Carpet remains the most popular flooring choice in UK homes, with approximately 60% of households having carpet in at least one room. While it's sold by the square metre, the actual amount you need depends on room dimensions, roll widths, and fitting patterns—making accurate calculation essential to avoid costly waste or shortfalls.
This guide covers how UK carpet retailers calculate requirements, typical prices for 2025 including fitting, underlay considerations, and tips for getting quotes from retailers like Carpetright, ScS, and independent fitters.
Basic Carpet Calculation
Add 10% for fitting waste and pattern matching
Standard Carpet Roll Widths
| Width | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 metres | Most rooms | Most common, least joins |
| 5 metres | Large rooms | Reduces seams in big spaces |
| 2 metres | Stairs, halls | Budget options only |
Example: Bedroom Calculation
Room size: 4.2m × 3.5m
Basic area = 4.2 × 3.5 = 14.7 m²
With 4m wide roll:
Length needed = 4.2m (room length)
Width from roll = 4m (covers 3.5m room width)
Carpet to order: 4.2m from 4m roll = 16.8 m²
Try Our Free Carpet Calculator
Calculate exactly how much carpet you need for any room. Get instant results with our Carpet Calculator. You may also find our Flooring Calculator, Area Calculator and Square Footage Calculator useful.
Room Size Quick Guide
| Room Type | Average Size | Carpet (with waste) |
|---|---|---|
| Single bedroom | 8-10 m² | 10-12 m² |
| Double bedroom | 12-15 m² | 14-18 m² |
| Master bedroom | 15-20 m² | 18-24 m² |
| Living room | 15-25 m² | 18-30 m² |
| Hallway | 5-10 m² | 6-12 m² |
Stairs Calculation
Plus landing area. Standard: 13 steps @ 0.8m wide needs ~7-8 m²
Carpet Prices UK 2025
| Quality | Price Range | Fitting (per m²) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | £5-15/m² | £3-5 | Spare bedrooms, rentals |
| Mid-range | £15-30/m² | £4-6 | Living rooms, bedrooms |
| Premium synthetic | £30-60/m² | £5-8 | High traffic areas |
| Wool blend (80/20) | £40-70/m² | £6-10 | Durability + comfort |
| 100% wool | £60-120+/m² | £8-12 | Luxury, longevity |
UK Carpet Retailers
| Retailer | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Carpetright | Wide range, regular sales | Pushy sales, check reviews |
| ScS | Finance options, brand names | Can be expensive |
| Tapi Carpets | Good quality, professional | Premium pricing |
| United Carpets | Good value | Limited stores |
| Local independents | Personal service, often cheaper | Varies in quality |
Additional Costs
- Underlay: £3-8 per m²
- Gripper rods: £1-2 per linear metre
- Door bars: £5-15 each
- Furniture moving: Often extra
- Old carpet removal: £1-3 per m²
Underlay Guide
| Type | Price/m² | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| PU foam (budget) | £2-4 | Light use areas |
| PU foam (premium) | £5-8 | Most rooms |
| Rubber crumb | £6-10 | Heavy traffic, stairs |
| Wool felt | £8-15 | Luxury, insulation |
Better underlay extends carpet life by 30-50% and improves comfort underfoot. Don't skip it to save money.
Whole House Estimates
3-Bed Semi (80m² carpet area)
Budget option (£10/m² + £5 underlay + £4 fitting): £1,520
Mid-range (£25/m² + £6 underlay + £5 fitting): £2,880
Premium (£45/m² + £8 underlay + £7 fitting): £4,800
Includes living room, 3 bedrooms, stairs, landing, hallway
When to Buy Carpet UK
- January sales: Post-Christmas discounts of 20-50%
- Easter/Spring: Good deals before summer quiet period
- Black Friday: Some retailers offer genuine discounts
- End of lines: Ask about discontinued ranges for big savings
Complete Carpet Fitting Guide for UK Homes
Fitting carpet correctly requires more than simply measuring your room and buying the right area. Understanding fitting allowances, underlay selection, gripper rod placement, and door clearance will help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure a professional-looking finish.
