New Carpet Advice - Where to buy? what to do?

souljahslim

HI,
We have just purchased a house and are now thinking about new carpets.
As this is our first house, I have no experience in buying carpets. As a starting pointing I have done some valuable research on these forums and have taken the advise that I have read and will thus be avoiding Carpet right and allied carpets.
Could anyone please give me some advise on what I need to look for in a carpet and in underlay.
I am also seriously considering purchasing my own gripper rods underlay and fitting it my self as money is limited. Does any one know if this is easy to do?
I have seen that I can pick up Cloud 9 (11mm) underlay for about £50 a roll and get the gripper rods cheap from screw fix.
In total we have about 95m2 to cover.
Thanks

wallbash

As a starting pointing I have done some valuable research on these forums and have taken the advise that I have read and will thus be avoiding Carpet right and allied carpets.

If you ask me , I would go to Carpet right. I know that a lot swear by ' local firms' but around here carpet right is the better bet.
Forget about 60% plus an extra 10% or what todays offer is. We know that the
chains make money on del /grippers/ underlay/fitting.
So do your sums , its the final bill that is important .

Will be putting my money where my mouth is , going to carpetright this afternoon ,
need the living/dining room decorated.
Carpetright , supplied two bedrooms/hall and stairs. kitchen lino and ensuite flooring.
Don't dismiss Carpet right

souljahslim

but you havent gave a reason to why you believe Carpet right to be any good

phill99

I really wouldn't suggest trying to lay it yourself. The carpet fitters make it look easy, but it isn't. I still think that local independents are a best bet. Even if you just buy the carpet from them and get a local independent fitter to lay them. 95m2 is probably a days work for a fitter and a 'lad' and shouldn't cost more than £200. And it'll probably be the best £200 you have ever spent.

wallbash

Well to be pedant you have 'just' dismissed even thinking about carpet right.
I did the act of comparing different carpet shops .

I came to my conclusion. And yes I did visit carpet right this afternoon.
Did I choose a carpet ?? No , of course not , being a mere male . I let my wife !

Guy is turning up Thursday morning to remeasure the living/dining room.
Which carpet did she buy ..... don't remember , its a light brown .
Cost £25 a sq yd

you believe Carpet right to be any good

Well I am happy .... thats good enough for me.

Foggster

I would ask around and see who friends and neighbours use.

The reason I dont use Carpet Right is simply because they are too expensive!! I was able to carpet my house for 33% less than what CR quoted me and I was able to go up a few grades with the wool content.

I wouldnt advise laying your own carpet, its an art!

souljahslim

Hi i was actually thinking about laying the gripper rods and the underlay and getting a fitter to lay the carpet

csh_2

souljahslim wrote: »

Hi i was actually thinking about laying the gripper rods and the underlay and getting a fitter to lay the carpet

Carpet right wouldn't fit our stair carpet unless we bought their gripper and underlay and allowed them to fit it all.

We bought some carpets from CR and they were over-priced expensive shiote IMO.

We redone everywhere 8 mths later.

Second time round we bought all our own carpets/grippers and underlay from here and my OH fitted all of our carpets himself apart from the stairs/landing as it was very complicated! These guys don't fit but will recommend local fitters.

Places like this are also great for end of roll bargains. We ended up with loads of gripper for half the price of evrywhere else when I said I next X amount and he just gave me a half empty box of the stuff and said that'll do you, and only charged for the X amount I'd asked for IYKWIM? Think we got 2 extra rooms out of it!

You really just need to shop around and ask people where they got theirs.

Gripper and underlay not a hugely skilled job so would defo say do your own :money:

sindygirl58

souljahslim wrote: »

Hi i was actually thinking about laying the gripper rods and the underlay and getting a fitter to lay the carpet

I dont think a fitter would like you to do this, its like telling a tiler you will put the adhesive on for him. Around here, its about 40-45 fitting per room,
look aaround your area for discount carpet shops. Carpet right etc, are ok, but as others said, they stack the price on underlay and grippers!!

I have a discount store near me, which carries the same stock as CW only cheaper. quality wool carpets for £13m .

try this, bend a bit of carpet over, if you can see the canvas backing clearly, that is a measure of how tightly woven the carpet is, and theref0re the quality. Wool comes in weights 50oz being very expenive. dont buy 100% wool as it will bobble up, it needs at least 20% manmade mix for durability.

sindygirl58

csh wrote: »

Carpet right wouldn't fit our stair carpet unless we bought their gripper and underlay and allowed them to fit it all.

We bought some carpets from CR and they were over-priced expensive shiote IMO.

We redone everywhere 8 mths later.

Second time round we bought all our own carpets/grippers and underlay from here and my OH fitted all of our carpets himself apart from the stairs/landing as it was very complicated! These guys don't fit but will recommend local fitters.

Places like this are also great for end of roll bargains. We ended up with loads of gripper for half the price of evrywhere else when I said I next X amount and he just gave me a half empty box of the stuff and said that'll do you, and only charged for the X amount I'd asked for IYKWIM? Think we got 2 extra rooms out of it!

You really just need to shop around and ask people where they got theirs.

Gripper and underlay not a hugely skilled job so would defo say do your own :money:

http://www.jwcarpets.com/ thats who i use!! also

wallbash

This morning had the guy from Carpetright to measure up .

To lay the gripper/underlay and carpet . with one join the labour cost
for our lounge/dinner is £108

I think thats a reasonable cost for a couple of guys to do the job.