7 steps to follow when buying a carpet

Listed below are the best steps you need to take in order to ensure you are getting the best value for money when choosing your carpet. At Flooring Direct, we help you learn how to pick out the best carpet for your home, and also the best way to ensure that you will get your flooring fitted correctly. But also, we will talk about the importance of getting an underlay, as this is something that many people usually don’t believe is of necessary importance. You can also check out our budget planning guide, our installation guides and our aftercare guides.

1) First things first – Aftercare

When you are looking around for your new flooring, whether it is online or in the shop, you need to do your research. Nothing beats the ability to see a product up close, but fortunately for our customers, Flooring Direct can send out free samples to send to customers who want to test the flooring in their home first.

2) Your free carpet samples

Naturally, once you’ve got your free samples of carpet, you will want to test them out and see if they really are for you. To be honest, if you are in the carpet buying stage, then you have probably identified which type of carpet you want.

As you’ve narrowed it down, you can get a feel for the colour you want with your samples and test how the flooring would look against your furniture. We would always recommend free samples so that you can be sure the carpet is exactly what you want. It might just be that the carpet looks great in the pictures on our site (it usually does) but might not be right for your home. PLUS, an experienced carpet buyer will probably tell you that testing the samples is helpful because it enables that person to have a chance to walk on them and test them for comfort.

3) Don’t underestimate the importance of underlay

You should not underestimate the importance of underlay. Many people don’t think they need it just because it is an added extra, but choosing the right one really is important. Underlay would help your carpet to sit properly and evenly, a bit similar to the paste that you place underneath the wallpaper. Nobody likes lumps and bumps, and underlay will also improve the way that your carpet feels when you walk on it. An added bonus would be that underlay increases heat and sound insulation.

Similar to the actual carpet, underlay does have a lifespan and if you are buying a new carpet, you will have to buy new underlay. Of course, if you are purchasing a new carpet then you will have a budget, and underlay will have to be factored into this. If you’re not sure about how to budget for your carpet purchasing, check out our planning and buying guides from Flooring Direct.

As we stated, underlay is sometimes underestimated and people think they don’t need it. One thing to note though, it becomes even more important if you have underfloor heating, which is becoming increasingly common nowadays. If you don’t choose the right underlay, then the heating will not work properly, and it will be a waste of money all involved. If you require any help choosing the right underlay, you can either read more about it here or pop us an email on info@flooringdirect.co.uk.

4) Go back to your budget

Budgets vary, we all know that. When redesigning or restyling your home, you sometimes to need to extend your budget because it doesn’t always go to plan. You also don’t want to waste any carpet and buy too much so it is important that you measure your rooms where the flooring is going to ensure that you don’t waste any samples. You can have a look at the size of the carpet rolls that Flooring Direct sell them in. If you are not sure, our customer service team is always happy to help.

5) One final chance to make sure you are ordering the right carpet

The time has come for you to order your carpet or carpet tiles. (These steps can often be applied to other types of flooring as well…). Remember what your budget is and make sure you have it to hand before placing your order. Choosing the right flooring is perhaps one of the most important tasks if you are restyling your home, as it provides not only style but also comfort and durability. Although Flooring Direct do offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, it is our mission and aims to make sure that the customer is always satisfied. You can always seek external advice to make sure that you are choosing the right flooring for you, and from some carpet fitters and layers, you may be able to get a free quote or consultation.

6) Hire a carpet fitter

Although carpet tiles, vinyl flooring and laminate tiles are considered quite easy to install, some people find comfort in hiring a professional carpet fitter. This is always recommended advice as cutting and fitting may be required and you don’t want to get it wrong. Fitters are sometimes paid in cash, so do double-check with them to see how they would like paying. Which? provides some very good advice on how to hire a carpet fitter.

7) Buy at the right times

In order to save money when buying a new carpet, you need to buy at the right times. If you purchase a carpet in winter, then this is ideal as prices have started to drop as the days get shorter, and of course, there are always those exciting January sales which we know people love to get stuck into!

Flooring Direct also have a price-match guarantee so that is another added benefit of sticking with us and buying a new carpet with us. We would always be able to give you a quote on your measurements, and our friendly customer service team will always be happy to help.

You don’t always need to buy new accessories for your new carpet, but it is recommended. Other items like door times and gripper rods can be re-used but please do make sure that they are actually in decent condition. Remember, underlay will probably also have to be bought as it is not recommended in the industry to reuse underlay which has lasted as long as your previous carpet.

Allow for delivery – Please, please, please always allow for delivery delays. Don’t book the carpet fitter until you are 100% sure that your carpet will turn up on that day.

If you have any more questions whatsoever on buying a new carpet for your new home (or you are just refreshing your style) then please do not hesitate to get in contact with us at the earliest possible opportunity. Take a look around the Flooring Direct site and have your eyes opened to wonderful opportunities.