Fitting Allowance Calculations
When ordering carpet, always add a fitting allowance of at least 50 to 100mm (5 to 10cm) to each dimension of the room. This extra material allows for trimming against walls that are not perfectly straight, which is common in UK properties, especially in Victorian and Edwardian homes where walls frequently deviate from square. For patterned carpets, the fitting allowance increases because the pattern must align at seams and across doorways. A reputable UK carpet fitter will typically recommend adding one full pattern repeat to the length measurement.
For rooms requiring joins (seams), add an additional 25 to 50mm per seam for overlap and trimming. Seams should be positioned in low-traffic areas and run parallel to the main light source in the room to make them less visible. Professional fitters use hot-melt seaming tape to create invisible joins.
Underlay: Types and Selection
Underlay is essential for carpet performance, comfort, and longevity. It provides cushioning, insulation, and sound absorption, and can extend the life of your carpet by up to 40 percent. The main types of underlay available in the UK are:
- PU (Polyurethane) foam: The most popular choice in UK homes. Made from recycled foam, it offers excellent comfort and insulation. Available in thicknesses from 7mm to 12mm, with densities typically between 65 and 145 kg/m3. Higher density provides better support and durability. Prices range from 2 to 6 pounds per square metre.
- Rubber underlay: Premium option offering superior resilience and longevity. Sponge rubber and crumb rubber varieties are available. More expensive at 4 to 10 pounds per square metre but retains its cushioning properties for longer. Ideal for high-traffic areas such as hallways and stairs.
- Felt underlay: Traditional option made from recycled fibres. Provides firm support and is particularly suited to woven Axminster and Wilton carpets. Good for insulation but less cushioning than foam or rubber alternatives.
- Combination underlay: Features a rubber top layer bonded to a felt base, offering the benefits of both materials. A good all-round choice for most UK homes.
For underfloor heating systems, which are increasingly common in UK new builds, choose a thin underlay with a low tog rating (no more than 1.0 tog combined with the carpet) to allow heat to transfer efficiently. Many manufacturers offer specific underfloor heating compatible products.
Gripper Rod Installation
Gripper rods (also called gripper strips or tack strips) are narrow strips of plywood with angled pins that hold the carpet taut around the perimeter of the room. They are essential for a stretch-fit carpet installation, which is the standard method in the UK for fitted carpets. Key guidelines for gripper rod installation include:
- Position the gripper rod approximately 5 to 8mm from the wall, leaving a gap slightly less than the carpet thickness for the tucked edge
- Pins must angle towards the wall to grip the carpet backing
- Use masonry nails on concrete subfloors and standard pins on timber floorboards
- Do not place gripper rods across doorway thresholds, where a door bar or carpet profile strip should be used instead
- On stairs, gripper rods are placed at the base and top of each riser, with the pins pointing inward
Door Clearance Considerations
One of the most commonly overlooked aspects of carpet fitting in UK homes is door clearance. A new carpet and underlay will raise the floor level, which may prevent doors from opening and closing smoothly. Before fitting, measure the gap between the bottom of each door and the existing floor. The combined thickness of the new carpet and underlay must be less than this gap, or the doors will need trimming.
Standard carpet thicknesses in the UK range from 6mm (thin loop pile) to 20mm (deep luxury pile), and underlay adds another 7 to 12mm. For a typical combination of 10mm carpet and 9mm underlay, you need at least 19mm of clearance under each door. Internal doors can usually be trimmed by 10 to 15mm without affecting their appearance. If more needs to be removed, consider whether the door will still meet fire safety requirements, as fire doors must not be trimmed below their minimum thickness.
Standard UK Carpet Widths and Roll Sizes
In the UK, carpet is sold from rolls in standard widths. The two most common widths are 4 metres and 5 metres. Some ranges are also available in 2-metre and 3-metre widths. Choosing the right roll width is important for minimising waste and avoiding unnecessary seams. For example, a room measuring 3.6m x 4.2m could be fitted from a single piece of 4-metre-wide carpet (running the 4m width across the 3.6m room dimension and cutting a 4.2m length plus fitting allowance). Using a 5-metre width for the same room would result in significantly more waste.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carpet in the UK
How much does carpet fitting cost in the UK?
