Checklist 

A first step in buying carpet, of course, is to plan—thinking through questions like how much you will need, where it will go, how it will be used, and what will look good with your other furnishings. A good carpet store can be a helpful source of advice on these questions. 

On our Ratings Tables, you will see that some stores were rated “superior” for the advice they provide by 85 percent or more of the customers we surveyed. But some stores will be of little or no help, as indicated by their failure to get such favorable ratings from even half of their surveyed customers. 

You will want not only to make the best carpet choice for your home but also to have confidence that the carpet will be installed as expected. We heard again and again of delivery delays and sloppy installations. Some outlets got top scores for installation work from 50 percent or fewer of their surveyed customers. Fortunately, some scored much higher. 

How much you pay—even for the exact same carpet—will depend on how and where you shop. Carpet stores have made it extremely difficult to compare prices, but you may be able to shop by doing the following— 

• Find the make and style number of carpet and the type of pad you want at any store. It will help actually to choose more than one make and style you can live with, since stores often carry different, but very similar, products. 
• Then call other stores, explain that you are comparing prices, and ask each to tell you the best price it can give you per square yard for that carpet and pad installed as you want it. 

Most stores can order many styles that they don’t carry. One way to find stores that sell a particular brand is to call the manufacturer or visit its website. 

For one job we priced, we found prices ranging from $2,796 to $6,447 among local stores. For another, the range was from $1,919 to $3,650. 

To be sure you pay for just what you need, do a drawing of the area you want carpeted, with accurate measurements, and show it or fax it to several stores. Ask them to explain how they will lay out the carpet and how much is needed. If they don’t come up with the same total square yardage, ask questions. Before finally placing an order, be sure to have the firm come out to do a final measurement. Many firms will do this for free even if you eventually decide not to order. 

Be sure your sales contract indicates in writing— 

• Exact make, style name and number, fiber content, and color of carpet. 
• Type, thickness, and weight of pad. 
• Total square footage (or square yardage). 
• Who is responsible for taking up and hauling away old carpet. 
• A reference to an attached diagram of your space and confirmation that installation in accord with that diagram is included. 
• Total price. 
• Payment schedule (one-third in advance is reasonable, but the less the better). 
• Warranty on the carpet and installation. 
• Promised delivery and installation date. 

Make all payments by credit card to preserve your rights under the Fair Credit Billing Act. 

Additional important advice on how to deal with stores is discussed below, including advice on how to be sure you get the same type and quality of carpet and pad you ordered. 

Introduction 

Buying carpet is a major commitment. It can cost thousands. It’s the focal point of a room. It has to be able to take a beating. To get carpeting you can live with happily for a long time, you need good advice—on color, style, texture, padding and price range. Once you choose, you need a good installation job. 

This article will help you sort through your options, choose what’s best for your needs, and find a reliable store and installer with reasonable prices. 

What’s the Plan? 

As a first step, you will want to plan ahead by answering a few questions. 

How Will It Be Used (or Abused)? 

Will you be doing much eating or entertaining near the carpet? Will pets and children be around? If so, you’ll want carpeting with soil- and stain-resistant properties and colors and textures (such as tweeds and irregular textures) that will show dirt the least. You may also want to ask a good carpet cleaning service for advice, since it will have first-hand knowledge of which carpet types and colors are easier to clean than others. (Click here for our carpet cleaners article.) 

Will the carpet be used in areas with a lot of foot traffic, such as the front hallway, stairs, or family room? Low, dense piles will generally wear better than deep, plush piles. 

Will you be sitting on your floor often or walking barefoot? Plush textures feel soft and project a sense of luxury and elegance. 

How Much Will You Need? 

To get a rough idea of the yardage you’ll need for wall-to-wall carpeting, measure the length and width of the area to be covered. For protrusions, such as doors and closets, always measure into the deepest point and count these protrusions into either the total length or the total width of the room. 

For stairs, measure each step separately (from the back of one tread to the bottom of the riser below) and add an inch per step to allow for padding under the carpet. Then multiply that figure by the total number of steps to determine the length of carpet needed for the entire staircase. Be sure also to add in length for any landing. 

Determine the total square footage of the area to be covered by multiplying length times width. Then calculate the square yards required by dividing the square footage by nine (because there are nine square feet in a square yard). For example, a 15-foot by 30-foot room would require about 450 square feet, or 50 square yards, of wall-to-wall carpeting. 

Your own measurements will give you a basis for roughly estimating costs when you shop. But you’ll want to have a store measure more precisely before it actually puts through your carpet order. Since carpet is manufactured in standard widths (12 and 15 feet are typical), you may have to buy more carpeting than the actual square footage of your room. 

Room-size and area rugs are sold in standard sizes or cut to size and bound from carpet rolls. Be sure to consider the placement of your furniture in determining the size you need. 

What’s Your Budget? 

