Cheapest place for carpet?

[ALP]

Hi

Thinking of re-carpeting the house.

Question is where is the cheapest place to buy? We are looking to get carpet and udnerlay but still keep it fairly cheapend of the scale.

Basically there seems to be 2 areas to go - big companes liek Carpet Land and Allied Crapets and the smaller local ones.

The smaller local ones are *way* more expensive than the big shops IME.

Are there any other big warehouse type places I could look to get some fairly cheap carpet?

I'm in Hampshire. But they would have to deliver obviously.

Cheers

[Steve Firth]

[snip]

Hampshire, as someone has said elsewhere, is a big place. However if you're in central(ish) Hampshire I'd recommend having a look at Harry's carpets at Farringdon on the A32 near Alton.

Although he's one of the small places you wrote off as too expensive, his prices and quality are excellent.

[meow2222]

Low end carpets arent that great, dont know how low youre going of course. If budget is issueful, you could free up money for better carpets in the bigger rooms if you use freecycle carpets for the smaller rooms. Its doable if youve got or can borrow a carpet cleaner.

Also why pay for underlay when you can use cleaned used carpets, and again this saving could get you from cheap carpets into the good quality bracket.

NT

[ALP]

I'm in south hampshire.

USED carpets? i dunno sounds a bit dirty even if they have been cleaned!

-

I spose I am just wondering if there are any good shops around here i probably haven't heard of - i might check ebay tho.

[Lobster]

One point to bear in mind that typically the big carpet warehouses will suck you in to buy a cheap carpet at at an apparently bargain price, but when they add in underlay, gripper bars etc you find the total price goes up dramatically, because the latter bits are where they make all their profit.

The Thing to Do is to buy everything but the actual carpet from an online supplier like:

I've used and can recommend.

David

[Lobster]

I think most people would agree that this would be totally false economy: the presence of and quality of underlay is very important to the longevity of the actual carpet itself, and shouldn't be scrimped on.

Especially not by using old carpet as underlay - it's not intended for that use and you'll regret it when your actual carpets are worn ou in a couple of years.

Decent underlay also *feels* nicer to walk on as well.

David

[meow2222]

Well, thats not my experience so far. Removed a 4yo carpet laid on old carpet, it was in perfect condition - apart from the reason it was removed, which had nothing to do with wear.

Of course purpose designed underlay is a bit better, but when youre buying budget carpet and underlay would double the total price its not worthwhile. Makes far more sense to spend the money on better carpet.

NT

[Steve Firth]

Since we don't know where "here" is it's a bit difficult to say.