Your Guide to Estimating Carpet Cost

Calculating the cost of new carpet might seem complicated, but Sloane's is here to simplify the process. While we'll send a professional installer to get precise measurements before your purchase, this guide will help you get a quick, accurate estimate for your budget.

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How to Measure for Carpet

To start, simply measure the length and width of the room you're carpeting and multiply them to get the total . For example, a 10-foot by 15-foot bedroom requires 150 square feet of carpet.

Keep in mind that carpet is rarely installed in a single, simple room. Be sure to account for hallways, closets, and any other small, connecting areas. A helpful tip is to use masking tape to mark off areas you’ve measured and sketch a rough floor plan to ensure you don’t miss any spots. For angled areas, the installer will easily handle them, often with a little extra material to ensure a perfect fit.

Estimating for Stairs

Stairs are one of the more challenging areas to measure, but you can get a good estimate by breaking down each step. Each stair is composed of the tread (the horizontal part you step on) and the riser (the vertical part at the back).

A standard stair has an 8-inch riser, a 10-inch tread, and is 36 inches wide. This means each step requires approximately 4.5 square feet of carpet. However, be aware that not all stairs are this simple. Some stairs have rounded edges, called noses, or are open on one side with railings. Some homeowners also choose to only carpet the tread.

The Golden Rule: Always Round Up

When taking your own measurements, we recommend rounding up to the nearest foot. Then, add an additional 10% to your final estimate to account for cuts, seams, and other installation needs. While this will leave you with some leftover carpet, it's a much better option than running short on material during installation. These leftover pieces can also be used for useful projects, like doormats or furniture pads.

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How to Measure for New Carpet

Step 1 - Identify Your Space

Before you set out to measure your space, make sure you identify all the areas that are to be carpeted. How many rooms? Will you carpet inside the closets? Have you included hallways? What about stairs? Don’t forget the area extending into the doorways. Often people think about the main rooms they wish to carpet but omit the extra connecting spaces.

Step 2 - Measure the Main Rooms

Measure the square footage of the primary rooms including closets, doorways, and hallways. It is best to round up inches to the nearest foot. If the area is irregular, divide it into squares or rectangles, measure each portion and add them all together.

Step 3 - Count Your Stairs

Count the number of steps. Since most steps are about five square feet, multiply the number of steps by 5 to get the estimated square footage for your stairs. If you wish, bring in a picture of your stairs – that helps a lot! (Stairs can vary, which is why a picture is often very helpful.)

Step 4 - Add it Up

Once you add the square footage of all your spaces and stairways, add another 10% for trim. Then if you multiply this number by the cost/square foot of the carpeting you’ve selected, you can estimate your total carpet cost. Don’t forget there will be additional costs for padding and installation.

Step 5 - We Verify Your Estimate

Don’t worry. Your home’s final measurements will be confirmed by a professional. We will send someone to your home to ensure that all of the pre-installation measurements are correct. We take care of all of the details and it couldn’t be easier!

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