Carpet prices vary tremendously—from below $10 per square yard to over $100 per square yard—depending on materials used, form of construction, brand name, and other factors. Differences in price that seem small by the square yard can be great by the room. For example, the cost for the 50 square yards of wall-to-wall carpeting you need might seem quite modest at $10 a square yard—for a total of $500—but pretty intimidating at the $2,000 or $4,000 you would face at $40 or $80 per square yard. Charges for padding, installation, and other labor are often in addition to the basic carpet price. Knowing what you have to spend will force some choices. Can you compromise on quality for some rooms? Can you get along with less-expensive area rugs? 

There is also great variation in prices for area rugs—from a few hundred dollars for an inexpensive Dhurry (flat-woven Indian rug) to thousands of dollars for an antique Oriental rug. 

How Will It Fit in with Your Tastes and with Other Furnishings? 

Wall-to-wall carpet introduces a large area of unbroken color, expands a room’s appearance, and often acts as the strongest element in an interior design scheme. 

You’ll want texture and patterns that go with the style of your rooms, whether formal or casual. As an initial step, it’s a good idea to bring fabric samples, paint chips, wallpaper pieces, and even couch cushions to the store to help with your selection and to bring carpet samples or rugs home to see how they look with your furnishings and in your light at home. 

Since good-quality carpets and rugs will last for many years, be sure to choose designs, colors, or patterns that you won’t tire of quickly. 

You’ll want colors that work together with existing window treatments and furnishings, that are practical for your own lifestyle, and that contribute to the mood you’d like the room to have. A bright-colored carpet such as yellow, orange, or red can liven up the mood of a room that lacks natural light; shades of blue and green can tone down an overly bright room. Lighter shades increase the impression of spaciousness and give a formal look but will show dirt quickly and are therefore best for relatively low-traffic areas. Darker colors like dark grays or browns make rooms look smaller, so are best as accents or in very large rooms. Such dark colors also tend to show lint. 

In addition to the wide range of residential carpeting, you might also consider commercial carpeting like that commonly used in offices and public buildings. Tightly woven for durability and relatively easy maintenance, commercial carpeting may be used in home offices, recreation rooms, and hallways, among other areas, and is often less expensive than residential carpeting. 

Predict How Long You’ll Expect to Keep the Carpet 

Well-constructed carpets will last 10 years or more under normal use and care. If you’ll be moving soon or changing the use or furnishings of a particular room, you may want rugs rather than carpeting, since rugs are portable and wall-to-wall carpeting is not. 

What Type? 

Carpets vary in fiber content, yarn formation, and construction. 

Fibers 

Wool 

Before the development of synthetic carpet fibers, wool was the predominant fiber for high-quality carpets. Now, however, wool accounts for only a small percentage of carpet sold in the U.S. Nonetheless, the feel and look of wool remain the standards against which other fibers are judged. 

Wool feels good to the touch, takes dye beautifully, does not have the shininess sometimes found in synthetic fibers, resists crushing or flattening even with extensive wear, and resists soiling (though it is not especially resistant to staining). But wool carpets tend to be expensive. 

Nylon 

When first introduced in carpeting over 50 years ago, nylon was not a very attractive or well-performing fiber. Nylon carpets tended to be shiny and to show dirt readily. They lacked the warm, soft feel of wool and tended to accumulate static electricity. 

But from the start nylon had certain excellent qualities, such as exceptional resistance to abrasion, crushing, and mold. And great advances have been made in succeeding “generations” of nylon fibers. In the most advanced generation, fibers are no longer shiny; they have antistatic qualities either built into the fiber (better) or applied to the surface (not as good); and they are treated with stain-resisting fluorochemicals (like Teflon or Scotchgard) either built into the fiber (better) or applied to the surface. The advanced-generation nylons have such brand names as Stainmaster (Invista), Anso (Shaw Industries), and Wear-Dated (Solutia). 

Carpets made with these brand-name fibers may also have to meet certain fiber manufacturer requirements regarding density of pile and other aspects of carpet construction. 

But be aware that not all nylon carpet on the market today is made with the most recent generation of fiber. Lower priced carpets often are labeled “100 percent nylon” or have some other “generic” designation and may not benefit from all the improvements of the late-generation nylons. 

Nylon is currently by far the most popular carpet fiber. Depending on carpet quality, prices range from inexpensive to as expensive as wool. 

Olefin (Polypropylene) 

Olefin, or polypropylene, is popular in indoor-outdoor carpeting and in low-pile commercial carpeting (which, of course, can be used in residences as well). This synthetic fiber is very resistant to static, soil, and stains even without special treatments. It also holds dye very well, has excellent abrasion resistance, and does not absorb moisture. Polypropylene might be the fiber of choice but for one failing: it crushes, or flattens, easily. This limitation restricts its use to low-pile carpets. Prices are generally inexpensive to moderate. 

Polyester 

Polyester is less popular than nylon or olefin but is often used in deep-pile carpets because of its soft, luxurious feel. Because it is not as resistant to crushing as nylon, polyester tends to be used in low traffic areas in dense carpets, where the density supports the yarn. A relatively new polyester is made by Shell Chemicals and marketed under the name of Corterra. It is more stain resistant and doesn’t flatten as easily as the older polyester carpet types. Polyester carpets are generally inexpensive to moderately priced. 

