Carpet installation cost estimate
This guide will give you an idea of how your business should price your carpet installation services.
Carpets are an essential element in building a comfortable atmosphere in many homes and commercial buildings. As a result, many factors come into play when calculating your carpet installation price.
When pricing for trades and services, multiple factors come into question. Think: Labor cost carpet installation, square footage, the type of carpet, and other additional costs!
Through our practical knowledge, all of these variables impact your decision on how much to charge for carpet installation. This guide will give you an idea of:
- How your business should price your carpet installation services.
- The best approach to creating a carpet estimate.
- The average cost of carpeting a 3 bedroom house.
- The latest carpet price per square foot.
How much to charge for carpet installation
Our research indicates that, according to HomeAdvisor, the average cost of carpet installation (wall-to-wall) is between $789 – 2,794. The national average cost for carpet installation is $1,673.
On top of this, you can expect to add 5 – 20% extra for the cost of new carpet (including spare material and padding). Where a job falls in this 5-20% range all depends on the shape and size of the room.
For scale, if you are re-carpeting a whole 3-bedroom house, the average cost can range from $1,600 – 6,700 when carpeting 60% of the home.
The above ranges are a great starting point for your carpet installation cost estimates.
Residential vs. commercial carpet installation
Residential carpets are often designed with comfort and aesthetics in mind, while commercial carpets value durability.
Our investigation demonstrated that residential carpet customers favor a softer touch and a more luxurious experience underfoot. As a result, these carpets absorb sound with a thick layer of padding.
Those looking to carpet their homes are more likely to look into an expensive carpet type like wool or sisal.
Commercial properties look for carpets that stand the test of time, require simple carpet maintenance, and allow for a lot of foot traffic. With less emphasis on the look and feel of the material, you can expect your commercial carpet installation cost to be lower than that for residential properties.
Remember that your carpet installation cost estimate will vary based on your customer’s needs and their carpet type of choice.
Factors in calculating carpet installation cost
Many different factors go into the cost of carpet installations. These factors include carpet material, carpet style, square footage, furniture removal, and the moving costs that come with it.
Below you will find all the specifics regarding your carpet installation cost estimate and the different factors you need to consider.
Material, style, and quality
When it comes to new carpets, the material, style, and quality all vary. They are a large portion of what determines the cost of a carpet installation.
Carpets come in various styles depending on the underfoot traffic, personal aesthetic-based preferences, and location. Below are the top types of carpet you can expect to include in your carpet installation cost estimate.
Cotton
We determined through our tests that if cotton carpeting is your material of choice, you can expect the cost of new carpet per square foot to range from $6 – $7.
While this natural fiber fabric is beautiful, it is ideal for low-traffic areas rather than for places with kids and pets, as cotton fades and stains easier than other fabrics.
Polyester
Our findings show that polyester carpeting costs on average between $1 – $3 per square foot and is known for being a more durable option. It is stain resistant as well as mildew and mold resistant.
Synthetic materials
Suppose polyester’s affordable price point and resistance to household elements are a must for you. In that case, you may be a fan of other synthetic materials like polypropylene or olefin carpeting.
What’s great is that this fabric sits at the same price point per square footage as polyester.
This material is commonly made from recycled plastic, giving your customers a green option. Along with being stain resistant, this option is perfect for areas exposed to sun exposure and moisture.
Nylon
Nylon carpets are easy to clean and durable carpets. Based on our observations, the average cost of new carpet for nylon ranges from $2 – $5 per square foot. It’s an excellent choice for families with kids and pets. It works well for both indoor and outdoor locations.
Sisal
Sisal comes from the agave plant. Its woven pattern makes the material strong and optimal for high-traffic areas. It has a bit of a rougher feel underfoot but is ideal for when durability is a must.
The average cost for a sisal carpet is from $5 – $15 per square foot.
Wool
Our research indicates that a wool carpet costs on average $4 – $20 per square foot. Most carpet installation cost estimates stick with the mid-point new carpet installation price at $5 – $7 per square foot.
Wool carpeting is a premium fabric and is known for its luxurious look and feel. You can expect durability and stain resistance from a wool carpet.
That said, wool carpets are more prone to fading, static, and absorbing moisture.
Room size and shape
According to HomeAdvisor, these are the average prices for standard room sizes:
| Room size | Materials | Price with installation |
| 10′ x 10′ | $200 – 700 | $350 – 1,100 |
| 10′ x 12′ | $240 – 840 | $420 – 1,320 |
| 12′ x 12′ | $290 – 1000 | $500 – 1,600 |
| 15′ x 15′ | $450 – 1,575 | $800 – 2,500 |
| One large room | $450 – 1,575 | $800 – 2,500 |
An extra $0.25 – $0.75 per square foot on average may apply for moisture barriers when it comes to basements and wetter areas.
Remember that additional costs may apply if the basement flooring is damaged or needs to be prepped for carpeting.
Keep in mind that synthetic materials like polyester work a lot better in areas prone to humidity and water leakage like basements.
Padding
Drawing from our experience, carpet padding can cost $0.50 – 1.00 per square foot on average. The type of padding affects the feel and look of the carpet. Padding thickness usually ranges from about 0.25″ – 0.50″.
When creating your carpet installation cost estimate, make sure to factor in both the price and thickness of your padding!
Labor
The price of carpet installation also includes labor costs. When it comes to labor, the average carpet installation cost per square foot ranges between $0.50 – $1.00.
Based on our firsthand experience, many factors can affect this charge, including moving furniture, custom cuts of fabric, and even carpet stain-treatments.
Depending on the size of the job, there might be a need for an additional labor charge.
Carpet removal
Now that you know how much to charge for carpet installation, let’s look at how much residential and commercial carpet removal cost.
