There’s nothing better than a new carpet to make a room more welcoming and comfortable. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t realize the true cost of installing new carpets and are surprised when they hear quotes that exceed their expectations.
Most homeowners spend between $1,500 and $4,000 for carpet installation in a standard living room, with smaller bedrooms starting around $900 and larger open-concept spaces running up to $6,000 or more. Your choice of carpet material will affect your wallet the most. A homeowner I recently worked with saved over $2,000 on her living room by choosing quality nylon instead of wool while still getting a beautiful, durable floor that her kids and dog haven’t managed to destroy after two years.
Looking to install carpets in your home? Find a local contractor to get started today.
This site receives compensation from the companies featured in this listing, which may impact where and how products appear. This listing doesn’t feature all companies, products, or offers that may be available.
This site receives compensation from the companies featured in this listing, which may impact where and how products appear. This listing doesn’t feature all companies, products, or offers that may be available.
How Much is Carpet Installation?
Installing a carpet in a typical 200-square-foot bedroom will cost between $900 and $2,200, based on national averages. A large 400-square-foot living room ranges from $1,800 to $4,400. These prices combine both materials and labor.
Different types of carpet carry different price tags — a plush wool carpet will cost more than a basic nylon one, just as premium brands command higher prices than budget options.
Where you want to install carpet also affects the bottom line. Many contractors charge by square footage, but complicated areas like stairs or oddly shaped rooms cost more. Labor generally adds $3–$6 per square foot, while stairways run $11 to $26 per step because of the precise cutting and fitting required. One contractor told me stairs take three times longer than flat surfaces, which explains the price jump.
What Is The Average Cost of Carpet Installation by Materials & Styles?
The three main factors that determine how much your carpet installation will cost are the carpet material, the style of the carpet, and where you want the carpet installed. Of course, installing carpet over a larger area will also cost more, as will having your contractor remove old carpet before they begin.
Carpet Cost by Material
What material you use for your carpet will affect the overall cost of your carpet installation. The following sections briefly summarize the pros and cons of the most popular carpet materials and discuss the average costs of each.
Cost Per Square Foot of Carpet Material
Here’s a table summarizing the average cost per square foot of the four most popular types of carpet.
| Carpet Material | Cost Per Square Foot | Cost for 12×12 ft Bedroom | Cost for 15×20 ft Living Room |
| Polyester | $2 to $3 | $288 to $432 | $600 to $900 |
| Nylon | $2 to $5 | $288 to $720 | $600 to $1,500 |
| Olefin | $1 to $3 | $144 to $432 | $300 to $900 |
| Wool | $4 to $20 | $576 to $2,880 | $1,200 to $6,000 |
Polyester
Polyester carpets are budget-friendly options that clean up well after spills. They resist stains and handle damp spaces well, making them ideal for kids’ rooms where juice spills happen or basements with occasional moisture. The downside? Walk through a five-year-old polyester carpet in a hallway, and you’ll notice visible traffic patterns where the fibers have bent and flattened. Most polyester carpets in busy areas look ready for replacement after 5–7 years.
The average cost of polyester carpets is about $2.50 per square foot.
Nylon
Nylon offers the sweet spot between affordability and durability at $2 to $5 per square foot. I’ve seen well-maintained nylon still looking good a decade later in busy homes. It bounces back after furniture compression, stands up to vacuuming, and cleans well after pet accidents. For a family with children and pets, nylon delivers the best value, lasting 10–15 years with reasonable care—twice the lifespan of similarly priced polyester.
Triexta is a new type of nylon that’s been gaining popularity recently. It’s even more environmentally friendly and durable than ordinary nylon, with the downside that it also costs more.
Olefin
Olefin (polypropylene) handles moisture better than any other carpet material, making it perfect for finished basements or homes in humid climates. While not as cushy underfoot as other options, it won’t grow mold or mildew when damp. At $1 to $3 per square foot, it’s among the most affordable options. Even with minor flooding incidents, the carpet will still look nearly new.
Wool
Wool represents the luxury end of carpet materials, running $4 to $20 per square foot. Nothing matches wool’s natural softness and appearance—synthetic materials simply can’t replicate its look and feel. The catch? Spill red wine on wool, and you’ll be calling professional cleaners immediately. Reserve wool for adult bedrooms, formal living areas, and spaces where comfort outweighs practicality. With proper care in low-traffic rooms, wool can maintain its beauty for 15–20 years.
Carpet Cost by Style
Two carpets made of the same material might differ in cost if they’re made in different styles. The three most common carpet styles are textured carpets, patterned carpets, and Berber carpets.
Carpet Style Cost by Square Foot
The following table summarizes the cost per square foot of the three most common types of carpet.
| Carpet Style | Cost Per Square Foot | Best Uses | Typical Lifespan |
| Textured carpet/cut pile | $2 to $5 | Bedrooms, home offices, formal areas | 5–10 years |
| Patterned | $2 to $6 | Living rooms, dining areas, hallways | 7–12 years |
| Berber | $4 to $7 | Basements, family rooms, high-traffic areas | 8–15 years |
Textured/Cut Pile Carpet
Textured or cut pile carpet is probably the most common carpet style you’ll find in people’s homes. Textured carpet comes in tall and short varieties, with tall pile carpets offering a softer, more comfortable experience underfoot and low pile carpets offering increased durability. Tall pile carpets like shag and frieze are more for show, while lower pile carpets are usually more utilitarian.
