Carpet Replacement Cost Calculator

In 2026, carpet replacement typically costs $4-$11 per square foot installed, including the new carpet, padding, installation, and removal of the old carpet. For a 12x15 bedroom (180 sq ft) that's roughly $700-$2,000, and a whole 1,000 sq ft floor runs about $4,000-$11,000 depending on carpet quality. Builder-grade carpet is at the low end, while premium plush, berber, and wool carpets cost more. The main cost drivers are the carpet grade, the area, the padding, and how difficult the old carpet is to remove (glued-down carpet costs more to tear out than standard tacked carpet).

It should — that's what distinguishes 'replacement' from a fresh installation. A carpet replacement quote normally includes pulling up and hauling away the existing carpet and padding before laying the new carpet. Standard tacked carpet over tack strips is quick to remove (about $1/sq ft here), while carpet that's glued directly to a concrete subfloor is much more labor-intensive to scrape off (around $2/sq ft). If you're carpeting a bare subfloor in new construction, there's no removal cost. Always confirm with your installer whether old-carpet removal and disposal are included in the quoted price, since some list it separately.

Carpet is manufactured and often priced by the square yard (1 square yard = 9 square feet), though many estimates and this calculator use square feet for simplicity. It typically comes in 12-foot-wide rolls, which affects how it's cut and seamed in your rooms — room dimensions that don't divide neatly into 12 feet create more waste. Installers measure each room and add roughly 5-10% (sometimes more) for waste, seam placement, and pattern matching. When estimating, total your room square footage and expect to buy a bit more carpet than the exact floor area to account for that waste.

Yes — padding (the cushion under the carpet) significantly affects comfort, noise, and how long the carpet lasts, even though it's hidden. Quality padding makes the carpet feel softer underfoot, absorbs impact to reduce wear on the carpet fibers, improves insulation and sound dampening, and is often required to keep the carpet's warranty valid. Cheap, thin pad lets carpet wear out and mat faster. Upgrading to a thicker or memory-foam pad costs a bit more (about $0.75/sq ft here) but is usually worth it. Note that very thick pad isn't always better — carpet manufacturers specify a maximum thickness, especially for berber and commercial carpets.

It depends on the room and budget. Nylon is the most durable and stain-resistant common fiber, great for high-traffic areas and families. Polyester (PET) is soft and budget-friendly with good stain resistance but less resilient to crushing in heavy traffic. Olefin/polypropylene is moisture- and stain-resistant (good for basements) but lower-end. Wool is the premium natural option — soft, durable, and beautiful — but the priciest. By style, plush/Saxony is soft and traditional, textured/frieze hides footprints and wear well, and berber (looped) is durable and casual. For most homes, a quality nylon or polyester in a textured style balances cost, comfort, and durability.

Carpet replacement is fast — a professional crew can typically remove old carpet and install new carpet in a few rooms or a whole average home in a single day. A single room takes just a couple of hours. The main time factors are the area, the number of rooms and stairs, how much furniture must be moved, and how difficult the old carpet is to remove (glued-down carpet over concrete takes longer). Subfloor repairs, if needed, add time. The room is usually walkable right after installation, though you should wait a bit before moving heavy furniture back to let everything settle.

You can save money by clearing the rooms yourself before the crew arrives — moving small items, lamps, electronics, and emptying closets. Most installers will move larger furniture (beds, dressers, sofas) for an added fee (offered here as a furniture-move add-on), and it's often worth it since they know how to protect both the furniture and the new carpet. If you move heavy pieces yourself, do it carefully to avoid injury and floor damage. Disconnecting and reconnecting electronics is usually the homeowner's responsibility. Clearing what you can yourself keeps the labor cost down.

Often, yes. Worn, stained, or dated carpet is one of the first things buyers notice and can make a whole home feel neglected, while fresh, neutral carpet makes rooms look clean and move-in ready. Because carpet replacement is relatively affordable compared to other renovations, it frequently delivers a strong return in faster sales and better offers, especially with a neutral, broadly-appealing color. You generally don't need premium carpet for resale — a clean, mid-grade neutral carpet is the sweet spot. If only certain rooms have bad carpet, replacing just those (while matching style) can be enough. For a lived-in home with tired carpet, replacement is usually a worthwhile pre-sale investment.