It’s not a stretch to say we’re all feeling the squeeze. And when you need a carpet replacing this can feel especially tight, making a careful budget and detailed market research all the more important. To that end, we’ve put together this breakdown of your average carpet fitting prices, what that will get you and where you can save a pretty penny. Let’s knuckle down.
Contents:
- Average carpet cost per square metre
- How much carpet will I need?
- Installation fees
- Price factors to consider
- How to minimise the cost for carpet fitting
- Conclusion
How much is a carpet on average?
Carpets are priced and measured by square meters, so the best place to start when estimating your budget is from how much it will cost you to install one m² of your chosen carpet.
As you might imagine, the carpet cost per square metre can vary quite significantly depending on the type of carpet you select, its material and what range it belongs to. On the whole, however, a middle-of-the-range carpet will cost between £6 – £40 per square meter. Anything exceeding £50 is more towards the luxury end of the scale.
Here is a quick breakdown based on the materials used:
| Type | Cost per square meter | Cost for 3×3 room |
| Basic | £13 | £117 |
| Average | £28 | £252 |
| Luxury | £60 | £540 |
How much carpet will I need?
Using the previous point as a springboard, let’s talk about how much carpet you will need. As we mentioned, in order to estimate your budget, you will need to work out many square meters of carpet you will need for your floors. It’s as simple as multiplying the length and width of the room.
This being said, you must take extra care when estimating the amount of carpet for a DIY fit. You don’t want to realise halfway through the project that you have carpet to space, or even worse, that you don’t have enough! Finding a professional to do the job for you is the best way to avoid expensive mistakes like this and to ensure the carpet lives up to its potential.
Top tip: To account for any errors, you may want to add on an extra 10% around the edges.
Installation fees
Now it’s time to move on to the cost for carpet fitting. There are several options for you to choose from and each entails a different price tag. They are as follows:
- You can get your carpet installed by an independent fitter
- You can go to a large retailer
- You can opt for a DIY installation.
How much does it cost to install a carpet professionally?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Your final budget will vary depending on the quality and quantity of the carpet you select; plus your location and the carpet fitter you go for.
To provide a ballpark figure, however, you can expect to pay between £60–£120 per room for the professional’s labour. Generally, a smaller, square room will sit at the lower end of this price range, while more difficult projects such as stairs will be more expensive.
How much is it to fit carpet DIY?
Any competent DIYer can take on the challenge of laying carpet. As long as you have a steady hand, the right tools, a good eye and you’re fit and healthy, you should be good to go. And great news: doing it this way will save you a lot on the labour costs!
While fitting a carpet yourself does save a considerable amount of money, the longevity and finish of a professional fit can offer far outweigh this benefit. That’s why we always recommend going to a specialist if you’re uncertain how well you can install it alone.
Factors that may affect your carpet fitting prices
Human error
Now before you pat yourself on the back for working out a budget for your carpet fitting costs, don’t forget to add in any extras. For example, if you’re going down the DIY route, there may be extra materials that need to be accounted for.
Here are some additional costs you may need to think about:
Materials and tools
During the carpet fitting process, additional hardware and tools such as gripper rods and threshold bars play a crucial role. While these components constitute a small portion of the overall fitting cost, it’s essential to remember them for a comprehensive understanding of the pricing, especially for those adhering to a tight budget.
Gripper rods, which secure the edges of the carpeted area, typically cost around £0.50 per meter. Threshold bars facilitate smooth flooring transitions. Carpet-to-carpet threshold bars are priced at approximately £5 to £6 each, whereas carpet-to-laminate threshold bars range from £7 to £8 each.
On top of this, you might have to buy tools such as a staple gun and Stanley knife, but you can always borrow these from community lending schemes. You might also need to shell out some cash in order to hire a skip, if you aren’t able to get the old carpet to your local recycling centre.
Preparing the room
If you do not remove furniture or other belongings from the room you are carpeting, you might be charged by your carpet fitter to remove them. The same is true of clearing the old carpet or other flooring type you’re replacing, which can fall under the range of £1 to £4 per m2. With this in mind, make sure you understand what is included in the overall price.
Door adjustment
Newer carpets are likely to be thicker than old ones, which have been subjected to wear and tear. Because of this, when you get your new carpet installed, you might need to adjust your doors to allow them to open and close smoothly.
Your carpet fitter will likely offer this service, but if not, you will have to call up a handyman or carpenter to help you. Typically, this costs £20–30 per door.
While you might not want to make a spend on this extra fee, this will prevent your carpet from getting damaged and reduce any irritation from doors getting stuck halfway open. Trust us, it’s not worth the hassle.
Carpet underlay
Carpet underlay is another hidden cost worth mentioning as it is always recommended with a new floor. But how much does it cost?
As with your carpet, expect to see some variation depending on the grade of the material, with the average middle-tier stuff priced between £3.50–£15 per square metre.
Often this cost will be tagged onto the overall fitting cost, but it’s important to be aware of this if you plan for a DIY installation. Now, if you are going the extra mile and laying the carpet yourself, you might as well lay down the underlay too, and this is another area where you can save a little.
Delivery prices
Finally, we need to consider delivery fees, as sometimes this is not included in your overall carpet costs. Naturally, delivery charges will differ from county to county and city to city, but as a good rule of thumb retailers will charge you £30 or more if you reside in London. Outside the capital and especially if you look for a local carpet fitter, you can expect to find lower prices.
Top tip: if you opt for a tradie with multiple specialities and book several jobs in, you might even shave a little off the price.
How to minimise the cost for carpet fitting
If you’re itching to get your hands on a new carpet, but the budget is a constant worry, don’t panic! Strategizing to minimise the cost of carpet fitting doesn’t mean sacrificing quality.
Begin by targeting high-priority areas, such as bedrooms where you spend the most time, rather than carpeting entire spaces all at once.
Smart sourcing of materials is key. Keep an eye out for discounts or sales to bag a quality carpet at a fraction of the cost. Remember to factor in both short-term and long-term expenses; investing in a durable carpet and professional installation may save you money in the long run. Finally, don’t settle for the cheapest quote you set eyes on without doing your research. After all, they say “Buy cheap, buy twice” for a reason!
By being savvy and thorough, you can achieve a budget-friendly carpet upgrade without compromising on excellence – we promise.
Ready to find your dream carpet?
There we have it, a complete breakdown of carpet fitting prices so when you splash out on that new carpet you know which methods will fit into your budget.
Whether you plan to fit it yourself or leave it to the professionals, our parting words are this: it pays to look around. So ensure you use the resources available to you to find the best deals.
And one last thing: if you know exactly what type of carpet you desire but are waiting for it to fall within your budget, it can be valuable to talk to your local fitter to ask if they can obtain the same or a similar carpet for a lower cost.