Yarn 

Whatever fiber is used for carpet pile, the fiber must be processed into strands and the strands, in turn, must be twisted together into yarn. 

In cut-pile carpet, the tighter a yarn’s twist, the crisper looking and longer wearing the carpet. If the twist is “heat-set,” it will last longer. 

In general, thin yarns give a smoother, more velvety look than coarse yarns. 

Construction 

The most common way to make carpets today is by tufting. To make a tufted carpet, a machine with hundreds of yarn-threaded needles pushes yarn through a backing fabric, forming loops as the needles push in and pull out. The loops are held in place with latex adhesive, and a secondary backing is glued to the primary backing to provide strength and stability. The specifics of construction vary in several ways. 

Density 

In some carpets, the tufts of yarn are spaced much more densely than in others. Density depends on the number of tufts per surface area and the thickness of the individual tufts. Everything else being equal, the denser the pile, the better the carpet. This is because in dense carpet the individual tufts support each other so that the carpet is less likely to appear matted, and wear occurs only at the top of each tuft rather than along the tuft’s side. 

Texture 

Carpet surfaces come in many pile textures— 

• Level loop—has a surface of loops of uniform height, creating a pebbly appearance. This is generally the most durable texture. Also, it is easy to vacuum and doesn’t show footprints. Most commercial carpeting and the Berber carpet style are level-loop textures. 
• Multi-level loop—is similar to level loop except that the loops vary in height. Multi-level loop carpet hides dirt better than level loop but is more difficult to vacuum. 
• Plush—is carpet in which the tops of all the loops have been cut off. Because the yarn doesn’t have much twist, plush has a soft, luxurious look and feel. But it tends to show dirt readily. It is also subject to shading, an apparent change in color tone caused by bent yarns reflecting light in different directions. Shading can be minimized by vacuuming so that all the yarn tufts bend in the same direction. 
• Saxony—is similar to plush except that the yarn is more tightly twisted. As a result, the individual yarn tips are more springy and more discernible to the eye. Saxony tends to be somewhat more durable than plush and is less subject to shading. 
• Frieze, or twist—consists of cut pile in which the yarn is so tightly twisted that the ends tend to bend over, creating a nubby appearance. This surface wears well and hides footprints and dirt. 
• Shag—has yarn, either cut or uncut, 1 1/2 to more than three inches long. The pieces of yarn are widely spaced but fall over each other to cover the carpet surface. Shag hides dust but is difficult to vacuum. 
• Cut-and-loop—has a surface in which some of the loops are cut and others aren’t. The surface may be level or may be sculptured. This type of surface hides dirt and footprints well. 

What Padding? 

Good padding will minimize flattening and wear of carpeting by absorbing part of the impact of traffic. Padding also creates a softer walking surface, insulates cold floors, absorbs noise, prevents carpet from shifting, gives a more even feel to irregular floors, and gives carpet a feeling of depth and luxury. 

Choice of padding depends on the type of carpet, where and how it will be used, your preference for greater or less buoyancy, and other factors. Carpet pads differ in content and performance, and each type comes in a variety of weights. 

As a general rule, the heavier the pad, the better the performance. High-traffic areas should have a heavy but relatively thin pad. Where you want a bouncier, more luxurious feel, such as in a bedroom, use a thicker pad. Don’t confuse thick, soft padding with good padding. A bouncy padding can make a thin carpet feel more luxurious, but it can shorten the life of the carpet by letting the backing flex too much. The Carpet and Rug Institute recommends that padding be no thicker than one-half inch. 

There are several types of padding available— 

• Rebonded polyurethane foam, also known as “rebond,” is made up of bonded-together fragments of urethane foam. It is usually heavier than prime urethane padding. A weight of five pounds per cubic foot at a thickness of one-half inch should be sufficient for high-traffic areas. Heavier cushion, up to 14 pounds per cubic foot, feels firmer. 
• Fiber padding is good for high-traffic areas such as halls and stairs and for area rugs. It feels quite firm and not very bouncy underfoot. Fiber padding is made from jute, animal hair, a combination of the two, or a combination of jute and nylon or other synthetic fiber. A pad weighing 40 ounces per square yard is good for moderate-traffic areas. You’ll need a 48-ounce pad for more heavily used rooms or stairs. 
• Sponge rubber padding works well in moderate-traffic areas. A pad of at least 64 ounces per square yard should be sufficient for most home uses although sponge rubber padding is available in heavier weights—up to 120 ounces per square yard. Sponge in a flat sheet feels firmer than sponge that has been formed into a waffled configuration. 
• Prime urethane foam padding performs well in low-traffic areas. The less the pad weighs per cubic foot, the softer it feels. Urethane foam padding should weigh at least 2 1/2 to three pounds per cubic foot. 

Before contracting for installation of padding, check several points. See if the padding will tear easily. Place samples on the floor with a carpet sample over them and walk on them to get an idea of the “feel” the padding will give your carpet. Be sure the padding is the right weight and thickness for the area where it will be used. If you can get a thinner padding that will perform properly, avoid a thicker one whose thickness will raise the carpet too high for doors to swing open into the room; otherwise, you may need to have the door bottoms cut off. 

Like carpeting, most area rugs also benefit from an underlay. Padding under an area rug will help secure it where people might slip and fall and will prevent the rub-off of color by non-dye-fast rugs such as some Dhurries. A good fiber pad is usually best for area rugs. There are several varieties of useful anti-slip material, often made in a honeycomb structure. 

Many stores include padding in the price of the carpet. Be sure to check out the quality of what’s offered and, if necessary, find out if you can upgrade for an extra charge. 

Where to Shop? 

Once you have an idea of the type of carpet you want, the approximate square yardage, and your budget, you’re ready to begin shopping. On our Ratings Tables, we report on area carpet stores and installers. 

There are plenty of stores in the area where you can get good advice, good selection, quality installation services, and honest business practices—all at reasonable prices. But there are also plenty that don’t meet those standards, as the following comments from our subscribers reveal— 

“They quoted a price and installation date, and then two weeks after the scheduled (and missed) installation date tried to double the price.” 

“Worst firm I ever dealt with. They botched up the job, broke the ceramic tile at every threshold where they installed carpet, were non-responsive, charged my credit card without my permission, and never showed up for appointments on time or with the needed skills. Horrible experience that took six months to correct on my own...” 

“Accepted contract and 50 percent deposit, then called a week later to raise price by 40 percent.” 

“Installation quality was terrible. In a few months the carpet in every room was bunching up in numerous places.” 

“It took over six months to install our carpet, during which they destroyed our baseboard, never returned calls, and did not uphold their 100-percent-satisfaction guarantee. It was a nightmare that I don’t want anyone to have to deal with ever.” 

“While I was very pleased with the overall job the excess amount of carpet with installation estimated and charged to us was $450 and I now have 10 square yards of excess carpeting sitting in my garage.” 

Variety and Layout 

Stores vary in attractiveness and convenience of display. Usually wall-to-wall carpet samples are displayed on racks or in sample books, while carpet remnants and rugs are hung from racks, stacked, or stored in rolls around the store. It’s important that there’s good lighting and enough room in the store for you to lay out a rug or remnant to see what it looks like open on the floor. 

The selection and size of remnants found at stores change frequently. Some stores have a hundred or more different colors and styles of remnants; others have very few. 

Our Ratings Tables show what percentage of each store’s surveyed customers rated it “superior” for “ease of looking at/testing products.” (For more information on our customer survey and other research methods, click here.) 

Convenience Services 

Once you’ve found some carpeting that interests you, it’s important to see how it goes with your furnishings before you make a final purchase. You’ll want to shop at a store that has carpet samples and/or area rugs available for you to take home; most stores offer this service. You may also want to shop at a store that will bind carpets for area rugs or arrange for custom-made rugs. Some carpet stores may also provide carpet or rug cleaning, repairs, appraisals, restoration, or design services. 

Advice 

You’re likely to have a lot of questions about the carpets a store stocks and about options for your rooms. Our Ratings Tables show what percentage of each store’s surveyed customers rated it “superior” for “advice on choice and use of products and related questions.” Some stores were rated “superior” by 85 percent or more of surveyed customers, but others got such favorable ratings from fewer than half of their surveyed customers. Getting advice and conducting the rest of your business will not be pleasant if the staff’s attitudes are not pleasant. Our Ratings Tables show that for “staff attitudes/atmosphere,” some stores were rated “superior” by 50 percent or fewer of their surveyed customers. 

Reliability 

We also asked customers to rate firms on “reliability (standing behind products, delivering on time, etc.)” and on “promptness of service.” On both of these questions, the portion of surveyed customers rating stores “superior” ranged from less than 40 percent to more than 90 percent. 

In addition to the results from our customer surveys, for firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, our Ratings Tables show tallies of complaints we gathered from the Consumer Protection Division of the Illinois Office of the Attorney General for a recent two-year period and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for a recent three-year period. 

You can check current BBB complaint information on any firm by contacting the BBB at 312-832-0500 or by visiting www.chicago.bbb.org. For firms that were evaluated in our last full, published article, you can check current ratings on our Ratings Tables in the details under the firm’s listing, click a link to the local BBB to go directly to the BBB’s most up-to-date report on the firm. 

Installation Service 

Unless you are a deeply committed do-it-yourselfer, you’ll want to have your carpet installed by a professional. Almost all stores that sell wall-to-wall carpet offer installation services. Some use their own employees for the work; others contract out the installations. 

Installation problems are among the most common cause for carpet buyers’ complaints. A poor job, such as inadequate stretching of carpet, or uneven, bumpy, or loose seams, can ruin the appearance and durability of even an expensive carpet. 

