Carpet buying and fitting - what is the best MSE way?

katepower

Hi all.

I recently bought a house. Currently looking to replace the upstairs carpet - this includes 2 bedrooms, hallway, and a straight staircase with a slight turn at the bottom. It comes to 25sq/m in total w/o staircase as Im unsure how to measure this.

I've been to some shops today and gotten quotes. On average it files to about £650 to fit carpets with 8mm underlay and grips.

I've been doing a bit of research on here. It's looking like the most cost effective way for me to proceed would be to buy the carpet myself (is £10per sq/m), buy the underlay myself (off eBay?) and then employ a fitter. Is this the best way to do this?

katepower

Update: fitters seem to be quoting around 250 to fit, including underlay, grippers etc.

Icecannon

Underlay is not all the same so if it's a good underlay then £250 is a good price, if crap underlay then not so good.

I have just bought my owe carpet and underlay and getting a fitter to fit it but finding a fitter to just fit is not as easy as you would think, as they make a lot more by supplying and fitting than just fitting, so if going that route find a fitter first before buying the carpet, and also consider the delivery of the carpet, as the driver might as in my case only take the carpet as far as the front door, you then have to get it inside and store until frittered.


If I were you, as it not a large space, I would get a fitter to quote to supply and fit as the difference in price is not going to be that great for 25 m2

Try the nicf site to find a fitter in your area

trailingspouse

And another thought - if you buy your own and you've measured it wrong (easily done), then you're stuffed. If the fitter measures it then a) it's less likely to be wrong and b) if it's wrong it's their problem.

Think about how long you plan to be in this house - if it's just a jumping-off point for bigger and better things, then go for something cheap and cheerful. If it's your forever home, then it would be more cost effective in the long term to buy better quality that will last a long time.

Annie1960

Much better to get the same person to supply and fit, for the reasons given above.

chrisw

I get my carpets from a small local place that does roll ends, they're usually plenty big enough, even for a through lounge. They recommended a fitter to me, the last one charged £45 and did a cracking job.

daveyjp

chrisw wrote: »

I get my carpets from a small local place that does roll ends, they're usually plenty big enough, even for a through lounge. They recommended a fitter to me, the last one charged £45 and did a cracking job.

This is the MSE way. If bedrooms are small go for roll ends and save 30-80% depending on size of piece they are trying to sell.

Stairs are more complicated and you are paying for the fitter skill. We have a double return staircase and the fitters laid the carpet out marked and cut the pieces from one large piece, hardly any waste.

Underlay should be no more than £3 sq m fitted.

katepower

Having measured it himself, the fitter is saying that it is now 40msw. He will still do it for 250. Underlay will be cloud 9 for 2 x rooms and a more firm one for the stairs.

katepower

He is saying that the underlay is 6 msq, for product and fitting. I can buy a 15 msq roll for about £50 on the internet from what I have seen, so is this still good value?

Icecannon

You have to take the end price not think well I can knock a bit off here and he'll still do it for x price..

The fitter will just up,his fitting price as he will be making less money not supplying the underlay, he may then charge extra to lay your underlay.

The end price is what matters, as do,you care if he charges you £1 for underlay but £249 for fitting.

If it's now 40m2 and cloud 9 the 250 is a very good price, even for 25ms it's not bad for cloud 9

If you do buy your own, depending on the cloud 9 you buy, will cost you around £40/50 a roll you will need 2/3 rolls, he will be unlikely to do the job for less then £150' so not worth your time buying it yourself.

I would just check which cloud 9 it is, I would want cloud 9 contact or better.