Both tall and short textured carpets are prone to fraying, so you should be prepared to notice wear if you put one in a well-trodden area of your home. You can expect to pay between $2 and $5 per square foot for textured carpet.
Patterned Carpet
Patterned carpets are made by combining looped and cut-loop carpets to give them the unique patterned look their name implies. Pattern carpets are better at handling foot traffic and moisture than textured carpets, so people often use them in their main living areas.
Patterned carpets cost slightly more than textured carpets, between $2 and $6 per square foot, on average.
Berber Carpet
The final type of carpet is called Berber carpet, named after the North African people who traditionally wove the carpets by hand. Berber carpets feature a tight loop pile that makes the carpet highly water-resistant and helps it hold up to intense use.
Berber carpets are often found in residential basements and are used heavily in commercial settings for their advanced durability and long lifespans.
Berber carpets are more expensive than textured or patterned carpets, costing between $4 and $7 per square foot.
DIY vs. Professional Installation Costs
| Project Element | DIY Cost | Professional Installation |
| Basic materials | Same as professional | Same as DIY |
| Labor | $0 (your time) | $3-$6 per square foot |
| Equipment rental | $60-$100 per day | Included |
| Removal of old carpet | $0 (your time) | $1-$5 per square foot |
| Disposal fees | $50-$200 | Usually included |
| Warranty on installation | None | 1-2 years typical |
| Total cost difference | Save 20-30% potentially | Premium of 20-30% |
I’ve seen plenty of DIY carpet jobs go sideways. Unless you’ve installed carpet before or are working on a small, square room, hiring pros usually makes sense. My neighbor spent three days installing his bedroom carpet, only to find ripples appearing a month later because he didn’t stretch it properly. The tools alone can cost nearly as much as hiring someone if you need to buy rather than rent them.
How Do You Calculate Carpet Installation Cost?
The total cost of a new carpet installation will depend on what type of carpet you want, the size of the area you want to be covered, and whether or not you need your old carpet removed. Many retailers will include carpet removal in the installation cost they quote, so make sure you understand what’s included in each company’s quote when comparing different vendors.
Installation costs are easy to estimate since they typically come from your contractor. Some carpet installers charge more for installing carpet in difficult areas like staircases, but most simply charge by square footage. Some companies off free installations, although usually that just means the price they quote already includes the cost of installation.
Carpet materials make up a sizable chunk of the cost of installing a new carpet, especially if you choose a more expensive material like wool. To calculate the cost of materials, you need to know the area of the room(s) where you want to install your carpet. Once you know your room’s dimensions, multiply them to get the room’s area in square feet. We recommend adding approximately 10% to the square footage to account for cuts and waste.
Take your 10%-padded room area and multiply it by the cost per square foot of the type of carpet you want to purchase to determine the overall cost of the carpet you’ll need. Finally, add the cost of any carpet padding or underlayment to arrive at the total cost of materials. Add your cost estimates for the materials to the labor costs to get a sense of the total project cost.
What Are The Main Factors to Consider When Installing Carpets?
Before you purchase new carpets, there are several factors you need to consider to ensure you make the best decisions for your home.
Location
Not all carpet materials work in all spaces. I once saw beautiful wool carpet installed in a family room with three kids and a dog—within six months, it looked 10 years old. Meanwhile, the same carpet in the master bedroom still looked pristine years later. Location matters tremendously in carpet selection.
Living Rooms
Living rooms and family rooms need durable materials that can handle constant use. Nylon or quality polyester in textured or patterned styles excel here. Aim for middle-pile heights that balance comfort with durability. I recommend darker colors or subtle patterns that hide inevitable spots between cleanings.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms offer the perfect spot to splurge on comfort. Since you won’t have drink spills or outdoor shoes tracking dirt, softer materials like wool or plush pile carpets make sense here. A client who installed premium wool in her bedroom five years ago tells me it still feels like walking on clouds, making the higher cost worthwhile over time.
Basements
Basement carpets face unique challenges with potential moisture issues. Stick with synthetic olefin or solution-dyed nylon in Berber styles that resist water damage. I’ve seen too many basement carpet failures from choosing the wrong material—one homeowner had to replace new wool carpet after just one minor water seepage incident.
Stairs & Hallways
Stairs and hallways take the hardest beating in any home. These high-traffic zones need the most durable options available. A tight nylon in a low pile or Berber weave will stand up to daily abuse. One expert tip: choose a slightly darker shade for stairs than surrounding areas, as they show soil faster than any other part of your home.
Do you need stain resistance?
If you’re considering installing a carpet in a living room that’s likely to see its fair share of spills and messes, you should consider purchasing a carpet with a pre-applied stain-resistant coating. Such coatings aren’t too expensive and can increase your carpet’s longevity by protecting it from water damage and stains.