For the firms for which we have customer survey data on installation, our Ratings Tables show what percentage of surveyed customers rated the firm’s installation service “superior” for “doing work properly,” “promptness,” and “overall performance.” Several firms were rated “superior” on some or all of these criteria by 50 percent or fewer of surveyed customers, but others were rated “superior” more than 80 percent of the time. 

If you want to consider installing the carpet yourself to save money, there are several good how-to books and online guides to carpet installation. Do-it-yourself installation kits and other special equipment, such as knee kickers to stretch carpet, seaming irons, and hot-melt carpet seam tape, are available at most equipment rental firms and for no extra charge at some carpet stores. 

Warranty 

An indication of the reliability of a firm’s sales and installation operations is the warranty it offers. Most carpet stores and installers offer written warranties on carpet installation work. Most firms’ warranties apply for a year from the date of installation, but some are longer (up to three years, in some cases). Some explicitly disclaim responsibility for the fact that seams may be visible so long as the installation is done in a workmanlike manner up to the standard in the industry, and even in those that lack this explicit disclaimer, it probably should be assumed. 

Price 

Among reliable stores that carry the types of carpets you like, you’ll want to find those that give you the best value for the entire job—carpet, pad, and installation. 

Price comparison of carpets is not easy. Although there are several major carpet manufacturers whose products are found at most stores, it is often difficult to find exactly the same carpet style and grade on display at any two stores, since there are thousands of styles available. Price comparisons are made even harder by the fact that many retailers (especially the bigger stores) change carpets’ style names from the names given by the manufacturer or, as in the case of Home Depot and Lowe’s, have exclusive rights to sell certain carpet styles. 

Price comparison is possible, though, if the manufacturer’s style name or number is listed on the carpet label and you can find two or more stores that sell it. As long as you provide the correct style information, many stores will give per-square-yard price quotes over the phone for carpet manufacturers they regularly carry. 

Our Ratings Tables show how prices at carpet stores compared when the stores were called by CHECKBOOK shoppers. We priced firms on our Ratings Tables if they sold new, national-brand wall-to-wall carpeting, if they sold brands that were available at several other firms, and if they would quote prices over the phone. We were unable to compare the prices at some of the stores—particularly the larger chains—since those firms either have private-labeling or other similar arrangements with carpet manufacturers. Of the stores we were able to shop for price, some may have been having sales during our survey period. Such sales may have distorted our survey results, but some of these stores have sales much of the time. 

We attempted to collect 20 different price quotes from each store and then compared the prices we collected from each store to the average prices quoted by other surveyed stores for the same carpet, pad, and installation jobs. The price index scores on our Ratings Tables show how each store’s average prices compared to the average for all stores that quoted on the same items, adjusted to the base of $100. 

A price index score of $110, for example, means that prices at this store were on average 10 percent above the average for the same carpets for all surveyed stores. 

As Table 1 illustrates, shopping around can lead to big savings. For example, for 80 square yards of the same Mohawk carpet, including pad and installation, the lowest price we were quoted was $2,796 and the highest price we were quoted was $6,447. That’s a difference of more than 100 percent. 

The price index scores on our Ratings Tables should be just a starting point for your own price shopping. For several reasons, stores that had relatively high average prices in our survey might have a good deal for you. First, sales can have a big effect. Stores with higher price index scores might be having sales at the time you are looking. Second, salespersons at many stores are willing to negotiate. Third, there’s a lot of variation in the way stores stack up; a store that is high-priced on average might have a relatively low price on some carpet styles. 

How to Deal with Stores and Installers? 

You may be able to save money and you’ll certainly cut your risk of service foul-ups if you follow a few guidelines when dealing with firms. 

Make a Diagram of the Spaces to Be Carpeted Before Beginning to Shop 

You can’t get a realistic cost picture without knowing how much carpet you’ll need. To calculate that amount, a salesperson will need to see a carefully prepared diagram of the area to be carpeted, showing doorways and closets and other protrusions. Also indicate the height and depth of steps. 

Get a Reliable Estimate of the Amount of Carpet Needed 

One way some stores take advantage of customers is by charging for more carpet than is needed. 

Using your diagram, get salespersons at several stores to estimate how much you’ll need. In order for the “grain” of the carpet to look right and for seams to be in acceptable places, you’ll probably need more square yards of carpet than the exact area of the room. There will be some waste, in other words. But a good store will plan installations to keep waste to a minimum. 

Ask each salesperson to explain his or her yardage estimate. If the estimates differ, ask the salespersons why. 

Decide on the Full Specifications of Your Job and Compare the Bottom-Line Price for the Entire Job 

Another prerequisite for a realistic cost picture is a clear understanding of exactly what services you wish to have performed. Before making final price comparisons, decide— 

• What type and grade of padding you want; 
• Whether delivery is to be included in the contract price; 
• Whether you want the store to do the installation; 
• Whether the installer will have to move furniture; 
• Whether the installer will be expected to pull up old carpet; 
• Whether the installer will be expected to haul away old carpet and any debris from the new job; 
• Whether replacement of quarter-round molding at the base of the woodwork is to be included (it usually isn’t); 
• Whether metal or wood strips are to be provided where carpet ends at doorways; and 
• Whether the price includes the cost of cutting off the bottoms of any doors that don’t clear the carpet (usually not). 

