The thought of new carpet isn’t rattling the minds of most people too often. In fact, most homeowners are reluctant when it comes to creating a budget for new flooring. Carpet can easily become an afterthought, let alone an item that we instinctively are proactive to replace. But, if you are in the position to get ahead of this purchase, consider yourself at an advantage.
There are the occasions when homeowners are purchasing new carpet, not based on a want, but because they have to. Either due to water damage, wear and tear, or other occurrences that make this a necessary purchase versus a luxury. Whatever your circumstance, (we are rooting for luxury) we have you covered.
So, before moving forward with your new buy, consider your reason and knowledge of the carpet buying process. We will set you up for the win so that you don’t go into the process making the usual consumer mistakes. Or simply skip ahead for best seasons to purchase new carpet.
What To Look For When Purchasing New Carpet:
You know what you’re looking for and you can’t wait to sink your toes into your new carpet of choice. So feel free to hop around if you’re looking for something particular. Or, sit back, scroll along with us, and let’s help you nail down exactly what you want and when you should purchase.
Lifestyle
Yes, your lifestyle is a consideration when making any changes or upgrades to your homes.
Do you have kids or pets? If you see yourself needing to spot clean often, your retailer of choice is going to be able to better suggest the roll for you based on inventory. Better yet, you now know to ask which carpet comes with a lifetime stain warranty.
Is there high foot traffic within your house? If so, you might consider durability over aesthetics.
Are you sensitive to allergens that find there way beneath the carpet? This may be a reason to vacuum more often so this too could be another notch for durability over looks.
Budget
Go ahead and eliminate the higher scale option right from the jump. Luxury selection or not, you’re still looking for best bang-for-buck.
Fibers
When talking fibers, we’re looking for 2 things – softness and durability. From nylon to polyester, the comfort and resilience of your new carpet depends on its construction of fibers. Naturally, each fiber comes with pros and cons.
Take nylon for instance, a good balance of soft and strong, but easier to soak in a stain. Compare that to polyester (PET) which is stain-resistant and feels fantastic between your toes, but is known to shed. A shedding fiber might not last as long in a high-traffic area of the house. Sure, it looks cozy, feels wonderful beneath your bare feet, but another con for polyester is that it can be hard to clean.
These aren’t the only fiber options either. New fibers get introduced into the mix, providing an inexpensive choice or stands up to a stain better. Newer options aren’t going to provide you with an accurate track record though. Our bet is that you want to install new carpet and not think about it.
Style of Carpet and Color
When you think of carpet, you probably think of Saxony. Depending on your decor, other styles are available in Cut and Loop, Berber, and Frieze. The difference in each is most noticeably the length in fibers. You know your lifestyle and the location for your new carpet. Choose a color and a style best suited for your setting.
Underpad
Be sure to include the cost of the underpad into your budget. This isn’t the most attractive purchase since it goes unseen, but this will make or break your new carpet purchase. Here, you want to go for quality as the underpad will determine performance.
Performance in comfortability, wear and tear of the carpet, the impact of foot-traffic, safety, and looks. Are we saying the underpad is more important than the carpet itself? No, but your sacrificing all of the great qualities of your new carpet if you skimp on the padding.
Promotions
Just because a retailer is offering “free installation” or “free underpads” doesn’t mean the total cost is beating another. If either is an offering, be sure to ask for total price. When comparing one shop’s promos versus another’s standard pricing, it doesn’t automatically mean that the promotion wins. Who knows, maybe they’re charging extra in other components.
Quality: Comparing Apples To Apple
And speaking of comparisons, it is easy to think that since carpets look alike, then we can assume the quality is similar too. This is not true. A lot of carpet look, smell, and feel alike. That doesn’t mean they will act alike inside of your home.
When making your comparisons, be sure to confirm the fibers and style match. Whether the leading factor is budget or quality, the best bang-for-buck options come from knowing the comparable factors.
Square Footage Calculation
Calculating square footage is simple enough. Take your measuring tape and note the length and width of the room. Then multiply it for your square footage.
