Photo: istockphoto.com
Tile and hardwood are popular flooring options, but many people prefer a new carpet’s soft, warm feel. Homeowners can choose from a wide range of styles and colors to match the aesthetic of their homes, with the bonus of insulating bedroom or basement floors to retain heat in the winter and reduce heat transmission through the floors in the summer.
Whether you are looking for a carpet replacement or a new carpet installation, it’s important to find the best company for carpet installation in your area. This will help ensure that you receive top customer service and could even include a free carpet installation estimate. Remember that carpet typically lasts for 10 or more years, so don’t make your decision quickly. Discover several key considerations to determine the best carpet installation company for your home.
- BEST OVERALL: Luna
- RUNNER-UP: Empire Today
- BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: National Floors Direct
- ALSO CONSIDER: The Home Depot
Photo: istockphoto.com
What to Consider When Choosing One of the Best Carpet Installation Companies
To find the best carpet installation company, customers will need to learn more about the service area limitations, scheduling estimates, in-home shopping services, pricing, financing, warranties, installation, and more. These are the top factors to keep in mind when evaluating carpet companies.
Service Area
A quick way to find a nearby carpet installation company is to simply search “best carpet installation near me.” Still, the options could be limited or based on purchased reviews. Instead, choose a pool of carpet installation companies based on the quality of work, pricing, and scheduling. The company’s site will likely mention its service area. If the service area isn’t mentioned, customers can contact the carpet installation company directly through phone or email to ask about the service area.
If a customer’s address falls outside of the service area, it still may be possible to hire the company, though the customer may incur a travel fee on top of the installation price. Customers can avoid hidden costs by asking questions before agreeing to the installation or scheduling an estimate.
Estimate Scheduling
Carpet needs to fill every part of the floor. Even if rooms look similar, the exact size, shape, and even the angle of the corners can differ significantly. Due to the unique shape of a room, most companies will schedule an appointment to have a trained carpet installation professional come to the home to take measurements and provide an estimate. The best carpet installation companies will often offer free estimates with no obligation to hire the company for the installation. This ensures that customers get clear, up-front pricing with no strings attached and allows customers to shop for a different company if they don’t like what they hear.
In-Home Shopping
If a customer doesn’t want to go to the store or have carpet samples mailed to their home, the best carpet company for their carpet installation will offer in-home shopping. In-home shopping occurs during the estimate process. Essentially, the carpet installation professional will have a wide assortment of carpet samples so that customers can look at them in the proper lighting and determine what carpet option would be best for the installation area. This service is typically included with the installation estimate. Still, if a customer is concerned about hidden costs, they can ask the customer service representative about any additional charges while booking the appointment.
Pricing and Financing
A scheduled estimate is the first step in the carpet installation pricing process, though not every company offers this service. Customers may need to take measurements of the room and provide the square footage to the carpet installation company to get an estimated price for the work. Pricing can fluctuate based on several additional factors, including selected material, old carpet removal, or stairs. There may even be a cost associated with moving furniture out of the way, so customers will want to ask for a complete breakdown of the estimate.
If the installation cost is too high to make in one payment, customers may be able to get financing through one of the carpet installation companies. Financing options can include helpful add-ons, like a period of interest-free nonpayment. Still, in most cases, customers will pay more over an extended period instead of a lesser price upon installation completion.
Carpet Selection and Installation
It isn’t recommended to make a carpet selection without seeing a carpet sample. Viewing an image online can give customers a false sense of the carpet’s appearance due to picture lighting, positioning, and differences in screen resolution. Some carpet installation companies will offer in-home shopping during the estimate. Still other companies may require customers to go into the store or have samples mailed to their home for consideration.
After choosing material, customers will need to discuss the installation process and look over a breakdown of the estimate to make sure that there aren’t any hidden fees. Now is also a good time to discuss timelines, access to the home, and any work that needs to occur before the installation, like removing furniture, taking out old carpeting, or clearing routes to and from the area.
Warranty
Choosing a top carpet installation company is a great way to ensure that customers get high-quality carpeting and a professional installation. Even pros make mistakes, though, and even the highest quality materials can have defects. To help ensure peace of mind, customers should consider looking for a carpet installation company that warranties its work. Many companies offer a service guarantee, but it’s important to understand its limitations. Before hiring a carpet installation company, customers can discuss the warranty or service guarantee with the customer service representative to understand what the warranty covers and what it does not. Also, customers can find out what the time limit is on the warranty period.
Customer Support
Any company will have a hard time growing if it doesn’t prioritize customer support. To make money, companies need to have customers—and customers don’t tend to stick around if their questions go unanswered or if the scheduling and installation processes are too confusing. Carpet shoppers will want to look for an installation company with a reliable customer support center that can be reached directly. They should also consider the quality of the installation professionals.
Estimates should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. While the carpet installation pro is there to hopefully book a job, there should be very little pressure to force a customer to decide. For most people, customer support matters more when they work directly with an individual in the customer’s own home. Customers won’t want to choose a company based on helpful representatives on the phone if the on-site professionals cannot provide the same level of service.
Our Top Picks
This list of the best carpet installation companies below has been selected for outstanding installation knowledge, experience, customer support, and overall quality.
Photo: luna.com
Why It Made the Cut: Low prices, next-day installation, and specialized pet stain–resistant carpeting are just a few factors that make Luna stand out as a top-notch carpet installation company.
A 110 percent low-price guarantee sounds odd, but Luna guarantees that it will beat any competitor’s price or refund 110 percent of the difference. For example, if a customer receives a written estimate from a competitor that is $100 less expensive within 30 days of placing their order with Luna, they can contact Luna and receive $110 back. Customers can also get a $150 discount for online booking, and if the selected carpet is in stock, they can book the installation for the next day.
Pet owners will also appreciate the specialized pet stain-resistant carpeting options that help to keep the home looking and feeling clean. Customers will want to take time with the website because there is some dead space on the information pages, and the small font can be difficult to read. But customers can enjoy the convenience of booking over the phone or online, and they can rest easy knowing that there is a 2-year installation warranty.
Specs
- Service area: Nationwide
- Estimate scheduling: Online, phone
- In-home shopping: Yes
- Next-day installation: For in-stock carpets
- Warranty: 2-year installation warranty
Pros
- Next-day installation available
- 110 percent low-price guarantee
- $150 discount available for online booking
- Specialized pet stain–resistant carpeting options
Cons
- Website is somewhat user-unfriendly
Photo: empiretoday.com
Why It Made the Cut: Empire Today makes sure that customers have a wide variety of carpet textures, colors, and styles for their ideal home aesthetic.
Making a decor change should be fun and exciting, but sometimes a limited range of options makes the entire process feel forced. Empire Today helps avoid carpet installation regrets by providing customers with a wide range of carpets with varying textures, colors, and styles. Its unique offerings include indoor/outdoor, hypoallergenic, and odor-neutralizing carpets.
Empire Today can book a next-day installation appointment if the carpet is currently in stock, so customers don’t need to wait weeks to get their new carpet. The installation warranty is only limited to 1 year, but customers with young children or pets who anticipate a lot of wear and tear on the carpet can take advantage of Empire Today’s service plan that covers stains, snags, and unraveling past the warranty expiration. Customers can schedule estimates and in-home shopping appointments online or over the phone.
Specs
- Service area: Nationwide
- Estimate scheduling: Online, phone
- In-home shopping: Yes
- Next-day installation: For in-stock carpets
- Warranty: 1-year installation warranty
Pros
- Next-day installation available
- Wide selection of carpet textures and styles
- Service plan covers damages beyond warranty coverage
Cons
- Installation warranty limited to 1 year
Photo: nationalfloorsdirect.com
Why It Made the Cut: National Floors Direct delivers effective and affordable high-quality carpet installation, as well as a $150 discount for online booking.
National Floors Direct can provide carpet installation to customers nationwide. Next-day carpet installation is available to customers in the northeastern U.S. National Floors Direct offers competitive rates that include a guaranteed 15 percent lower cost than competitors based on a verifiable written estimate.
The affordability of services provided by National Floors Direct also extends to a $150 discount for online booking, and the company doesn’t charge extra to move furniture or to provide premium padding. Customers will want to keep in mind that National Floors Direct does not have a listed warranty on its website, so they’ll want to ask about any coverage when booking. Customers can book online or over the phone for a free estimate and in-home shopping.
Specs
- Service area: Nationwide
- Estimate scheduling: Online, phone
- In-home shopping: Yes
- Next-day installation: At select locations
- Warranty: Not specified
Pros
- Installation cost guaranteed to be 15 percent lower than competitors’
- $150 discount available for online booking
- No additional charges for furniture moving or premium padding
Cons
- Next-day carpet installation only available for the northeastern U.S.
- No information readily available on installation warranty
Photo: homedepot.com
Why It Made the Cut: The wide service area and lifetime labor warranty make The Home Depot a good choice for nationwide installations.
The Home Depot is a well-known home improvement store frequented by many DIYers, but it also offers carpet installation services with over 2,300 nationwide locations. Interested individuals can schedule an in-home flooring measurement and estimate, though this service costs $50 and does not include in-home shopping. However, this $50 is deducted from the total cost if the customer proceeds with The Home Depot for carpet installation. Customers will need to order carpet samples online for $1 each or book an in-home estimate to get the samples for free. However, this may be a bonus for indecisive customers, as they’re not limited to one in-home shopping appointment and can visualize the samples in different locations in the home at different times of the day. The carpet installation also comes with a lifetime labor warranty, and all scheduling can be done online through The Home Depot’s website. Simply choose new carpet from The Home Depot, book the in-home estimate, review the quote and any financing options, then book the installation.
Specs
- Service area: Nationwide
- Estimate scheduling: Online
- In-home shopping: No
- Next-day installation: Not available
- Warranty: Lifetime labor warranty
Pros
- Over 2,300 locations nationwide
- Lifetime labor warranty
Cons
- $50 fee for in-home measurements
- No in-home shopping option
Our Verdict
Select unique pet stain–resistant carpet and get next-day installation with Luna, or, if you want long-lasting peace of mind, Empire Today is an excellent choice with service plan coverage that extends beyond warranty coverage.
How We Chose the Best Carpet Installation Companies
Finding the top carpet installation companies begins by finding a pool of professional options and extensively researching each to determine which carpet installation companies excelled above the rest. Factors we considered included service area limitations, estimate scheduling, pricing, financing, warranties, and the installation process. Extra services, like in-home shopping, also helped companies stand out from competitors, though this alone was not enough to make the list.
It was necessary for the selected companies to employ trained, experienced professionals for quality carpet installations and also to work with the customers as a representative of the company. The best carpet installation companies offer transparent pricing, straightforward scheduling, and efficient communication to help improve the customer’s understanding and further facilitate the installation process.
Before You Hire One of the Best Carpet Installation Companies
There are several factors to consider before choosing to hire a carpet installation company. The first thing you need to think about is whether you need a new carpet. If the carpet only needs a good cleaning, then consider hiring a carpet cleaning professional to return the carpet to a like-new appearance. However, if the carpet needs a replacement, the next question is if you can handle the DIY replacement and installation.
Carpet replacement isn’t the most difficult DIY task, but it isn’t easy, either. Judge whether to tackle this project on your own based on your skills. Remember that you may not have all the tools you need to replace your carpet properly. If you don’t think you can or want to install the carpet yourself, before hiring the first option you see, research several companies to find the best carpet installation for your needs.
Cost of Hiring One of the Best Carpet Installation Companies
Typically, a carpet company will stock or source its own carpet, so the price for carpet installation already varies between the different companies based entirely on the material. There will also be a difference in the installation costs offered by each company and the services included in the cost versus the services that cost extra. Always ask which services are included and which will cost extra before booking an estimate.
On average, you can expect to pay about $1,600 for a new carpet installation, though the price can range from $750 to $2,600, depending on the size and shape of the room. The material also factors into this price range, with some carpet options costing just $2 per square foot, while other options cost up to $20 per square foot. If you don’t like the estimate you receive, don’t feel obligated to hire the company; look around for a more affordable option.
The Advantages of Using One of the Best Carpet Installation Companies
Carpet installation is one of those DIY tasks that seem easy to do. But when you end up with a wrinkle or bump, or the carpet just won’t fit under the baseboards properly, it becomes clear that trained professionals likely know something the average DIYer does not. This knowledge and experience, as well as access to the right tools, helps make sure the job is completed right the first time.
Another advantage of using a carpet installation company is that these companies typically have a wide variety of carpet options, so you won’t have to settle for something you don’t actually like just because nothing else is available. Keep in mind this floor option will likely be in your home for 10 or more years. Carpet installation companies also provide up-front pricing and estimates based on the size of the room, layout, and material.
- Trained professionals make sure the job is done quickly and correctly.
- Carpet installation companies have a wide range of carpets to install.
- Up-front pricing and estimates are offered by carpet installation companies.
FAQs
Read through several answers to some of the most commonly asked questions to find out more about when to replace your carpet, as well as some costs associated with the installation process.
Q. How often should I replace my carpet?
Carpets can last for up to a decade before the signs of wear really become apparent, but if your carpet has reached the 10-year mark, it may be time to start looking for an upgrade.
Q. How much does it cost to install carpet in a 10×10 room?
The average cost to install carpet in a 10×10 room ranges from about $700 to $1,200.
Q. How much does it cost to install 2,000 square feet of carpet?
Expect to pay between $14,000 to $24,000 to install 2,000 square feet of carpet. The wide range in price is due to the discrepancy between material costs. Some carpet costs $2 per square foot, while other carpets cost $7 per square foot. The initial $5 difference quickly becomes greater as the amount of carpet increases.
Q. How long does it take to install carpet?
If the installers only need to worry about installing new carpet into a standard, square or rectangular room, then the job can be completed in a few hours. However, every home is different, so the installation may take longer if there are any unique corners or angles. The installation time will also increase if the installers need to remove old carpet or if the area includes stairs.
Q. Do carpet installers vacuum after installing?
Most carpet installation companies will vacuum after installing the carpet, but not every company includes this cleanup as part of its regular work. Check with the customer service representative when you are booking the appointment to find out if vacuuming is included or if there is an additional cost for this service.