Carpet Installation Cost (2026): Per Square Foot, By Fiber & By Room
Updated October 2026
Installed carpet runs $1.36–$13.58 per square foot, averaging about $7.47 (Fixr) — and that number is three separate purchases stacked: the carpet material (by fiber, $0.50–$21.00/sq ft), the padding ($0.25–$2/sq ft) and the labor ($0.5–$1.5/sq ft). Fiber is the biggest lever: polyester starts near $0.5/sq ft while wool reaches $21/sq ft. This hub shows what each layer costs per square foot, what a whole room runs, and the stairs/removal add-ons — all per source, each with its unit.
Carpet cost at a glance
| Line (unit) | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Installed total (per sq ft — carpet + pad + labor) | $1.36–$13.58 (avg $7.47) | Fixr live 2026-10-02 |
| Carpet material (per sq ft, by fiber) | $0.50–$21.00 | CarpetExchange · HomeAdvisor · Thumbtack |
| Padding (per sq ft, material + install) | $0.25–$2 (typical $0.75) | Fixr · CarpetExchange · HomeAdvisor |
| Labor (per sq ft, labor only) | $0.5–$1.5 (typical $1) | Fixr · CarpetExchange |
| Stairs (per step — basis labeled) | $3–$40 (typical $20) | Modernize (total) · Thumbtack (labor) |
| Removal & disposal (per sq ft) | $1–$3 | HomeAdvisor — single source, flagged |
Read the units, not the numbers. Material, padding and labor are three separate per-sq-ft prices that sum toward the installed total — they are not alternatives to it. The stairs row mixes bases (total vs labor per step — flagged), so never compare a Thumbtack $3/step to a Modernize $40/step as if they measured the same thing.
Cost by fiber — the biggest driver
Fiber sets the material price, which is the largest swing in the whole job. These are material-only bands, per square foot (padding and labor are added on top):
| Fiber | Material (per sq ft) | Typical | Best for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester (PET) | $0.5–$6 | $1.5 | budget, stain-resistant; bedrooms/low traffic | CarpetExchange · HomeAdvisor · Thumbtack |
| Olefin / polypropylene | $1–$3 | $1.5 | low-cost, moisture-resistant | HomeAdvisor · Thumbtack |
| Nylon | $0.75–$9 | $2.5 | resilient, high-traffic; mid-to-high grade | CarpetExchange · HomeAdvisor · Thumbtack |
| Triexta | $1.5–$8 | $3.5 | soft, durable, plant-based; pet/kid friendly | CarpetExchange · HomeAdvisor |
| Wool | $3–$21 | $8 | premium natural fiber; top of the range | CarpetExchange · HomeAdvisor |
The bands are kept per publisher, never averaged — each publisher frames its own low-to-high. The takeaway is directional: polyester/olefin anchor the budget end, nylon/triexta the durable mid, and wool is the premium tier.
Cost by style
Construction (loop vs cut pile vs cut-and-loop) and pile height move the price within a fiber (single publisher — HomeAdvisor — flagged):
| Style | Band (per sq ft) |
|---|---|
| Berber | $3–$20 |
| Cable | $4–$8 |
| Cut-and-loop | $1–$10 |
| Frieze | $1–$8 |
| Loop | $1–$5 |
| Patterned | $2–$6 |
| Saxony/plush | $2–$8 |
| Texture | $1–$12 |
Style pairs with fiber — a berber in wool and a berber in olefin are the same construction at very different prices. Use the style band to narrow the fiber band, not to replace it.
Installed total — and what a room actually costs
The headline installed figure is $1.36–$13.58 per square foot, averaging $7.47 (Fixr). Other publishers bracket it: $5.53–$8.08 estimated national average (Homewyse, Sep 2026), $2–$8 installed average (CarpetExchange), and $3–$11 (HomeAdvisor, project $780–$2,812, avg $1,778).
| Project | Installed band |
|---|---|
| Typical room, 12×12 (144 sq ft) | $196–$1,956 (derived) |
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,800–$7,500 |
| Full home, 2,000 sq ft | $3,500–$15,000 |
The 12×12 row is simple arithmetic on the cited per-sq-ft band, shown for scale; the 1,000 / 2,000 sq-ft rows are CarpetExchange's own published examples.
