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Carpet installation costs, on average, $700 to $2,000 to redo an area up to 200 square feet. Carpet material prices average $2.50 per square foot, or $10 per yard. Underneath padding costs about $0.60 per square foot. Competitive flooring retailers offer free installation service with your carpet purchase.

NOTE: The beginning half of 2021 has seen an unprecedented labor shortage as a side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. In conjunction with this, demand for materials and construction jobs has skyrocketed. As a result, material prices may be higher than those reported in this article, and lead times may be longer than usual for both labor and materials. 

On average, carpet costs $2.50 per square foot, and that price can range between $0.65 and $12 per square foot, or around $10 per square yard. The price can vary depending on the material, weave and pile style. Read more about those below.

Peel and stick carpet tile costs average $2.25 per square foot. Commercial-use carpet tiles can range from as little as $0.94 cents per 2 square feet to $47 per square foot.

Carpet costs vary among retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers. For the best price, compare online catalogs with your local flooring showroom and flooring contractor. Wool, polyester, nylon and olefin are the most common carpeting options respectively. If you’re unsure which material is right for your home, you can request free samples to compare at home.

Natural fibers, like wool, are more expensive than synthetic materials like polyester or olefin. Affordable fiber blends, like polyester, may be mildew-resistant but usually contain a higher level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

NOTE: Carpet and padding materials can emit VOCs. Wool selections may be low- or no-VOC. Shop for carpeting latex backing. Talk to your flooring contractor about how to reduce your family’s exposure to VOCs after installation and make sure that you’re choosing the best type of flooring for you.

Wool carpeting is the most expensive fiber type, averaging $7.50 per square foot. It’s best for low- to moderate-traffic areas depending on the weave. Wool may be prone to color fading in direct sunlight. It quickly accumulates static and absorbs water, making it prone to mold and mildew. Cleaning and caring for this material may be more expensive too.

You may be able to find alternative natural fiber carpeting, such as cotton, sisal or jute, but these are more common in rugs. Ask your contractor about their natural fiber carpet selection.

Polyester carpeting is affordable, averaging about $2 per square foot. It’s great at blocking stains, moisture, mildew and mold. This makes it perfect for basements. However, its slip also makes it less durable in high-traffic areas.

Nylon carpeting costs around $3.50 per square foot. You may get the highest return on your carpet investment with nylon. It’s perhaps the most durable carpeting material and suitable for high-traffic areas.

Triexta is a new, slightly more expensive, alternative to nylon. It is marketed as more eco-friendly and stain-resistant than nylon, but it may be too soon to claim that as definite. Ask your flooring contractor about triexta carpet samples and benefits.

Olefin carpeting is among the least expensive materials, costing just $2 per square foot. It’s best installed in low- to moderate-traffic areas since it matts down quickly and attracts oils.

Textured, cut pile carpet is the most common style and costs $2 to $4 per square foot on average. Textured carpet is tall, plush and comparable to a short-haired shag rug or tapestry. It’s relatively durable although prone to fraying. Taller piles are more expensive and best for low-traffic bedrooms.

Patterned carpet, which creates an almost embossed look, costs $2 to $6 per square foot. Carpet patterns can be abstract or traditional and be mono-texture or multi-texture, using multiple fiber types or loop styles.

Berber carpet is durable enough for both home and commercial use and averages $5.50 per square foot. This tightly-looped weave is perfect for high-traffic areas. Advertisement THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisement, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary. Compare Quotes From Top-rated Local Flooring Contractors Free, No-commitment Estimates Find a Contractor

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Big box carpet retailers offer installation services for free with a qualifying purchase, such as brand or minimum square yardage. Otherwise, installation service professionals may charge $0.99 to $6 per square foot. Compare quotes from a few local flooring installers to get the best price.

WARNING: VOC odors can be harmful to humans. Before re-entering your house after new carpet installation, you need to wait at least 72 hours after to allow VOC odors to dissipate.

Replacing old carpet with new costs about $10 to $20 per square foot. This includes the cost to remove old carpet and padding, scrape and level the subfloor and install new padding and carpet.

Carpeting 1,200 square feet costs between $8,000 to $13,200. Large areas cost more to install due to higher material, delivery and labor costs. The more walls and features the installers have to cut around, the more expensive the project, and 1,200 square feet is approximately enough carpet to cover a standard 2-bed, 1.5-bath home.

Furniture removal or relocation is often left to the homeowner, but ask your flooring contractor if they include this service.

Installing carpet is not a good DIY. Pulling old flooring tacks and scraping or dissolving old adhesive can be time-consuming and tedious if you don’t have the right tools and experience. Also, most new carpeting is hazardous to install without the proper protective equipment. Take precautions to protect yourself from VOC gases.

Depending on if you’re bringing in a flooring company/painting company to help with your projects, you may want to lay flooring before painting. Because flooring includes sanding and prepping walls as well as smoothing out any wall gouges, it’s best to remove your old carpet and install new before painting. You don’t want to risk scuffing the walls and having to clear off the dust from a freshly painted wall.

On average, a carpet should last between five and 15 years depending on the material, daily wear-and-tear and the overall quality. A higher-quality carpet can last over 20 years, whereas cheaper carpets will last closer to that five-year mark.

Rachel is a home improvement writer and content editor. In addition to being a contributing writer at Forbes, she writes for small businesses and creative agencies. She uses her home improvement expertise to give homeowners the knowledge they need to furnish and care for their homes.

Lexie is an assistant editor who is responsible for writing and editing articles over a wide variety of home-related topics. She has almost four years’ experience in the home improvement space and harnessed her expertise while working for companies like HomeAdvisor and Angi (formerly Angie’s List).