Installing a carpet for your floors could potentially be the best thing you can do to your home. Not only is it warm and cozy but it is also beautiful to behold. It can effortlessly enhance the look and feel of any space. Carpet flooring also helps control noise, acts as a perfect insulation material during winter months, and offers excellent padding when kids (and adults, too) slip and fall.
However, all these benefits come with a cost. Sure, you can get your hands dirty and install a carpet on all your floors but we bet you won’t like the outcome. Carpet installation is a skill that takes time and experience to develop. If you make a mistake in measuring the carpet and laying it out, you will end up with unattractive wrinkles or worse, leave hazardous nails around your house.
Top 3 Ways to Save on Carpet Installation Prices
Before having a carpet installed in your home, you must make a few pertinent decisions that have a direct impact on the overall cost of the project.Three of the key factors that add on the numbers are installation costs, types and material of the carpet and the prep work required.
We have reviewed each of the factors in detail to give you a better understanding of carpet installation cost.
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1. Carpet Installation costs
This will primarily depend on the square footage of your floor. In practice, most standard rooms measure 144 square feet (12′ x 12′) or 256 square feet (16′ x 16′). The exact cost of installing carpets vary with different service providers but on average, expect to part with anything between $700 and $2,500. This covers everything; padding and subflooring, prep work and the purchase of the carpet itself.
You can bring down this cost substantially by doing some of the prep work yourself. For instance, you can ask your family members to help move furniture and subsequently do away with this cost completely. You will be amazed at how much you can save by doing this.
2. Type and fiber of the carpet
The type of carpet you choose will influence the overall price of the carpet. Carpets come in different colors, materials, textures, fibers, and patterns. Your choice will depend on your needs. Here are the common types and fibers of carpets.
I. Types
The style of the carpet is determined by the specific technique of attaching the carpet fibers to their backing. The two common types are loop pile and cut pile carpets.
a. Loop pile carpets
In loop pile, fibers are twisted into tiny loops. Loop pile carpets are a favorite to many because they are durable and stain-resistant. Their only disadvantage is that they have limited cushioning. Berber and multilevel loops are the common types of loop pile carpets.
Berber, the most common type has short loops that stand tall in high traffic areas. Multilevel loops, on the other hand, have varied heights to make the carpet have a patterned texture.
b. Cut pile carpets
Cut pile carpets have cut loops to give the carpet a denser and softer texture. Under this category, you have Plush which has a smooth an even texture; Saxony with a smooth finish; Frieze carpet with long fiber for a rougher texture and Cable with long, thick fibers for enhanced comfort.
II. Carpet fibers
The widely used carpet fibers are nylon, olefin, acrylic, wool, and polyester.
- Nylon: This is the most popular fiber because it is durable and wear-resistant. Its only downside is its inability to fight stains.
- Olefin: Olefin is resistant to moisture, mildew, and mold which makes it great for basements and the outdoors.
- Polyester: Polyester fibers are loved for their resistance to wear and fading. They are more durable than cotton and will maintain their original color over the course of time.
- Wool: Wool is eco-friendly, cozy, durable, and stain-resistant. As a premier flooring option, it always comes with a high price point.
- Acrylic: If you can’t afford wool, acrylic is the next best option for you.
3. Prep work
Before a new carpet is installed, there’s a lot of prep work required. The kind of prep work required will depend on your floor but ideally, you will be looking at the following:
Subflooring
The subfloor refers to the mounting surface located under the pad on top of your concrete foundation. Over time, it can become unstable and will need replacement. If the subfloor is made of concrete, you may have to install a vapor barrier to keep things dry underneath. Most service providers charge around $70 per hour and can take anywhere from 2-3 hours to install a new subfloor.
Padding
Carpet pads are basically shock absorbers beneath the carpet. They make the surface more cozy and resilient. The thickness of the padding matters a lot. As a rule of thumb, don’t go below ¼ inch or above 7/16 inch.
Moving furniture
Obviously, you can’t lay a carpet on top of furniture. As mentioned earlier, moving furniture on your own will save you hundreds of dollars. Alternatively, you can have the carpet installation company do it for you for $1 and $4 per yard and square foot respectively.
Extra work
Apart from the preparation work, carpet installation companies sometimes charge an extra fee to dispose of old carpet and padding materials. Some also charge extra for special cuts and stairs as they claim it requires extra skill and attention.
Bottom-line
Carpet installation is not a DIY project. It needs precision and utmost care lest things go south and you end up with a hot mess for a home. Hiring a professional doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Do what you can then sample a few bids and decide on the most affordable and quality option.
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