Professional carpet fitting in the UK typically costs between 3 and 6 pounds per square metre, or 25 to 50 pounds per room for standard sizes. Many UK carpet retailers include fitting in the price when you purchase carpet and underlay from them. Stairs are usually charged separately, often around 40 to 80 pounds for a standard straight staircase.
Should I remove old carpet before fitting new?
Yes, old carpet and underlay should always be removed before fitting new carpet. Laying new carpet over old will create an uneven surface, reduce the effectiveness of the gripper rods, and may trap damp and odours. Old gripper rods can usually be reused if they are in good condition and firmly attached.
What is the best carpet for high-traffic areas?
For hallways, stairs, and living rooms, choose a carpet rated for heavy domestic use (British Standard HD classification). Loop pile and twist pile carpets in 80/20 wool-nylon blend are popular choices in UK homes for their balance of durability, comfort, and stain resistance. Polypropylene carpets offer excellent stain resistance at a lower price point but may flatten more quickly in high-traffic areas.
UK Carpet Industry: Standards, Materials, and Consumer Rights
The UK carpet industry is governed by several important standards and regulations that protect consumers and ensure product quality. The British Standard BS 5808 specifies requirements for textile floor coverings, including tests for wear resistance, dimensional stability, and colour fastness. Most reputable UK carpet retailers sell products that meet or exceed these standards. The Carpet Foundation, the UK's trade body for the carpet industry, operates a consumer protection scheme that provides an independent complaints resolution service for customers who purchase from its member retailers.
When buying carpet in the UK, understanding the different fibre types is essential for making an informed choice. Approximately 60 percent of UK carpet sales are polypropylene (also sold under brand names like Stainaway and Bleach Cleanable), which offers excellent stain resistance at a budget price point. Nylon (polyamide) carpets account for about 25 percent of the market and provide superior durability and resilience, making them ideal for high-traffic areas such as stairs and hallways. Wool and wool-blend carpets represent the premium end of the market, offering natural softness, excellent insulation, and inherent fire resistance. British Wool, the organisation representing UK sheep farmers, promotes domestically produced wool carpets through its quality mark scheme.
Consumer rights for carpet purchases are protected under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Carpet is classified as goods, meaning it must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose, and as described. If carpet develops a fault within six months of fitting, it is presumed to have been faulty at the time of delivery, and the retailer must prove otherwise. After six months, the burden of proof shifts to the consumer. For fitted carpets, the fitting service itself is treated as a service contract, meaning it must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If the fitting is substandard, you have the right to request a re-fit or a price reduction. Always keep your receipt and any written quotations as evidence of the contract terms.
Practical Tips for Buying Carpet in the UK
- Request samples and test them at home before buying. Most UK carpet retailers including Carpetright, ScS, and John Lewis offer free carpet samples. Take them home and place them on the floor in the room where the carpet will be fitted. Check the colour in both natural daylight and artificial light, as carpet can look significantly different under different lighting conditions. Also test the feel underfoot with and without shoes.
- Never underestimate the importance of good underlay. UK carpet fitters consistently advise that underlay is as important as the carpet itself. Good quality underlay extends carpet life by up to 40 percent, improves insulation (reducing heating bills), provides sound insulation between floors, and makes the carpet feel softer and more luxurious underfoot. Budget between 4 and 10 pounds per square metre for underlay, with 8mm to 11mm thickness suitable for most domestic applications.
- Get at least three quotes and check the total price. When comparing quotes from UK carpet retailers, ensure each quote includes the same elements: carpet cost per square metre, underlay cost, gripper rods, door bars, furniture moving, and fitting charges. Some retailers advertise low carpet prices but charge premium rates for fitting and accessories. Always ask for a fully itemised written quote that shows the total installed price.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to carpet a three-bedroom house in the UK?
How long should carpet last in a UK home?
Can I fit carpet myself or should I use a professional in the UK?
Emma Thompson
Senior Content Editor
Emma is a senior content editor with a background in financial journalism. She specialises in making UK regulations and calculator tools understandable for consumers, working closely with qualified professionals to ensure accuracy.