Since stores price jobs differently, it’s important when comparing prices to get the bottom-line cost for the entire package of product and services you are purchasing. If you are willing to do some tasks like pulling up old carpet or hauling away debris, you can often save money. 

Get Stores to Compete 

When you have decided on a specific style of carpet, get the style name or number. It should be printed on the tag on the carpet sample. Then contact five or six of the stores that were rated favorably on our Ratings Tables and ask them to give you their installed price for that style, and your choice of padding. Let each of the salespersons know that you are calling several stores, and that they will have only one chance to bid to sell you the carpet you want. Although most stores won’t have the style you want in stock, many stores are likely to be able to get it from the factory. If you can’t find stores that will sell your style, call the manufacturer to ask for names of local stores that sell its carpets. 

Negotiate 

At many stores, salespersons are authorized to negotiate price. If you’ll be buying a lot of carpet, argue that this should entitle you to a good price. But even if you are buying very little, negotiation can save you money. The main point is to let the salesperson know that you are prepared to buy elsewhere; for that reason, you might want to negotiate by phone, so it is very believable that you will hang up and simply call someplace else. You can find out the lowest price you’re likely to be able to get for a particular style by checking a few prices at mail-order outlets. This information will help you determine where to start your negotiating. 

Beware of “Free” Offers 

The cost of free installation is often built into the price of the carpet. You very likely can get a better price for the carpet itself somewhere else where installation is not free. As we’ve noted, if padding is included in the price of the carpet, you’ll also want to check the quality of what’s offered and, if necessary, find out if you can upgrade for an extra charge. 

Beware of Advertisements Quoting Prices by the Room 

The rooms those ads contemplate are likely to be a lot smaller than yours. There is a good chance that what you consider one room—an L-shaped room, for example—will be considered two rooms by some stores. 

Have the Area Measured and Check the Installation Plan 

Although your diagram will help you get an accurate enough estimate of required yardage to do most of your shopping, you will want an actual measurement and installation plan before finally contracting to buy. Many stores will send someone to your home to measure and prepare an installation plan at no cost, with no obligation to buy. You may want to have more than one store do this to be sure you don’t pay for more carpeting than you need. 

Look over a store’s installation plan to be sure that the seams are at locations that are as inconspicuous as possible, that closet interiors will be carpeted if that’s your intention, and that in general the carpeting will cover all the areas, and only the areas, you have in mind. 

Also, check whether the plan seems to utilize carpeting as efficiently as possible. If you think the carpeting can be arranged differently to reduce the amount required, press the point. 

Prepare to Check that the Correct Carpet Is Delivered 

Since some stores have been known to take advantage of consumers by delivering carpet of a different style and quality from the material ordered, you need to equip yourself to check that you get what you pay for. It’s a good idea to purchase a labeled sample of the carpet you’ll be ordering. Most stores will sell samples for less than $20. Then you’ll be able to compare the sample to the item delivered. 

Unfortunately, however, even experts can’t confidently tell whether two pieces of carpet are the same. It’s possible that a store will try to pass off a carpet that looks about the same as what you ordered but will not wear as well. 

If the store will order from a mill, tell the store that you want your purchase contract to require the store to give you a copy of its factory invoice for the carpet, showing your name and the style, color, and amount of carpet the factory shipped. If the store gives you such an invoice, you can be reasonably confident that it will put the proper carpet in your home. 

If you’ll be purchasing a remnant or a style of carpet the store has in stock, you can be sure you’ll get what you picked out in the store if you simply write your name with magic marker or crayon on the back of the remnant or roll. 

Be Able to Check that You Get the Proper Pad 

As with carpet, get a sample of the pad you’ve been promised. It will be relatively easy to compare that sample to the pad you’re actually delivered. 

Agree on a Delivery Date 

Stores are often more optimistic about delivery dates before you sign a purchase contract than after. If prompt delivery is important to you, reach an agreement up front. 

Agree on a Payment Schedule 

You’ll have more leverage to push for speedy delivery and to insist on corrections of product and workmanship defects if your store is waiting for payment from you. Most firms will accept a deposit—typically one-third to one-half—with the carpet order and expect the balance when the job is completed and there are no obvious faults. Some stores are flexible about the amount depending on the particular job, so try to put down as small a deposit as possible. 

Check the Warranty on the Carpet 

Most carpet warranties are provided by the fiber company and cover two areas. The first is manufacturing defects, such as holes or color bleeds. This tends to be limited coverage and only applies to first-quality carpets, not seconds. The second area covered is the wear of the carpet. Typical manufacturers’ warranties guarantee not more than 10 percent (20 percent in some cases) loss of surface pile fibers within a period of 10 years. These warranties usually don’t cover tears, burns, pulls, cuts, spills, matting, soiling/staining, fading, odor, or damage due to improper installation or to improper cleaning methods or agents. Since carpet doesn’t usually wear out so much as it becomes permanently matted and dirty, fiber warranties are not as valuable as they might seem. In some cases, a fiber company will offer an additional warranty on another feature of the carpet, such as stain resistance. Carpeting installed on stairs and in hallways is typically excluded from product warranties. 

