How to Budget for Carpet Installation

Like many home repairs or refurbishments, new carpet installation is a necessary evil. Years of foot traffic, pets, spills and general wear and tear take a toll on your carpet—and people with children see this wear and tear much sooner than anyone else.  If your beloved carpet is on its last legs, then you need to start creating a budget for a replacement. A lot of factors go into installing a new carpet, making it vital that you examine all the factors that can affect your final installation cost. Here are a few tips to help you budget for a carpet installation that will save you money and make sure your project goes as smoothly as possible.

Budgeting for Your Carpet Installation

When figuring out how to budget for your carpet installation, you have to start with the square footage of the room, or rooms, you want to carpet. After your measurements have been taken, you have to decide what kind of carpet you want. Because prices of carpets can vary wildly, you may change your mind about how much carpeting you want. The amount of square footage you’re planning on carpeting can actually help you choose the right carpeting materials. As your job grows larger, you may want to start looking at more inexpensive carpeting materials to help you reduce costs. With the size of your project and the materials you want in mind, you can start thinking about the other areas of your project.

“Flat Rates” and Hidden Fees

Contractors and home improvement stores may sometimes offer “free installation” or a “flat rate” for carpet installation, but bury hidden fees deep in the contract. Some of these fees could include moving furnishings, cutting carpet, or working with irregular room shapes. This could drive your final cost up to four times what was quoted, possibly more. Without knowing what to look for in a contract, you might end up paying far more than what you should, and far more than what you budgeted for. If you decide to use a flooring contractor, make sure you understand all the fees and costs up front, as this can greatly affect the final cost of your carpet installation.

Is This a DIY Project?

Unless you are a flooring contractor yourself, you probably don’t have the experience or the tools to do your own carpet installation. Not only do professionals have years of experience and the skill set to do this job properly, they also have the essential tools of the trade, such as a carpet stretcher, knee kicker and jamb saw. And they have the know-how to use these tools. To procure all the tools necessary for this job, it would cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars. While many home repair and refurbishing projects can be do-it-yourself projects, carpet installation is generally not one of them.

Budget for a Carpet Installation to Make Your Project Easier

Installing a carpet in your home can be one of the most expensive, yet rewarding, improvement projects of your life. Before you start your installation, it’s important that you know exactly how much money you have to work with by constructing a budget. Build a budget for a carpet installation to help you control costs and make sure you get exactly what you need out of your installation.