Carpet Replacement Costs

How much does it cost to replace your carpet?

Compared to furniture, paint, and other items, carpet may seem like a minor part of your home’s interior. But think about it: you can’t move through your house without walking on carpet. Carpet can add warmth, luxury, and softness, unlike any other flooring option on the market today. On the other hand, dated, dirty, or worn-out carpet is not just an eyesore, it can trap odors, and affect indoor air quality by harboring dust, mold, and allergens. The cost to install new carpet is often a small price to pay for the dramatic impact this home upgrade can have on the rooms in your home. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are considering replacing the carpet in your home.

Do your homework

If you’re getting ready to install new carpet, you’ll still have to make sure your bedroom, hallway, living room, and any other carpeted area will fit within your budget. Two main factors will affect the cost to install carpet in your home: material cost and installation cost.

Cost of materials

A vast array of designs, styles, and fibers are on the market today, so there are an endless number of carpet options available for your home. The type and quality of carpet are the biggest factors in their cost. The key determiners of a carpet’s expense are typically size, fiber, weaving style, and trendiness.

The best place to start is by measuring and calculating the square footage of all the areas in your home that you plan to carpet. This figure is important because you’ll use it to determine the total cost per square foot. Carpet costs can range from more affordable to very expensive, but the average cost per square foot is relatively modest, typically in the $3-4 price range.

Cost of installation

The second factor that will affect the cost to replace the carpet in your home is the cost of installation. Most carpet companies set their installation labor prices on specifically what will be required to replace your home’s carpet. This can include the total square footage, your existing flooring that must be removed, necessary prep work, how many stairs will need to be carpeted, and other factors.

Carpet prices: the specifics

As mentioned above, when considering carpet prices, many factors determine the total amount you will spend installing carpet in a room. Let’s take a look at each of them.

• Style. Carpet is available in a wide range of styles. From cut pile to loop pile to berber to cut-loop and more, and each is different. Carpet pricing varies based on its style, with some being much more expensive than others.

• Pattern and color. Carpets with specialty patterns and colors often cost more. These carpets usually require custom dyes and intricate weaving methods that are outside of the typical materials and processes when they are manufactured.

• Material. Carpet is manufactured from either natural or synthetic fibers. Natural fibers are made from organic materials, like wood, jute, sisal, or silk. Synthetic fibers are made from man-made materials like nylon, olefin, acrylic, or polyester. Natural fiber materials are often more expensive than synthetics.

• Density. Carpet density determines how close each fiber strand is at its base. It is measured by how many fiber strands the carpet contains altogether. A carpet with higher density means less matting or compression, which will show less evidence of foot traffic. Higher density carpest are typically more expensive because they contain more fibers of the material per square foot.

• Thickness. Carpet thickness is the pile density of its fibers. Thickness is determined by measuring from the top surface of a rug down to its backing.

• Pile height. Carpet is generally available in three pile heights: low, medium, and high. Higher piles have a more push, soft feel compared to carpets with lower pile height.

• Square footage. As mentioned above, the size of the floor area of the rooms in your home where you plan to replace your carpet affects its overall price. The principle is simple: the larger the room, the more square footage, which means more carpet, leading to a higher overall cost.

• Padding. Although padding or cushion is not considered as a cost of the carpet itself, it is necessary to invest in new padding when replacing your home’s carpet. You’ll want new carpet cushion beneath your new carpet for two reasons: cushion materials wear out over time and wear, becoming matted and flat, and old carpet cushion can retain spills, dust, and pet dander. As with the carpet itself, there are many types of carpet padding available. They typically range from about $0.59-0.80 per foot, so it’s important to include this in your cost calculations.