Choosing a carpet What to consider before you buy

Carpets should be an occasional buy, but making the wrong choice can be costly if you have to replace them too soon.

Think about whether the carpet will fit your room – including alcoves

Charles Townsend  – owner of Townsend Textiles in Bromsgrove and a ‘carpet troubleshooter’ on BBC radio – says: ‘The public is unaware of how carpet fibres and construction make some carpets better than others. Retailers often fail to identify customers’ needs and encourage them to save money, at the expense of quality.’

When we asked members about their experiences of buying carpets, problems included those that flattened or discoloured quickly due to bad quality. Many of you have had carpets poorly fitted, leaving noticeable joins, bumps and gaps, and causing doors to catch.

Wear and tear

There’s a lot to think about before you choose a carpet. Bear in mind how much wear it will get and how long it should last – a few months to sell your house, or years of teenagers tramping up and down the hallway?

Look ahead

Before paying out for the latest fashionable colour or pattern, think about future decorating plans. Always take a sample home to see how the carpet might look with your décor, both in the day and at night with your lighting. You’ll also need to think about whether the width and pattern of the carpet will fit your room, including alcoves, and check that it won't result in oddly placed joins.

Decide on a budget

Deciding how much to spend is difficult, but the industry’s trade body, the Carpet Foundation, says that you should expect to pay £20 a square metre for a good quality carpet. And Charles stresses that to get the best job done, you should also be paying for fitting and underlay.

He adds: ‘Don’t commit to a specific carpet until the area is measured – similar carpets come in different widths and will affect the quantity required and costs.’