 for a carpet large enough to cover the entire room.
If we look at the more premium end of the scale, carpet prices can rocket to £50 per square metre, giving you the higher supply cost. While this can be affordable for smaller rooms when it comes to larger spaces you may want to be a little savvier with your spending as it will cost you far more in total.
Moving up in size to medium, a space of around 15 square metres will again take between one to two days to lay, costing you £120 to £150 per day in labour fees. As the size has increased, so too has the cost of supplies, which can be between £90 to £750, depending on the grade of carpet you want.
Finally, for large rooms of around 20 square metres, your labour time of one to two days and labour fees of £120 to £150 are still valid. Supply costs will again be affected due to the size of the room, now raising to between £120 to £1,000 to have enough carpet to cover the area.
With this in mind, it’s also good to note that most carpet fitters will have a minimum call-out charge which will be added to any other labour or supply costs.
In our next section, we’ll take a closer look at the different materials available for carpet fitting and how that impacts your costs – with polypropylene coming in at just £3 per square metre, and sisal hitting the £80 per square metre mark.
Are you ready to have your new carpet fitted? HouseholdQuotes can help you find the right carpet fitter. Click the button below to compare quotes from multiple tradespeople near you, and potentially save money on your project:
What Affects the Cost of Carpet Fitting?
Although the standard costs based on the size of the room can stay relatively similar, there are a few areas to be aware of that can easily increase the cost of your carpet fitting – which are especially important if you’re working on a tight budget!
Your Choice of Carpet
As mentioned briefly earlier, the type of carpet material you opt for will understandably have an impact on the cost you can expect to pay.
| CARPET STYLE | ESTIMATED SUPPLY COST |
|---|---|
| Polypropylene | £3 to £50 per square metre |
| Polyamide and Nylon | £10 to £50 per square metre |
| Wool | £15 to £60 per square metre |
| Sisal | £30 to £80 per square metre |
| Coir | £18 to £20 per square metre |
| Seagrass and Jute | £18 to £32 per square metre |
Polypropylene
Polypropylene is a man-made material, which is cost-effective and easy to clean – making it a popular choice amongst homeowners.
The supply cost for this type of fabric is between £3 to £50 per square metre, depending on the style and any other features you may want to consider. This is by far the most cost-effective carpet material, making it a great choice for large areas where the footfall is medium to heavy.
Polyamide and Nylon
Strong, resilient and easy to clean, nylon carpets are great choices for high-traffic areas of the home such as hallways and living rooms. It also can look fresher for longer, as it has a high ‘bounce back’ rate which makes the pile stand up for longer than other materials.
This comes in at between £10 to £50 per square metre. Slightly more than the polypropylene material, but it can be a better choice for heavy traffic areas as it will make a great investment and require less upkeep.
Sisal
Sisal carpets are growing in popularity owing to their natural appearance and makeup, being a sustainable material that is both hard-wearing and naturally beautiful.
These types of carpet fabrics come in at between £30 to £80 per square metre, which is by far the greatest price in our comparison charts. Where budget allows, this can be a beautiful addition to large areas of flooring, but can be equally as effective in smaller rooms to make a feature instead, which can be a good idea if you can’t afford to deck out your entire home in this type of carpet.
Coir
Coir carpets are exotic by nature, made up of coconut husk. They are naturally warming in both appearance and pile, and are another high-performance, durable option for areas like hallways and stairs in the home.
Coming in at perhaps less than you’d expect, coir carpets cost between £18 to £20 per square metre. This can be a great alternative for sisal as it is another natural fibre with a similar appearance, but with a lower price point.
Seagrass and Jute
Jute comprises plant stalks, whereas seagrass is weaved from grass – but jute carpets are generally softer than seagrass. Both are natural options for your home to bring a bit of outdoors inside and are hard-wearing options for high-traffic areas in the home.
You can expect costs of between £18 to £32 per square metre for seagrass and jute carpet options.
Your Choice of Underlay
It’s not just the carpet you need to consider – it’s what sits under it that matters, too.
Crumb rubber is made from recycled materials, making it a great environmentally-friendly choice.
A crumb felt and rubber combination can be great to reduce the likelihood of the underlay crumbling up over time, especially under areas where heavy furniture is resting.