Some stores offer warranties covering the same carpet problems that are addressed by manufacturers’ warranties. 

Check the Installation Warranty 

It’s best to get a guarantee for a long period with few, if any, qualifiers. An example of a good warranty is the following: “[Installer] guarantees the installation of your carpet against defects in workmanship for the life of your carpet.” If your firm doesn’t offer such a good written warranty, ask if it will write one in on your contract. 

Get a Contract Incorporating All that You’ve Agreed on 

Your contract should cover, at least— 

• The full price; 
• A full description of the product and services included in the price; 
• The style name and number, color, fiber content, and manufacturer of the carpeting you are purchasing; 
• A description of the weight, thickness, and type of padding you’ll be getting; 
• A brief description of the kind of use the carpet will be subjected to—so that you’ll have evidence that the store told you the carpet was fit for this purpose; 
• The delivery and installation date; 
• The warranty; 
• A reference incorporating the installation plan; 
• If the carpet will be ordered from the mill, a promise to deliver you the factory invoice for the carpet you ordered, showing your name and the style name and color; and 
• If the carpet is a remnant, a promise to provide the specific piece of carpet you have marked as yours. 

Take careful note of any disclaimers of store responsibility. Several of the contracts we reviewed had boilerplate language relieving the store of any responsibility for damage to walls or furniture. In order to get your business, a store may allow you to strike language you consider unacceptable. 

Prepare Your Home Before the Installer Arrives 

If you’ve agreed to move furniture or to pull up old carpet, for example, be sure the installer doesn’t have to wait for you to get your part done. 

Check the Carpeting and Padding Before It Is Installed 

Better to find any defects before the installation work is done. Look for discolorations, dye spots, streaks, holes, or yarn flaws. Also check to see if there’s a significant color or quality difference from the retailer’s sample. If you’ve asked for a factory invoice, check it. Reject the carpet if it’s defective or not what you ordered. 

Check the Installation Job Before You Pay 

Look for wrinkles or ripples, gaps between wall and carpet edge, unusually conspicuous seams, irregular seams, inconsistent shaping of carpet on steps, failure to match the “grain” or the pattern of the carpet, glue on walls, unusual damage to walls or other furnishings, stains or glue on the carpet itself, and other defects. If there’s a significant installation defect, insist that it be corrected before you pay. 

Pay by Credit Card 

If there is a problem with delays or if you get incorrect or defective merchandise, paying by credit card gives you the right to withhold payment under the Fair Credit Billing Act and under the policies of most credit card companies. You will first be required to make every reasonable effort to resolve the dispute on your own. 

How to Care for It? 

After you’ve spent hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars on carpeting, you’ll certainly want to prolong its life. 

The most important carpet care practice is regular vacuuming, using a vacuum cleaner with a power nozzle. It’s a good idea to vacuum at least once a week and, if possible, do high-traffic areas more often. It’s best to go over each area slowly with three to seven strokes. Vacuuming removes dirt particles that otherwise will wear away carpet fibers. 

Another key to carpet life is to clean up spills quickly and to have an overall professional cleaning when the carpet gets visibly dirty. Click here for our carpet cleaners article. 

It is useful to understand the causes and cures of a number of other carpet problems. We’ll mention a few here. 

During the manufacturing process, yarn ends can get buried in the carpet pile and “sprout” up later above the pile level. You can use scissors to cut the sprout even with the carpet surface. Don’t pull a high tuft out of the carpet as you may pull out other fibers as well. Carpet snags should be snipped off the same way as sprouts. But very large snags may need the attention of a professional. 

Some types of carpet can develop small balls of fiber on the surface. This is known as pilling. As with sprouts and snags, you can snip pilling off. If the problem covers a large area, though, you should call in an expert. Another problem, fuzzing, occurs in older loop carpets when fibers break due to wear and tear. Clip excess fuzz, but call your carpet store if fuzzing continues. 

To prevent having spots of pile become crushed or flattened, you can place rubber or plastic glides, cups, or other special carpet-protector pads underneath heavy furniture. Also, rearranging your furniture periodically will help you avoid flattened spots—and, by changing traffic patterns, will promote more even wear. Crushed pile can often be brought back up by releasing steam from an iron a few inches above the flattened area, allowing the steam to penetrate the pile, and then brushing briskly. 

Damp weather and humidity can cause buckling or rippling in wall-to-wall carpet. These problems are usually temporary, but if they don’t disappear soon after the weather becomes drier, you’ll need to have the carpet restretched. 

Weather can also contribute to problems of static in carpets. If your carpet does not have antistatic protection, you can if necessary use a humidifier to help control static buildup. 

