I know… not the most exciting topic but some basic pointers would be much appreciated! We’re completing on our house purchase in a couple of weeks and I could really do with some advice to help us along and not waste too much time shopping for carpets considering all the other bits we need to get done.

We’ve went to Carpetright today and picked out what we think are decent quality in the colours we like and for what we think is a decent price.

Having never really shopped for carpets before – just wondering if it’s really worth shopping around and if so – where?
Are carpets from Carpetright generally considered decent?

May be a strange questions… but if you could compare Carpetright to the supermarkets – which one would you say it is like? Tesco, M&S, Aldi, etc? 🙂

Thanks! (I’m sure you’d rather be reading about bikes)

We ended up going for a smaller local supplier rather than somewhere like Carpetright or Franks Factory Flooring (may just be an NE thing). We found the smaller places generally cared a bit more about the whole thing which is good as my missus took 3 weeks to decide what shade of grey she wanted the carpet to be.

Edit: Pay for good underlay, don’t get the cheapest one. A carpet will only feel as good as the underlay it’s sat on top of.

I normally avoid large chain stores (whatever they sell) like the plague, but we’ve used Carpetright many times over the last 20+ years and always had a good experience. Store staff tend to be typical bored under-paid chain store types ( slightly unfair generalisation, some have been very good) but we’ve always got a very good price, had no issues with measuring-up and fitting, and will continue to use them in future. We’ve always gone for fairly decent (i.e. not the cheapest) carpets and they’ve worn / aged very well.

To add: for the supermarket comparison I’d go for Sainsburys and the advice on underlay above is spot on, don’t scrimp on it.

Carpetright can sell you the whole range from £2.99 cord thinner than your jumper up to top quality Ulster wool carpets at over £100. Up here you pay carpetright for the carpet and they will organise and do the paperwork for fitting, but you pay the fitters on the day yourself(this keeps them self employed).

The look and feel of the carpet is greatly helped by good underlay, and all the chains of carpet folk will hugely rip you off for the stuff. If you haven’t already got some, http://www.carpet-underlay-shop.co.uk will flog it to you cheaper, I like the Cloud9 Cumulus stuff. Same for gripper rods and door plates. The fitters will be happy to put these down for you for a little extra.

Good stuff! Thanks chaps 🙂

Paint and wallpaper next… living the dream!

With the fitters typically being self employed, what happens if they mess up the fitting and do a bad job – I guess you then have to try to get redress from the fitter, rather than the store that supplied the carpet itself. Sounds to me like the stores are off-loading the risk element to a subcontractor . . .

I’ve not had a problem, but you do get a separate receipt, and the fitters generally won’t ask for payment until they have finished the job and you’ve had a look at it.

Last time I bought carpets I spent ages going round the chains and pricing up this and that. I happened to walk past a local independent shop so decided to call in, not expecting much.

Ended up getting a much better quality carpet with premium underlay and fitting for the same price as bog standard stuff from the big boys. I found that the big boys enticed you with cheap carpet but made the money back on extortionate pricing for the underlay. Worth checking out the local dudes.

What he said ^

+1 My local is a tiny shop that’s floor to ceiling with carpet books, not a roll of carpet in sight
He sub-contracts the fitters so any problems go back to his door
Used him for decades

If you’re in the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire borders,

Ray Randerson carpets are where to go.

http://rayranderson.co.uk

Local independent shop offer much better service and especially fitting ime
http://www.hopeflooring.co.uk, these guys are ace if you are in beds/ herts