Now, why would you need to do your own measurements if you plan on getting new carpet professionally installed? This is so you can stay within your budget. You don’t want to select your carpet, give your salesperson an estimate, then the total price later come with a shock.
Provide your accurate measurements so you can receive an accurate rate at the time of sale.
Weight Of Carpet
Alright, when discussing the weight of the carpet, understand that this is only one factor when determining quality. We discussed comparing apples to apples earlier. But, just because two choices have the same weight does not make them equal in quality. Nor does it mean a lesser weight is of lesser value.
Weight is a good indicator of quality, along with other factors such as density. Let’s understand the difference between the two. Weight is the measurement of fibers in ounces. Density tells us how close the fibers are compacted. So, you can see that heavier fibers could be misleading.
When it comes to quality, know that weight is only one factor to look for.
New Carpet Installation
Our recommendation is to let the professionals do the installation. This is your new carpet and you want it done right. The professionals do this all the time. Plus, your warranty will require professional installation.
Properly installed carpet will perform better, last longer, and is probably part of the reason you don’t often shop for replacements. So, let’s get to it. Since you don’t do this often, when is the best time to purchase new carpet?
Best Time of Year To Purchase New Carpet
Consider it a blessing that it is uncommon for a lot of homeowners to shop for new carpet often. We’ll take some of that credit as professional carpet cleaners. You should take the remaining credit as a homeowner who cares for the interior of your home.
Carpet can be durable when properly treated. We also understand that things happen. There could be many reasons that place you in the market for new flooring. Let’s find out how to get what you want when you want it.
When You Can Find The Best Deals On New Carpet
Think about supply and demand. When will the flooring industry expect to be busy and when will they expect a slow down in purchases. This is how you find your deals – during the slow downs.
Beginning of The Year:
Guess what? For multiple reasons, retailers find that January is a slower time for purchases on new carpet. Whether it be the focus on New Year resolutions, the transitioning of inventory, or Winter coziness. This is the first opportunity of the year to find a bargain on new carpeting.
Though flooring collections take a while to go out of style, this is the time of year where new carpet fashion is being introduced. Because of this, you can take advantage of promotions that are geared on making room for new inventory. Maybe you’re one who enjoys the newest things. Ask yourself, do you really need the newest style on carpet though?
We mentioned earlier that carpet isn’t something most people are quick on replacing. With that in mind, the inventory being replaced by the retailer is still built to last in your house.
Between Spring and Summer:
Between schools letting out and more residential owners preparing for vacations, May is another good time to find bargains. The beginning of the Spring cleaning season brings the latest trends in flooring. So this is where the suggestion to begin your search for new carpet in May comes from.
You’re avoiding the busy rush of those looking to brighten up their interior. You are also getting in before the rush begins again for the Summer. This time of year allows you to find deals on even the newest inventory.
Holiday Season:
December sure does bring out the shoppers. But, not those in the market for new flooring. Maybe wall to wall carpeting isn’t on most Holiday to-do lists. Besides, this is typically a time for homeowner to host family friends. Sure, hosting with new fluffy carpet would nice, but it also might be looked at as a huge inconvenience.
Installation is going to cause a mess first. Once the process is completed though, you have yourself a brand new feel to your entire home. Either way, it’s a slow time for carpet retailers. But if it works for you, it’s another opportunity to find a great price on new carpet.
Least Likely To Find Deals On New Carpet
For the same reasons we discussed above, these are the times where you are least likely to find a deal. Early in the Spring, during the Summer, and in the Fall.
These are the busier times of year for installing new carpet. Spring brings a big focus on the interior of your home. Summer is a busy time because of selling and buying new homes and moving from property to property. And, this trend leads into the Fall as well.
Caring For Your New Carpet
Alright, now that you know what to look for and when to look for it, how do you keep care of your new carpet? The answer is simple – the same way you keep care of your other investments. Yes, your new carpet is an investment. It’s a huge part of your home and it can really brighten up a room.
Your home is only as clean as your carpet. New or old, we have your back. You can check out our carpet cleaning tips here so that you are in the know. And when you face a task that calls for a professional, we’re here for that too. Call us for a free quote, 703-955-7556. We are more than happy to assist.
