How to Shop for a Carpet

Use a tape measure to make an accurate floor plan of the area to be carpeted, including any closets, stairs and landings, on 1/4-inch graph paper. One inch on the graph paper will equal four feet in the actual space. This will enable your carpet retailer to compute the square yardage necessary for your installation and facilitate the placement of any necessary seams. To be on the safe side, have the retailer's measuring service double-check the measurements before purchase.

Select a carpet textile with a weave, density and fiber content that will provide the serviceability required by your lifestyle. A busy, active young family with small children, teenagers or pets needs a carpet with tougher durability and soil and stain resistance than an older couple with an "empty nest" or a single person living alone. Ask your carpet retailer about the manufacturer's wear guarantee and warranties regarding soil and stains. Also ask about the pros and cons of various fibers such as wool, nylon, polyester and olefin.

Take swatches of your upholstery and drapery fabrics and wall paint color samples with you when you shop for carpet. This will help you select color possibilities with ease. Choose your carpet color with care; you'll be living with it for a long time. Light shades that brighten your room and make it appear larger will be more likely to show soil and stains. Darker shades that are more dramatic and tend to close in the space visually are less susceptible to grime and staining, but will show dust and footprints. Store and showroom lighting can be deceiving, so take the carpet to a window with natural daylight (not direct sunlight) to compare the color with your fabric and paint samples.

Get carpet samples -- the bigger the better -- to take home and test in your space's natural lighting by day and artificial lighting at night.

Get a written estimate from your carpet retailer that includes carpet, padding, installation, delivery, floor prep or repair, old carpet removal and disposal and moving of the furniture in and out at installation time. The estimate should include the name of the manufacturer, carpet style name and number and the name and number of the selected color. Use the written estimate to shop the job with other dealers to get the best possible price.