Sponge rubber underlay is extremely popular and is suitable for all types of carpet and flooring conditions.
Polyurethane foam is another environmentally friendly option, and can also give the effect of a fresher carpet for longer, as it has great bounce-back qualities.
Underlays commonly cost between £3 and £15 per square metre, so it’s something to remember to factor into your fitting and the cost of the carpet itself.
The Size of Your Room
As shown in our table above, the size of your room greatly impacts the cost you’ll be expected to pay to have the work done. This is purely based on the time it’ll take your fitter to complete, as well as the required amount of supplies they’ll need to cover the floor in that area.
Stairs
Not to be tackled by the amateur DIY enthusiast, stairs are harder to fit carpet onto and come with a slightly higher price as a result.
Most carpet fitters will charge a minimum of between £35 to £55 per flight of stairs, on top of material and labour fees, too.
Preparation and Adjustments
This is an area to save money on if you’re savvy – but it’s also a place where fees can quickly mount up if you’re not prepared.
Your fitters will charge you to remove any furniture or existing carpet in the rooms you want working on, as well as any old underlay too. In most circumstances, and if you’re able, it’s best to clear the room ahead of the work taking place to speed up the process and reduce the costs you’ll have to pay.
It’s also good to bear in mind that if the carpet you’ve opted for is considerably thicker than the old flooring, you’ll have to have some adjustments made to the door for it to close.
Accessories
Essentials to the job, items like carpet grippers (£2 each); adhesive (£4 to £7 per 500 millilitres) and single or double edge door bars (£8 to £32 each) will be required by your fitter to complete the job.
For example, the labour cost of fitting a carpet in a room that is 30 metres squared should be in the region of £120, including any grippers and door easing that’s needed. Meanwhile, the cost of carpeting a single staircase without any turns will be around £75.
These costs are unlikely to be affected by the fact you’ve bought a budget carpet or gone for a premium product instead.
How Can I Save Money on Carpeting?
Comparing quotes is a great way to potentially reduce the cost of carpet fitting. HouseholdQuotes can help you get quotes from multiple carpet fitters near you, so that you can find someone that suits your budget.
Click the button below to get started:
With costs quickly piling up when re-carpeting your entire home, it’s good to know of the ways you can bring the costs down, too.
Carpet prices differ considerably, and it’s worthwhile taking the time to think about what type of carpet you want. There are many textures, weaves, colours and pile depths to consider, not to mention the fact that different rooms will require different carpet types.
You might be able to pick up a bargain deal under £5 per square metre, but these materials are likely to be thin, require more maintenance and will probably wear out faster. If you want a quick fix though, a cheap carpet is ideal and won’t break the bank.
If possible, it’s best to opt for a mid-range carpet to ensure you enjoy some long-term use from it; it’ll look nicer too! The average cost will be between £15 and £20 per square metre.
Finally, a premium-grade carpet with a deep plush and quality material is likely to set you back a minimum of £30 per square metre.
Though you might be hiring carpet fitters, there are several things you can do to help lower the costs. Firstly, you should empty the rooms where the installation’s taking place.
It’s also important to pull up your old carpet – for many reasons. The price of carpet removal and disposal isn’t normally included in carpet fitting costs, and you can pay between £1 and £2 per square metre if fitters have to do this – and you’ll probably be charged a disposal fee.
Removing the old carpet also gives you the chance to inspect your floor. If, for example, a floorboard is broken, it will need replacing before the new carpet can go down. This is a relatively simple DIY project but will cost around £15 per square metre if contractors do it.
If you’ve chosen a carpet with a plush pile, you might need a couple of centimetres taking off the underside of doors, which can cost around £15 per door.
If you’re able to, this is something you can potentially do yourself to reduce the costs.
Is Carpet the Best Choice for Flooring?
This depends on the area of your home – if it’s the kitchen or bathroom, there are more suited flooring options available – but in bedrooms and living rooms it is a great choice. Let’s take a look at the key pros and cons.
| ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|---|---|
| Very affordable options available | Requires cleaning and can be stained easily |
| Wide range of materials and styles to suit different tastes | Pile can become worn over the years |
| Soft underfoot, good for colder climates | Not suitable for all rooms (such as bathrooms and kitchens) |
| Helps with energy-saving, especially in the cooler months | Can cause allergies and can hold onto dirt and dust more than hard floors |
When considering the advantages of a carpeted floor, you can think of things such as warmth and comfort – especially in the colder months. Carpeting is relatively cheap, and is far more affordable than having solid wooden floors, for example, making it a great option for those on a tight budget.