You can also apply something like Scotch Guard after your carpet is installed if you don’t mind doing it yourself. It costs about $0.08 per square foot to treat a carpet, on average.
Old Carpet Removal
Some companies will remove and dispose of your old carpet for you, saving you the hassle of doing it yourself. Carpet removal services rarely cost more than $1 per square foot and often cost significantly less.
Furniture
You should remove the furniture from any room that’s getting new carpet before the installers arrive if you can. Most contractors charge a flat fee for moving furniture, $100 to $200 for the usual assortment of couches, dresses, etc. If you’re physically able to move furniture yourself, it’s a great way to save a little bit of money.
Padding
Sometimes, adding a layer of carpet padding under your carpet is the right move. Padding makes a carpet softer and more comfortable underfoot, but it isn’t compatible with every combination of floor type and carpet style. Ask your contractor ahead of time if padding is an option if you think it’s something you want.
Padding is relatively cheap, costing about $1 per square foot on average.
How to Prepare for Carpet Installation?
If you’re hiring a contractor to perform an all-in-one carpet installation, there isn’t much you need to do beforehand to prepare. However, if you want to save some money and you have the time, there are a few things you can do to make things go more smoothly on installation day.
Remove Old Carpet
If you’re replacing old carpet, you’ll have to remove it ahead of time unless you prefer paying your carpet installer to do it for you.
Most people can easily remove their old carpet with just a carpet knife and some elbow grease. You might also need a claw hammer or crowbar to remove those pesky carpet tacks and tack strips.
Move Furniture
Similarly, if you’re physically capable of moving furniture — and if you have some good help available — you can save a few hundred dollars by moving furniture yourself.
Depending on how much furniture you have and how heavy it is, it might be worth spending the extra money to have the professionals take care of it; just make sure they’re willing to move furniture before making any assumptions. Some carpet installers expect your rooms to be clear when they arrive.
Inspect Your Flooring
Problems associated with old flooring are the most common roadblocks that delay carpet installations. It’s in your best interest to carefully inspect your flooring before you schedule a carpet installation so you can fix any problems that might be hidden by any existing carpet.
Some types of flooring require more work to install carpet on top of, so it’s also a good idea to make sure you know what kind of flooring you have before you talk to a contractor.
This site receives compensation from the companies featured in this listing, which may impact where and how products appear. This listing doesn’t feature all companies, products, or offers that may be available.
Should You Hire a Professional or DIY Carpet Installation?
If you have the right tools and are up for a moderate challenge, installing your own carpet is a great home improvement project and an excellent way to save money. However, you’ll need a carpet stretcher, which most homeowners don’t have, and you’ll need to be careful not to void your carpet’s warranty when you install it. Most of the time, the additional costs you’ll incur by doing it yourself will be higher than the price of hiring a professional.
Most people are better off hiring a local pro to install their carpet. New carpet installation costs between $3 to $11 per square foot. Pros will do it faster, and you won’t have to worry about purchasing or renting specialized equipment from Home Depot or rendering your warranty null and void during installation. Professional carpet installation is usually included in the quote you’ll get from an end-to-end carpet company, so you might be surprised at how inexpensive it is.
Hire a local contractor today to help with your carpet installation.
FAQs About Capet Installation Cost
A single room usually takes 2–4 hours once work begins, while a whole house might need 1–2 days. The clock starts ticking after the old flooring comes out and the subfloor is prepped. Removing old carpet adds half a day to the process. Large or complicated jobs with stairs or odd-shaped rooms naturally take longer.
The installation itself happens in stages: padding goes down first, then the carpet gets stretched and secured before the edges are trimmed for a clean finish. Most carpet companies work room by room in larger projects, so you won’t need to empty your entire house at once. I always tell homeowners to add an extra day to whatever timeline they’re given—better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed.
Expect to pay between $4,500 and $16,500 for whole-house carpet installation, depending on your home’s size and carpet quality. In a typical 1,500 square foot home with 1,000 square feet of carpeted area, budget-friendly polyester runs $4,000–$6,000, mid-range nylon costs $6,000–$9,000, and premium wool jumps to $9,000-$15,000.
Ask about bulk discounts—many retailers offer 15-20% off when carpeting multiple rooms. Some even throw in free padding or waive installation fees on large jobs. One homeowner I worked with saved over $2,000 by having her whole house done at once rather than room by room over time. Don’t forget to budget an extra $500–$1,000 for furniture moving, old carpet removal, and disposal if these aren’t included in your quote.
Clear everything from the rooms getting new carpet—furniture, knickknacks, closet items, and anything that could get damaged or be in the way. If your installer charges for furniture moving (most do), handle the smaller items yourself and leave only the heavy pieces. I’ve seen installations delayed for hours because rooms weren’t properly emptied, costing homeowners extra in labor charges.
Your floors need attention too. If you’ve agreed to remove old flooring yourself, pull up the carpet, padding, and tack strips before the crew arrives. Check for squeaky floorboards and loose subfloor panels that need fixing. Remember that new carpet sits higher than old, worn carpet, so doors might need trimming afterward. One smart move: if you’re planning to paint, do it before the carpet goes in—much easier than worrying about drips on new flooring.