Carpet removals cost between $1.00 – $1.50 per square foot, including labor and house cleaning costs. This is significantly less than the carpet cleaning cost per square foot of $0.25. If you offer cleaning services too, make sure you price your carpet removal cost per square foot accordingly.
As indicated by our tests, carpet replacement costs have to take into consideration multiple different factors. These include:
- Pad removal at $1.50 – $2.00 per square foot.
- Carpet tack strips at $0.50 – $1.00 per square foot.
- Scrape adhesive at $0.50 per square foot.
- Level concrete flooring at $1 per square foot.
Not to mention junk removal, which becomes a hefty task when carpeting an entire house or multiple floors.
Moving furniture
Moving furniture plays a role in determining your carpet installation cost estimate. One that is often overlooked.
Whether your customer has a small or large project, moving furniture for carpet installation can be a labor-intensive task. That’s why it’s key to answer the question “Does carpet installation include moving furniture?” upfront.
Moving heavy objects like television sets, couches, and beds will ultimately cost more than moving fewer and lighter objects.
The determining factor is in the weight of the items:
| Weight in pounds | Approx. cost |
| 250 | $200 |
| 400 | $275 – 300 |
| 600 | $350 – 370 |
As per our expertise, while the above rates are a good way to standardize pricing, it is important to consider other factors affecting moving costs.
These include the size and shape of items and how difficult it is to move them through doors. Additionally, the number of flights and special equipment is needed to move these items.
Depending on the type of work, your company might choose to charge an hourly rate between $50 – 130 per hour.
Don’t forget to include the above rates into your carpet installation cost estimate to drive the best bottom line possible.
Stain-resistance treatments
Stain-resistant treatments provide a protective layer around certain fiber types. The two kinds of stain-resistant treatments include:
- Mill-applied: A process done during the manufacturing process.
- Post-cleaning: Applied to carpets during carpet installation or after carpet cleaning.
After putting it to the test, both mill-applied and post-cleaning offer protection against oil-based stains and water-based stains. How both these stain-resistant treatments work is by:
- Adding a protective layer to the outside of the carpet fibers makes it difficult for stains to stick to them.
- Not allowing liquids to absorb deep into the carpet fibers.
Some fabrics cannot use stain-resistance treatments like white wool, acrylic, polypropylene, and other mixed-fabric custom rugs.
Mill-applied treatments last for around five years, while post-cleaning treatments last around two years.
Flooring repair or replacement
A new carpet will often mean that a customer needs flooring repairs due to water damage or uneven flooring. The price of subfloor repair can be upwards of $500.
The price per square foot can cost around $1 – $3, and cleanup can cost about $0.25 – $0.50 per square foot to remove the old flooring.
The cost of furniture removal and custom cuts are also factors to consider when deciding how much to charge for carpet installation.
Custom cuts
When it comes to custom cuts, pricing is custom too. The price per square foot for carpeting stairs is around $3.50 – 11 per square foot, plus an additional charge of $11 – 26 per step.
Other factors to consider are the shape of the staircase, as rounded staircases need different materials and extra labor.
Different types of carpet costs
Piles and textures vary with different cuts of yarn. There are several different types of pile carpeting with many uses.
Over time, we found that important factors to consider are the amount of foot traffic, the feel, and the location of the carpet.
Here we dive into different textures and piles:
Low pile
A low pile carpet has yarn cut to 0.25′ or less and feels flat and dense. It’s a more durable option and easy to clean.
Cut pile
Cut pile carpets are woven loops cut to the same height. The price per square foot for cut pile carpets is around $1 – 12.
This type of carpet offers a broader price range as the options for cut pile carpets is abundant.
Plush
A plush carpet style has a trimmed finish and is one of the most popular carpets as it looks very thick. Better yet, it has a soft texture underfoot, so it’s very comfortable.
Textured
A textured carpet has fiber loops of various lengths. This style of carpet is very durable and can handle areas with heavy foot traffic.
As a result, textured carpets are great to include in your carpet installation cost estimate for commercial spaces.
Twist pile
Twist pile carpets have twisted fibers that help with durability and offer a longer-lasting carpet. This option is often the choice for commercial carpeting.
Level loop
A level loop pile is great for high-traffic areas, especially for commercial carpeting. It has a uniform appearance and withstands stains pretty well.
Our findings show that the price per square foot for loop pile ranges from $1 – $5 per square foot.
Berber
A Berber carpet has uncut loops and is less likely to shed compared to cut pile carpets.
The name Berber comes from the Berber region of Africa, where hand-knotted rugs and carpets were popular.
Patterned loop
Using varying lengths and a range of colors, the patterned loop pile creates an exciting look and feel.
This is a fitting choice for living rooms or family rooms that are meant to draw people in.
Cut loop
Our research indicates that cut-loop carpets cost around $1 to $10 per square foot. This style is best for medium-to-high-traffic areas and great for most rooms in any home.
Carpet installation estimate FAQ
How much does it cost to carpet a lounge room?
Knowing how to price carpet installation for a lounge room can be tough! According to RemodelingExpense, the average cost for a lounge room is $4.50 – 6.80 per square foot. That includes materials and the cost of labor as well.
Save time and impress clients with our free invoice generator. You’ll get a professional PDF at the click of a button — no manual work required.
What is a fair price for carpet installation?
A question most of potential customers have on their mind is “How much should carpet installation cost?”. For professional carpet installation, the average cost ranges from $789 to $2,794.
To ensure your price is fair, look at what your competitors are charging. Then, aim for your carpet installation cost estimate to be somewhere in the middle of their prices.
Drawing from our experience, with this approach, you can make a profit and still win new jobs.
Image credit: Ungvar via Adobe Stock