The negatives of carpets are that they hold onto dirt, and are harder to clean than solid floors as debris can get caught up in the fibres. It’s also not suitable for all rooms in the home, and can sometimes cause allergy sufferers issues if pet hair and other matter collect in the pile.
For a more detailed look at other flooring types, see our page on wooden flooring.
What’s Involved in Fitting a New Carpet?
If you’ve not already done it yourself, removing the old carpet and underlay will be the first job – as well as clearing the room from any furniture obstructing the floor.
Where necessary, new floorboards will be laid, which is something to consider as a potential barrier to getting your job done as quickly as you’d like.
Then, the new underlay will be laid and cut to size and fitted, and then your carpet will similarly go on top, then be secured in place with carpet grippers.
Finally, any adjustments will be made – such as shaving a few centimetres off your door to allow it to open and close again if your new carpet’s pile is much higher than the old version.
How Do I Find and Hire a Carpet Fitter?
Finding the right carpet fitter can be challenging. At HouseholdQuotes, we can connect you to carpet fitters in your area.
Click the button below to tell us more about your project, and we’ll help you find someone quickly and easily:
The cost of having a new carpet fitted can vary vastly, so it’s essential to get several quotes.
It’s a good idea to get recommendations from your friends and family first, as they may have had new carpets laid recently and can vouch for the trader’s work – it’ll also save you from going through multiple profiles and choosing a trader for yourself.
But, there are tools to help your search even if you do have to look for yourself. Using HouseholdQuotes can help to save you up to 40% on your labour fees, as well as consolidate your search into one window where you can compare traders against one another to select the right one for you.
Ensuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
As is standard with all home renovation jobs, asking for a written quote is essential. Second to this is finding out if there is a minimum charge for a job, as with smaller jobs – like stairs – this can increase your costs substantially and is something to bear in mind if you’re budgeting for a smaller area instead of your entire home.
Seeking out a trader’s experience is a good first step in figuring out if they’re a good match for you, as well as finding their references and any photos or videos of their previous work to see if their standard is a match for what you’re looking for.
Finally, all traders should have insurance and won’t bolt at you asking to see it – so if anyone doesn’t want to show you proof of insurance, it’s best to refuse to work with them.
Final Checklist
If your carpets are threadbare and tired, replacing them with something new can be just the tonic to breathe some fresh life into your home. Here’s our final checklist of things to consider:
- Is there a minimum charge? It might be worth carpeting more of your home than you originally thought if so to make the job worthwhile
- Choose the type of carpet you want based on the traffic usage – high durability for high traffic areas is suggested, as well as a durable underlay for areas where heavy furniture will sit
- Seek out recommendations from friends and family, or use HouseholdQuotes to find local carpet fitters and potentially save money on your carpet fitting.
- Prepare the room(s) yourself by removing furniture, old carpet and underlay to reduce your labour costs
Use HouseholdQuotes to find local carpet fitters and potentially save money on your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Fit a Carpet Myself?
It’s entirely possible to lay a carpet yourself with some DIY smarts – but if you’re unsure or haven’t taken on a job like this before and are using a premium carpet, you might feel easier getting a professional in to make sure nothing is wasted or ruined in the process.
Can I Use Underfloor Heating With Carpeted Flooring?
Yes – you can read more about this here.
What’s the Best Way to Clean a Carpet?
You can buy carpet cleaners to spray solutions onto the pile and then draw it off using water suction to clean and then dry the area. For harder-to-tackle stains, you can always have a professional carpet cleaner visit to get rid of those stubborn stains.
How Much Does Carpet Cleaning Cost?
It can be as little as £200 for a standard three-bedroom house – read more on carpet cleaning.
What’s the Most Pet-Friendly Carpet?
Polypropylene is the best material as it is durable and less likely to absorb stains in comparison to a natural fibre carpet.
Ready to start your project? We can help!
Click the button below to get quotes from local tradespeople who can help you get the job done:
