Question:
Heres hoping that there are some carpet experts out there LOL
I have recently got some money back from claiming against my endowment provider and decided that the money would go straight back into my house. I desperately need new carpets for my stairs, landing, bathrooms x 2 and bedrooms x 3. As I need quite a bit I was wondering if anybody could give me any tips on buying carpets - I was going to visit 3 carpet showrooms to compare prices. The carpets that were taken up ( took them up to paint skirting boards ) did not have underlay in the bedrooms and bathrooms. I have always put underlay under my carpets except the bathroom ones so wondered if anybody could advise if underlay is actually needed for bedroom carpets. I have left the underlay down on the stairs and landing as it seems ok to me but it is 10 years old so wondered if it should be changed anyway. I will also be getting them fitted but only the stair carpet has those tracks down to hold the carpet - can this be re used for the new carpet and should I get the tracks put into the bedrooms or just get them stapled to the floor as the old ones were. Sorry for all of the questions but hopefully somebody out there has a lot of experience with carpets and can advise. Thanks for reading
Answers:
Yes you need underlay for the bedroom carpets & you should have carpet grippers fitted as well. It would be silly to pay out for new carpets & not get the job done properly. Good carpets laid well will wear well for years.
The grippers on the stairs can be used for the new carpets & you'd be wise to have new underlay fitted on the stairs too.
I've only ever bought carpets from department stores & when they have reductions on carpets you can get excellent quality carpet at good prices.
It depends on your budget, but for the best wear & durability, try to go for a carpet with a good wool content, 80% is excellent.
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thanks for the advice Cattie - sorry but the thanks button has gone walk abouts again
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For stairs go for a twist and lots of strands per inch ( you can tell this when you get a piece of the carpet and bend it in half. The ones to avoid are where you can see the back of the carpet) and for all carpets go for a 80% wool mix.
My biggest bit of advice would be to go to one of your small local shops.
I had quotes from both Allied and Carpetright with the usual massive discounts and ended up saving over £300 when I went to my local shop (who's prices weren't discounted but actually cheaper). Not only that but the carpets were better quality and the advice I got from the owner really helped me make good decisions about what sort of carpet I wanted where.
Over two years later my carpets look like new and I know in the past in previous houses I have had to replace cheap stair carpets after a year due to being rubbish.
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thanks for that Trinny - my stairs lead up from my living room so I definately want it to look good for a long time and not worn in a high traffic area.
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I would really advise against getting carpet fitted in the bathrooms. We have just had ours pulled up and vinyl tiles laid (I would have liked ceramic tiles, but they are not that child-friendly!). I don't know your circumstances but if you live on your own then I suppose it would be ok, but if you have a family its horrible! The boys miss the toilet and my girl chucks water out of the bath...its so unhygenic. If you came to sell your house later on, they do say its one of the things that would put buyers off.
Definitely replace underlay in the rooms you are going to carpet.
xx
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only girls in this house so no problems with men marking their territory LOL well actually there is a male but we keep him in a cage outside - he is a bunny
I went out today and visited 5 various shops and managed to haggle and get extras but couldnt bring myself to order them even though they will come in just under budget. I think I have been hanging around here too long - cant bear to part with my cash. Anyway I am definatley going to order them tomorrow because we took up the old ones to paint the skirting boards so we are walking on bare floorboards untill we get the new ones. Thanks for all of the replies and advice
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I would really advise against getting carpet fitted in the bathrooms. We have just had ours pulled up and vinyl tiles laid (I would have liked ceramic tiles, but they are not that child-friendly!).
Ditto. It's actually quite vile when you pull up a carpet in a bathroom and see the stains when you turn it over, especially the bit around the loo! Oops a daisy, if you're insistent on buying one for the bathroom, go for a gel-back carpet (the sort sold for nursing homes) so it won't soak into the backing - hessian back is a no-no in wet areas, as it'll just rot. An alternative is a carpet made from recycled plastic bottles (very soft and can be got in very strong, deep colours) - Mohawk Carpets used to manufacture one.
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Does anyone know what the best kind of backing on a carpet is? We're looking for a carpet for the stairs and don't know where to start. (Except that we don't want foam backed.) The guy in the carpet shop said that felt backed ones were good but I don't know if he was just trying to make a sale.
Answers:
Hessian-backed carpet needs underlay and gripper, felt-backed carpet doesn't (unless it's on stairs).
Hessian-backed is generally better (check the grade though, sometimes they're not so hard wearing) for hall stairs and landing and anywhere with lots of wear. Felt-backed is fine for bedrooms.
Don't think one is always better than the other, check the grade (on the back of the sample) ie 'general domestic', 'heavy domestic' etc. Also some carpet is heavy domestic but the way it's made might mean it's not suitable for stairs but that info will be on the label too.
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Thanks, Troo.
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I want to recarpet my entire house as my carpets are the original brown council ones from 1983.
I am in south Oxfordshire - can anyone recommend who I should go to? Are the big people really not good value? Should I try and find a local shop?
How much should I expect to be paying? It is a fairly small two bed terrace with quite a generous hall and landing. I have never bought carpets before (feel like a proper grown up!)
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For success
Set your maximum budget.
Get your areas to be carpeted professionally measured by a good carpet retailer - usually local who have to rely on reputation rather than big ad's - who should help you achieve the most cost effective way to carpet your house. Local retailers usually have a much larger selection than the large superstores and are much more flexible. Carefull planning will minimise waste and therefore save you money in the long run!
Ask for 2 or 3 different price options/ quotes - see how these compare with your budget and remember to include new door metals (look so much better than leaving old ones in place).
Get them to explain the different fibre blends and what advantage each has a good test, if they struggle walk away!
Get some samples - large as possible - see how they look with your decor.
Choose a good quality underlay such as 'Cloud 9' to prolong the life of your carpet - You will need a durable non-foam back carpet for high traffic areas such as main living rooms, hall, stairs and landing.
Get your carpet fitted by a professional - a carpet is a heavy cloth which should be stretched properly on to a frame ( gripper, adhesive, turn & Tack) to give it maximum life. Pile should run in correct direction!!!
Keep it clean as possible - vacuum, wash, tell people to take their shoes off!, etc.
You can get carpets specifically designed for bathrooms and kitchens - these are easy to keep clean and sanitised!
Hope this helps
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For those of you concerned about bathroom flooring, this is what you need: