Whether you are replacing the carpet out of necessity or you’ve sought permission to refresh the carpet yourself, it’s essential to know the costs before you begin your installation.
A typical range for carpeting an apartment can be anywhere between $700 – $2,600.
Let’s take a look at what factors into those prices.
The Cost of Carpet Installation in an Apartment
Many factors go into carpet installation; however, the first influential factor is the average cost per square foot of carpet.
The cost for apartment-style carpeting can range from $3.50 to $11 per square foot. This depends on the quality of the carpet.
Carpet Flooring Price Ranges
Not all carpet flooring is created equal, and the price reflects that. What factors into the price, though?
While high-end carpet brands can cost as much as six times the cost of economy brands, you may find that high-end brands don’t offer the same qualities as other products.
- Economy: Two of the most commonly purchased fibers are nylon and polyester. Their products are within the $1.50-$5.00 per square foot price range.
- Mid-Range: Loop and cut pile and Olefin are two of the fibers that occupy this range of carpet flooring. For homes and condos, this is the most popular range balancing cost and features. Their products occupy the $3-10 per square foot price range.
- High End or Designer: These are the companies that make their mark simply by their name. They usually have a lot of features and are categorized by fibers like Berber and wool. Their prices start at $6-8 per square foot, but they can go up as high as $30 per square foot.
This range may be an expensive option for apartment owners if they don’t intend to stay in a location for an extended period.
Apartment and condo owners may wish to invest in a higher quality product or higher-end features.
Choose a fiber that works for your budget. Find one with qualities that work for your home and lifestyle, such as being a non-allergen fiber.
If you have a busy home, select more than one type of flooring in similar colors. This will ensure low and high-traffic areas have carpet that will hold up.
Types of Carpet
Carpet flooring can match virtually any pre-existing color scheme.
It is available in an assortment of colors, patterns, styles, dyes, and fibers. Picking the correct type of carpet for your home can make or break your budget.
Areas that are higher traffic will benefit from different carpet types than low traffic areas. For example, high plush can lack durability and quickly lose its look.
Know your home. How different types of carpet and materials react to traffic will help determine which carpet is best for you.
Maybe your living room has higher traffic than your bedroom. This is essential to know when choosing the right carpet.
Loop Pile Carpet
One of the most popular styles, loop pile carpets, offer fibers that are less likely to absorb spills.
Loop pile carpets offer a more stain-resistant material and provide greater bounce back than cut pile does.
This bounce is because of how the carpet is made. The fibers are looped starting with the bottom side and then drawn to the top and back down again.
The pile has a stronger density and a nice, even texture.
Cut Pile Carpet
While the loop pile carpet flooring is dense, a cut pile is plush. Like the name, cut pile carpet has the loops cut at an even level like blades of grass.
This technique allows the carpet to move beneath your foot and gives you a softer feel.
Those cut ends can also absorb spills and messes, so you should be careful if your entertaining area contains a cut pile carpet.
The downside to cut pile is that the same movement that gives it that soft feeling can also become damaged quickly.
Consider cut pile carpet for lower traffic areas of your home.
Berber Carpet
One of the most widely used carpet materials, Berber carpet, is also one of the most expensive. That’s because it has a tight pile and requires special padding and extra labor costs.
However, despite these additional costs, Berber carpet has many advantages over traditional loop or cut pile.
It must be specially cut and requires a specific type of padding that is thinner but denser than traditional padding.
Between extra costs for the padding, skilled hands to ensure the pile isn’t damaged when it’s being cut, and the use of special tools, choosing Berber increases the costs by up to $3 per square foot.
While it may not be budget-friendly for many people, choosing Berber can mean a longer lifespan on your carpet.
This could help to reduce costs in the future when you must replace carpets in your apartment again.
Nylon Carpet
Nylon carpet flooring is sturdy and an excellent choice for moderate to high foot traffic levels.
About 80% of the household carpet fibers are made from nylon. It offers a wide variety of colors and patterns while still being affordable for almost any budget.
If you have pets and/or children in the home, nylon is a carpet solution you may want to consider. It’s easy to clean and virtually stain resistant.
Polyester Carpet
While nylon is durable and long-lasting, polyester fibers are becoming more popular. They are resistant to wear, non-fading, and non-allergenic.
The synthetic properties of the fiber, which the fashion industry has taken advantage of for decades, allow the carpeting to be resistant to wear and fading.
The downside to polyester is that the individual fibers can easily bend or break. Because of this, it is best placed in moderate to low traffic areas.
Boasting a high durability as well as being an allergen-friendly fiber, polyester has become more popular and budget-friendly over the years for home renovators.
Olefin Carpet
A manufactured fiber, Olefin is best suited for very high traffic areas and spaces with allergy sufferers.
It is a highly resistant fiber that is resistant to fading, moisture, mildew, and mold while being an inexpensive choice.
Wool Carpet
Wool produces a carpet that is soft underfoot, plush looking, and highly durable, making it a great solution for medium to high traffic areas.
The downside to wool is that it can absorb moisture, leading to mold and mildew, and possibly cause issues for people with allergies.
Wool can also fade in direct sunlight and can show wear easier than synthetic fibers.
Unexpected Carpet Costs
Carpets today are more than just fibers. They offer a number of different features to assist with comfort.
They also last longer by resisting wear, stains, and moisture.
These features may well extend your carpet’s lifespan, however you will generally find that more features raise the cost of your carpet..
- Stain resistance: A blend of polyester and nylon fibers that can be added to the carpet to help resist the absorption of spilled liquids and repel stains.
- Wear resistance: Helps extend the carpet’s lifespan, including resisting crushing and matting from high traffic areas. A carpet that blends nylon and polyester with a softer fiber can achieve the best of both worlds. It is soft but also durable.
- Moisture resistance: The addition of Olefin fibers to the flooring helps to reduce the risk of mold and mildew in high-moisture areas like bathrooms or bedrooms.
DIY vs. Professional Carpet Installation
If you have the experience to measure, cut, and install the carpet by yourself, then it can be a great way to save money. However, installing carpet is not an easy job.
Inaccurate measurements or miscutting the carpet can be costly.
Also, if the rooms are not perfectly square and have nooks and crannies it may be a challenge.
For stairs that need to be covered, there is even more special cutting to be done. Special cutting can require unique tools and the skills necessary to cut the carpet to be sure it fits snugly.
Hiring a professional can ensure that wastage is minimal and can help cut down on the amount of carpet that needs to be purchased.
Additional Fees for Carpet Installation
Finally, in addition to the type of carpet and installation labor costs, there are a few other factors that may affect the total cost.
Ensure these items are included in the overall labor quote to avoid unexpected costs later on.
- Repairs to the flooring beneath the carpet
- Installation of trim and molding
- Removal of old carpet
- Furniture moving
- Custom carpet cutting
Conclusion
Calculating the cost of replacing carpeting can be tricky with many factors to consider.
These include how large your apartment is, how many rooms, and your aesthetic. All these things can raise or lower the costs above and beyond the type of fiber you choose to use.
Taking all these factors into consideration and knowing the ranges of prices available can help you make educated decisions.
By reviewing this guide, you can have an affordable and comfortable carpet for years to come.
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- What Time is Okay to Vacuum in an Apartment?
- How Much Does it Cost to Furnish an Apartment?
- How Much Does it Cost to Renovate an Apartment?
- How Much Does it Cost to Turn a Basement into an Apartment?
- How Much does it Cost to Paint a Small Apartment?
- Can Apartment Landlord Charge for Carpet Replacement?