Carpet fitting in Broxbourne and East Hertfordshire

Can I buy my own carpet and have it fitted?

Yes. Plenty of people buy carpet from a shop, a sale or online and then look for someone to lay it. The fitter we pass enquiries to takes on fitting-only work as well as supply and fit, so you can ask about having carpet you already own fitted in your home or business.

If you have not bought the carpet yet, it is worth speaking to the fitter before you order. The amount you need depends on the shape of each room and how the carpet will be laid, and it is easy to end up with too little or with a join in the wrong place.

Why does the fitter want to measure the rooms?

Because the carpet you need is rarely the same as the floor area. Carpet comes off a roll in fixed widths, usually 4 metres or 5 metres. A room 3.6 metres wide still uses a 4 metre width, and the extra is trimmed away. A room wider than the roll needs a seam, and a fitter will plan where it goes so it is as unobtrusive as possible and kept out of the main walkway.

Pile direction matters too. All the pieces in a room should have the pile running the same way, otherwise they catch the light differently and look like two shades. Patterned carpet needs extra to line up the repeat.

If you have already bought the carpet, send the size of each piece along with the room measurements so the fitter can check it will work before the day. Useful measurements are:

• the length and width of each room at its widest points, including into doorways and bay windows
• the position of doors, fireplaces and any built-in cupboards
• the roll width and quantity shown on your order or receipt

Will I need new underlay and gripper?

Often, yes. Underlay sits between the floor and the carpet. It makes the carpet feel softer, adds warmth, reduces noise and helps the carpet wear more evenly. Common types include polyurethane foam, crumb rubber, sponge rubber and felt. Underlay that has flattened or started to crumble can shorten the life of a new carpet, so many people replace it at the same time.

Gripper is the strip of wood with angled pins fixed around the edge of the room. It holds the carpet in tension so it stays flat. Sound gripper can sometimes be reused. Ask the fitter whether underlay and gripper are part of the job or something you need to buy.

What about door bars and doors that catch?

Where carpet meets another floor, such as kitchen vinyl or hallway laminate, a door bar or threshold strip finishes the edge and stops it fraying or lifting. The right profile depends on the floor heights either side.

New carpet and underlay can be thicker than what was there before, so internal doors sometimes catch and need a little taken off the bottom. Ask the fitter whether they trim doors or whether you should arrange for someone else to do it.

How should I get ready for fitting day?

A little preparation makes the day go more smoothly:

• clear ornaments, plants, lamps and anything breakable from the room
• put away valuables, jewellery and personal paperwork
• empty the bottoms of wardrobes, under-bed storage and low shelves
• take down long curtains that rest on the floor
• tell the fitter where they can park and unload, especially if parking is restricted
• ask whether moving furniture and taking away the old carpet are included, or whether you should arrange them

What should I tell the fitter?

List the rooms, their rough sizes, what is on the floor now and, if you know, what is underneath, such as floorboards or concrete. Describe the carpet you have bought: its type, width and how much you have. Mention stairs, narrow access or an upper-floor flat without a lift. For a business, say how much space is involved and whether the work needs to happen outside opening hours.

What happens after I send an enquiry?

With your consent, we send your enquiry to one local carpet and flooring fitter who covers your postcode. It never goes to a list of firms. The fitter contacts you to talk the job through, may arrange to see the rooms, and agrees any price with you directly. Whether you go ahead is your decision.

Sending an enquiry is free and you are under no obligation. Broxbourne Carpets is an independent enquiry service, not a carpet shop or fitting company, and the fitter may pay us a fee for the introduction.