How Much Does Carpet Cost?
By Alan
Fletcher Carpet Expert & Consumer Advocate
How Much Should
I Spend On Carpet?
Selecting
the right grade or quality carpet to fit your needs and lifestyle is most
important, especially if you want your new Carpet to look great for 15 years
or longer.
Whether you
buy Mohawk Smartstrand Carpet or Stainmaster Brand Carpet the price you pay will depend on
the Grade of Carpet you select and the carpet dealer you decide to buy from.
Choose Your New Carpet Wisely!
If you select the wrong carpet it can wear out
way sooner than you expect. Below I have revealed basic carpet pricing
guidelines for consumers to help understand how much new carpet should cost,
and how long it should last. There are many factors you need to consider
before you select the right carpet for you. I have included some helpful links
to make it easier to get the information you need. About Carpet
Comparison
Measure yourself or get
professional help?
You also need to know how much carpet you will
need and how to be sure you get accurate measurements. You could try to
measure your own rooms and come up with a fairly close estimate, but when it
comes time to order carpet, you might want to have a professional double-check
your figures. The last thing you want is to not have enough carpet to finish
the job, and why order more than you need? About Carpet
Measuring
Carpet Cost
Guide
Everyone wants to know about Stainmaster (TM)
carpet
prices and although this is just one of many quality
carpets on the market, Stainmaster does a lot of advertising and their carpet
prices are a bit higher as a result of that.
Lowe's now carries Stainmaster
carpet and their prices are hard to compare with locally owned retailers
because they use private labels to try to prevent you from comparison
shopping.
Home depot used to carry Stainmaster but now they carry
different brands including Martha Stewart Living (TM)
Carpets.
Please note that Carpet installation prices can
vary depending on what part of the country you live in, how difficult your job
is, and what style and grade of carpet you select. Learn more about Carpet
Installation Costs
1.
Apartment Grade Carpet
Average
Longevity:
-
Low
traffic
4 years
-
Medium
traffic
3 years
-
Heavy
traffic `
2 years
Average
Cost per square yard installed $12.00 to 16.00
Typical
Configuration:
-
Carpet
Cost $7.00 to 10.00 per sq. yd.
-
Specifications
- 24 to 28 ounce face-weight, 100% Nylon fiber.
-
Recommended
Fiber: Nylon Staple or Continuous Filament
-
Pad
Cost $1.75 to 2.50 per sq. yd.
-
Pad
Specs - 3/8" to 7/16" rebond pad, 3 to 6 pound density.
-
Installation
Cost $2.50 to 3.00 per sq. yd.
There is usually no
manufacturer's warranty for carpet installed in a rental property. Shaw and
Mohawk offer apartment-grade textured plush style carpets. Looped Berber
styles are not recommended for rentals.
Learn More: Apartment
and Rental Property Carpet
____________________________________________________________
2.
Builder Grade Carpet
Average
Longevity
-
Low
traffic
8 years
-
Medium
traffic
6 years
-
Heavy
traffic
4 years
Average
Cost for Carpet, Pad & Installation - $14 to $22 per square yard
Typical
Configuration:
-
Carpet
Cost $10.00 to 15.00 per sq. yd.
-
Specifications
- 28 to 35 ounce face-weight, 100% nylon fiber.
-
Recommended
Fiber: Nylon Staple or Continuous Filament
-
Pad
Cost $2.00 to 3.00 per sq. yd.
-
Pad
Specs - 3/8" to 7/16" rebond pad, 4 to 6 pound density.
-
Installation
Cost $2.75 to 3.25 per sq. yd.
Many home
builders require homebuyers to select carpet upgrades from the builders
predetermined sources. The builder may receive a monetary kickback from any
upgrades selected.
Learn More: What
makes one carpet better than another?
____________________________________________________________
3.
Upgraded Residential Carpet
Average
Longevity
-
Low
traffic
12 years
-
Medium
traffic
9 years
-
Heavy
traffic
7 years
Average
Cost for Carpet, Pad & Installation - $23 to $30 per yard
Typical
Configuration:
-
Carpet
Cost $15.00 to 20.00 per sq. yd.
-
Specifications
- 30 to 40 ounce face-weight, 100% Nylon BCF fiber.
-
Recommended
Fiber: Continuous filament Nylon
-
Minimum
Carpet Density 1800
-
Minimum
Tuft Twist 4.5
-
Pad
Cost $3.50 to 4.50 per sq. yd.
-
Pad
Specs - 3/8" to 7/16" rebond pad, 6 to 8 pound density.
-
Installation
Cost $3.75 to 6.25 per sq. yd.
Check installer
qualifications and references, make sure a power stretcher is used. Select
from Berber, Plush, Saxony, Textured Plush, frieze, or Sculptured styles.
There is no carpet warranty for any carpet installed on stairs.
Learn more about: Carpet
Styles and Selection
____________________________________________________________
Stainmaster®, Smartstrand®, R2X®, Scotchgard®, Anso®,
Martha Stewart®, Shaw®, Mohawk®, Beaulieu®, are all trademarks of carpet
companies that provide good quality carpet and flooring products for your
home.
4.
High Quality Residential Carpet
Average
Longevity
-
Low
traffic
20 years
-
Medium
traffic
15 years
-
Heavy
traffic
12 years
Total
Cost for Carpet, Pad & Installation - $28 to $55 per yard.
Typical
Configuration:
-
Carpet
Cost $20.00 to 50.00 per sq. yd.
-
Specifications
- 40 to 65 ounce face-weight, 100% Nylon BCF fiber.
-
Recommended
Fiber: Continuous Filament Nylon
-
Minimum
Carpet Density 2500
-
Minimum
Tuft Twist 5.5
-
Pad
Cost $3.50 to 5.50 per sq. yd.
-
Pad
Specs - 3/8" to 7/16" Rebond or Flat Rubber pad, 8 to 10 pound
density.
-
Installation
Cost $3.75 to 6.25 per sq. yd.
Nylon
Berber,
Frieze and Cut & Loop styles wear exceptionally well. You must use a
well-qualified installer for this grade of carpet. Popular carpet brands are
Stainmaster, Karastan, and Royalty. Non branded carpets are Shaw, Mohawk and
Beaulieu. There is usually no carpet warranty for carpet installed on stairs.
Carpet Buying
Guide
by Alan Fletcher - The
Carpet Professor!
