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 Re-Carpeting: Out with the Old, In with the New
Written by: Admin | Date: Thursday, 24th February 2011
Thinking of having your home re-carpeted? Putting it off?
Changing our home’s carpet is certainly something we love to put off because of the inconvenience and work it involves. Still, the rundown condition of our present carpet will continue to irritate us, if we don’t do something.
Whether re-carpeting a home for our own enjoyment, or to prepare it for resale, there are a few tips that can help us:
1. Choose a Carpet
Of course, replacing a carpet requires more than merely going to the store, drooling over carpet samples and deciding between “Fawny Tan” or “Cobblestone Beige”. It also involves more than learning the difference between the hundreds of samples that fill a carpet showroom; but those are good places to start.
Visit a carpet store or two, taking with you a ceramic tile or vinyl flooring remnant, paint color chips, or a favorite fabric you’d like the carpet to match with.
Ask experienced staff about the differences in the carpeting materials. There are reasons some are $2 a square foot while others are $5. Ask about the predicted longevity of various brands, and about soil resistance. If you’re interested in patterned carpet, find out the pros and cons, such as extra costs for pattern matching, trends and so forth.
Always take carpet samples home. The carpet may look different in the lighting of your home. You will also want it to blend in with other finishes for continuity. Samples can usually be borrowed for several days.
If you want a luxurious feel to your carpet and want it to last several years, you’ll want a new underpad. They come in various thicknesses with the cost varying accordingly. It is important to note that your carpet may not be protected by the warranty if you don’t replace the underpad.
2. Cautions and Maintenance to know
If the carpet you purchase is stain-treated with a product like Scotchgaurd, you’ll need to follow the carpet manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning stains—such as blotting, not scrubbing to ensure you don’t negate the warranty. There are varying degrees of wearability for each material. Some are more stain resistant, some soil quicker, some burn easily when hot items are dropped on them, and so forth. Loop carpets (like Berber), are susceptible to “runs” when a loop is caught by a child’s toy, pet’s claw or when a vacuum beater-bar catches an edge. Choose a product that corresponds to your lifestyle and the purpose of the room you are redoing.
3. Get Estimates
If you know the square footage of your home, you can calculate the cost of a carpet and add in the labor charge to arrive at a “ballpark” figure. Some installers are able to give you a rough estimate of labor per square foot. Others will break things down according to the services you require.
Free Home Carpeting Estimates
Even if you see an advertisement for installation at a low price, check into the hidden costs which may include separate fees for:
- Measuring/coming to your home for an estimate
- Pre-cuts at their outlet
- Removing and reinstalling baseboards
- Removing furniture
- Tearing out the old under pad and carpet
- Installing a new under pad and carpet
- An Extra price per stair
- Removing old materials and transferring them to a dump site
All these fees do not include the price of the carpet or underpad. Carpet can range between $2 and $6 per square foot, and an underpad is several hundred dollars.
“Ballpark” figures are not final. In order to get a firm price, you will need to book an appointment to have the home measured. Having the original floor plan is also helpful.
Most carpet dealers will measure at no charge, unless it involves a significant trip, when they may charge a distance fee. Others will charge a fee just to measure, but it may be refunded if you purchase from them. Of course, if you choose not to purchase from them, you forfeit the money. This is why you may want to compare prices based on “ballpark” figures before booking an estimator.
Your estimator will finalize your quote once you choose the carpet. Make sure the quote includes all the details of who will do what, and the costs.
4. Choose Your Supplier
Make a well-informed choice of material, supplier and installer. Choose a company with a good reputation and with whom you feel confident of their customer service. Of course you’ll want to choose the company that offers a price you can live with, without cutting corners. Be prepared to pay half the price upon ordering.
Big Box stores contract out the work. There is little guarantee that you will have the same installer as someone before you. You will take a chance on whoever they send your way, and you may not be able to verify the quality of their work beforehand.
Make sure the carpet you want is available in the time frame you need it. Most require ten days to two weeks’ notice. Big Box stores may need six weeks.
5. How to Save Costs
If you know who installed the last carpet, you may save a few dollars by using them again. If they still have your information on file, their previous records can reveal prior cuts and show ideal seam locations. This makes pre-planning quicker and more cost efficient.
Depending on the reasons you’re changing the carpet, you may be able to reuse the underpad saving you several hundred dollars. If you are flipping a home, or planning to move, reusing the underpad or only replacing parts of it (such as on stairways) makes sense.
You may be able to save money by removing the carpet and/or baseboards yourself, moving the bulk of the furniture, and choosing to dispose of the old carpet on your own.
6. Prepare for Installation
Ask about baseboard removal. Depending on how your previous carpet was installed you may or may not need to remove the baseboards. If the baseboards need to be removed, most installers prefer the homeowner do it, so they won’t be responsible for damage, and also to reduce their onsite time. There is a tool specially designed for removing baseboards along with a hammer, which makes the job easy.
Consider doing any repainting before you have the carpeting replaced. De-clutter the rooms, removing the technology yourself. If you don’t have storage space, you may want to rent a storage unit.
It’s always helpful to confirm the work crews’ time of arrival, a day or two before installation.
7. The Installation Process
If you want to save any of your existing carpet, let the installers know upfront. Once they arrive, an efficient team will move the furniture, and begin cutting up and removing the old carpet immediately. They will be quick, so it is important you are ready for them.
As for timing, several rooms and stairs can take anywhere from four hours to two days or more. Of course, the larger the work team the quicker the completion.
They should vacuum underpad refuse (preferably with their shop vac) before laying the new carpet.
8. Finishing Up
When the job is complete, inspect the carpet for ripples, visible seams or short cuts. If there’s anything you’re not pleased with, get them to fix it before they leave.
Make sure you keep your receipt and any warranty papers as well as information on the product you’ve purchased.
Vacuuming carpet that has been rolled for a time, will fluff it up.
Of course you will need to reinstall the baseboards, unless you’ve asked the company to do it. You may want to touch them up before reinstalling them. The nails builders use, are applied with a nail gun, are thin and won’t be reuse able. Cut them out and start with new thicker nails. The nail tips can be covered with a crayon or paint that matches the baseboard material.
Carpeting is still a solid choice for homes both practically and visually. It is soft and quiet underfoot, and absorbs other sounds both between rooms and floors, unlike other floor finishes. It gives a room a warm and cozy feeling, and can actually help insulate a home keeping it warmer.
A new carpet breathes new life into your home. Old dust, dander, nicotine and lingering odors from stains or foot odor move out with the old carpet, refreshing your home.
A new carpet instantly updates and beautifies your home, making it look and feel new again.
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