5 tips to lay carpet on a budget
Feeling the pinch, but desperate to update your carpet?
It may be a cheaper than other floor coverings – such as hardwood or natural stone – but it’s still a big expense for most homeowners. And the cost-of-living crisis has certainly started to bite.
As fuel prices and household bills soar, it’s more important than ever to determine a budget and be extra savvy when completing any kind of home improvement or renovation project.
To give you a helping hand, here we’ve rounded up a few easy ways to keep the cost down – whilst still ensuring your new flooring looks and feels great. So, why not take a look at your bank balance? Work out how much you can afford to spend and lay carpet on a budget that works for you.
1. Consider your carpet fibre options
For anyone looking to save cash, natural fibre carpets – such as those made from wool – are a huge no-go. These tend to be more expensive than synthetic varieties. And they’re usually less durable, which means they may need replacing sooner.
Synthetic carpets are, therefore, a much better option.
Nylon and polyester are both a great affordable choice. But if your budget is limited, we recommend a product made from polypropylene – such as Berber. This offers excellent levels of durability, resilience and stain-resistance, yet it’s currently one of the cheapest carpet fibres available. And it comes in an extensive range of colours to suit your décor.
2. Pick a product that’s in stock
Retailers often keep certain carpets continuously in stock. These tend to be products they buy in bulk at a discounted price – which can translate into a much better deal for you. The selection of styles and colours available may be slightly more limited. But if you can find a carpet that you like, which the retailer already has in their warehouse, you should be able to save a little money.
3. Hunt for a bargain
It always pays to shop around.
Try not to overlook smaller online companies in favour of the well-known high street suppliers. These independent retailers often have exactly the same products, by the same brands, but for a much cheaper price – so it’s worth having a nosey.
If you’re only looking to carpet a small area (such as a home office or box bedroom), it can also be worth enquiring about ‘carpet remnants’. These are the offcuts or leftover ends of larger rolls. And if you can find a piece that fits your space, they’re usually available for a heavily discounted price.
4. Invest in high-quality underlay
No matter how small your budget may be, don’t be tempted to skimp on the carpet underlay.
It may seem illogical to spend a lot on this ‘unseen’ layer, especially when you’re trying to be as cost-effective as possible. But the quality of your underlay will have a huge impact on the final performance of your carpet – so it’s definitely worth paying a little more.
Our advice? Choose the highest quality carpet underlay that you can afford and offset the additional cost with a less expensive carpet. Our no. 1 recommendation is Plushwalk 12mm. Available for £6.99 per m2, this certainly isn’t the cheapest product available – but it is regarded as the ‘gold standard’ and will significantly enhance the look and feel of even the lowest quality carpets.
If you’re budget doesn’t stretch that far, Cloud 9 Cumulus (available for £5.12 per m2) and Super 8mm PU Underlay (available for £2.99 per m2) are both great alternatives – offering an array of fantastic properties, whilst being excellent value for money.
5. Take the DIY route
Admittedly, paying someone else to lay your new carpet is the most convenient option – but why blow half your budget, on something that you could easily do yourself?
Professional carpet fitters charge £120 - £150 a day on average.
It’s a lot of money and, for most people, a completely unnecessary expense. Even for a DIY novice, laying a carpet is usually a relatively quick and easy project. Plenty of step-by-step tutorials are available for free online. We’ve even created several handy guides – including ‘How to lay carpet underlay’, ‘How to fit stair carpet’ and ‘How to fit carpet grippers’ – to help our customers.
Don’t have the right tools? Before you start buying knee kickers and shears, be sure to ask a friend or neighbour. They may have exactly what you need, helping to keep the cost down even further.
Contact our ‘budget carpeting’ experts
For more guidance on how to carpet on a budget, or tailored advice on the best underlay to suit your needs (including your bank balance!), please feel free to get in touch.
Here at Carpet Underlay Shop, we always aim to keep our prices as competitive as possible – and despite the rising cost of living, this hasn’t changed. All of our products are high-quality and offer excellent value for money. And whatever budget you’re working with, we can supply the ideal underlay and help you to achieve your ideal flooring – for the right price!
To speak with a member of the team, give us a call on 0203 887 0994 at any time. Or, if you prefer, send an email to sales@carpet-underlay-shop.co.uk and we’ll respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.
- Alex Illidge