Exposing a carpet to direct sunlight will cause fading. Reds, blues, and dark colors are most prone to this problem. Closing drapes, blinds, or shades, especially on those windows with direct sunlight, will reduce fading. 

Foot traffic and vacuuming cause pile fibers to change angles, making the carpet appear shaded. Shading is particularly noticeable with luxurious cut pile carpets, especially plushes in solid colors. Vacuuming the pile in one direction will temporarily fix shading. 

How to Check Carpet Quality 

There are several keys to carpet or rug quality— 

• Fiber type. Wool is generally considered a very high-quality fiber, as are the most advanced generation types of nylon. But depending on the purpose, other fibers, such as olefin, may meet your needs better. Carpet labels tell you the type of fiber used. 
• Twist. Yarn should have a heat-set twist so that it holds its shape over the long run. If a yarn’s twist is heat-set, the label will probably tell you. 
• Density. The density of the yarn tufts on the face of carpeting is very important to minimize wear and to prevent flattening, or matting. Since most labels don’t disclose density, you have to check it. You can dig into the carpet with your fingertips to see how easily they push through to the backing. Or you can conduct the “grin” test by folding the carpet onto itself, with the backing on the inside of the fold; then check how much backing is visible between the tufts at the fold. You may also be able to get some information on density or on “face weight” (a combined measure of density and pile height) from a store salesperson. 

Best Choices by Location 

Halls and Family Room 

In these high-traffic areas, good choices are a low, densely packed cut pile or a level-loop carpet, such as a Berber or a commercial type. 

Nylon or (in a level loop) polypropylene will wear well. A neutral color, pattern, or “tweedy” color will minimize the visibility of dirt; avoid lighter colors in a family room if food might be spilled. A firm fiber or rebond pad is best. 

Living Room 

A plush or saxony will probably hold up. An advanced generation nylon or wool will look good—in any color that fits the rest of the decor. A good-quality, firm, rebond pad will feel comfortable and wear well. 

Dining Room 

Unless use is heavy, same as living room, but be sure carpet is treated for stain resistance and use medium or darker colors. If use is heavy, consider options similar to those for a family room. 

Breathing Easy 

Chemically sensitive or allergy-prone individuals have complained of watery eyes; runny noses; burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat; headaches; rashes; and fatigue related to gasses that come from newly installed carpet and pad and the adhesives used in their installation. This problem led to the creation of the Indoor Air Quality Carpet Testing Program, which is conducted by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) and seeks to develop ways to reduce emissions from carpet. Under the program, carpet manufacturers submit carpets to an independent laboratory that measures emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If emissions do not exceed a specified level after 24 hours in a testing chamber, the manufacturer can attach a green and white label like the one shown above. Carpets that meet an even higher standard are eligible to receive “Green Label Plus” certification. 

Look for carpet that is marked with at least the “Green Label.” Although these carpets still give off some emissions, according to CRI the average level of emissions from carpets tested has dropped dramatically since the program began. 

Even for carpet that has met the CRI standard, to get the specified emission results, the carpet must be installed properly. Write into the installation contract: “Carpet must be installed according to Carpet and Rug Institute Standard 105.” You can also take a few other steps to reduce your exposure to air problems. If adhesives and/or pad will be used, request those that have low chemical emissions. Water-based, environmentally friendly adhesives with low emissions are available from numerous manufacturers. If there’s old carpet being taken out, vacuum it before it is removed. This will reduce airborne dust, dirt, and mites. Also, the sub-floor should be vacuumed before the new carpet is laid. Finally, the room where the carpet is being installed should be well ventilated for several days, if possible, with an exhaust fan. 

Common Carpet Complaints 

Carpet stores and their installation crews make a lot of their customers unhappy. Below is a summary of the various kinds of complaints we found in the reviews we received from surveyed CHECKBOOK subscribers for both carpet stores and installers. 

• Poor customer service—Firm’s staff was incompetent, rude, or disorganized. Mentioned in 45 percent of complaints. 
• Subpar installation work. Mentioned in 43 percent of complaints. 
• Reliability issues—Firm did not fulfill promises, would not promptly address problems raised by customer, would not stand behind its products, or would not work with customer to satisfy billing disputes. Mentioned in 29 percent of complaints. 
• Promptness—Firm missed appointments or took longer than promised to complete work. Mentioned in 18 percent of complaints. 
• Bait-and-switch or overcharge—Firm tried to charge more than originally agreed, attempted a bait-and-switch sales strategy, added undisclosed extra fees, increased sale by ordering too much product, or used false sales prices. Mentioned in 12 percent of complaints. 
• Price—Rater believed firm’s fees were too expensive. Mentioned in seven percent of complaints. 
• Product switcheroo—Firm tried to supply a lower quality carpet or padding than customer ordered. Mentioned in six percent of complaints. 
• Poor product quality—Firm supplied defective product. Mentioned in five percent of complaints. 
• Limited selection—Firm did not offer enough selection to meet customer’s needs. Mentioned in two percent of complaints