What's inside the per-square-foot number
The installed price is a stack, not a single rate:
- Carpet material — $0.50–$21.00/sq ft, set by fiber (see the fiber table) and style.
- Padding — $0.25–$2/sq ft (typical $0.75); thickness/density (lb) and fiber drive it.
- Labor — $0.5–$1.5/sq ft (typical $1): stretch/fit/seam work, room count and layout.
Add the three and you approach the installed band. The fiber choice is the dominant lever, because it has the widest range of the three.
Stairs & removal — the add-ons
Two line items sit outside the per-sq-ft price:
- Stairs — $3–$40 per step. The recorded band spans two bases: a total per step of $15–$40 (Modernize; a standard 13–15-step project runs $300–$450) and a labor-only per step of $3–$10 (Thumbtack) — kept per source, never averaged.
- Removal & disposal — $1–$3 per sq ft (HomeAdvisor — single publisher, flagged). Many installers include removal in the install quote — ask, because it can disappear from the bill entirely.
Get local quotes
A national range is a planning number, not a price. Compare free written quotes from local flooring & carpet pros — same scope, same materials — before you commit.
Compare flooring & carpet quotesWhat drives carpet cost
- Fiber — the #1 variable; material spans $0.50–$21.00/sq ft (polyester → wool).
- Style/construction — loop vs cut pile vs cut-and-loop and pile height move price within a fiber.
- Padding grade — thickness and density (lb) swing the underlay from $0.25 to $2/sq ft.
- Square footage and room shape — more area, more material; oddly shaped rooms add seams and waste.
- Stairs and closets — quoted per step, outside the per-sq-ft price.
- Subfloor condition, removal and furniture — many quotes include basic furniture moving; heavy items may not — confirm per quote.
Get local quotes
Carpet is a lead-and-retail category: the head term carries a strong $11.71 CPC at KD 14, so AdSense is meaningful here and flooring/retail lead partners are the natural add. Written quotes that name the fiber, the pad grade and whether removal is included compare like for like.
Related home projects
- Flooring installation — hardwood, LVP, laminate and tile cost per square foot — the sibling surface comparison.
- Bathroom remodels — cost by scope and line item, with a budget cushion for the unexpected.
- Kitchen remodels — cosmetic, mid-range and high-end level costs kept separate.
- House painting — interior and exterior painting cost per room and per square foot.
- Tree removal & care — removal, trimming and stump pricing shown per source, never averaged.
FAQ
How much does carpet installation cost per square foot?
$1.36–$13.58 installed, averaging about $7.47 (Fixr) — carpet + padding + labor. Material alone runs $0.50–$21.00/sq ft by fiber; padding $0.25–$2.00; labor $0.50–$1.50.
What's the cheapest carpet to install?
Polyester is the budget fiber at $0.50–$6.00/sq ft material, with olefin close behind at $1–$3. Wool is the most expensive at $3.00–$21.00. Padding and labor apply on top of any fiber.
How much does it cost to carpet a 12×12 room?
At the cited installed band, a 144-sq-ft room scales to roughly $200–$1,950 (144 × the $1.36–$13.58 band) — fiber and style decide where you land.
How much extra is a staircase?
$3–$40 per step — but the bases differ: a total per step of $15–$40 (Modernize; ~$300–$450 for 13–15 steps) vs a labor-only $3–$10 (Thumbtack). Ask which basis a quote uses.
Does installation include old-carpet removal?
Removal/disposal is $1–$3 per sq ft (HomeAdvisor, single source), but many installers include it — confirm on the quote.
How much is padding and labor?
Padding is $0.25–$2.00 per sq ft and labor $0.50–$1.50 per sq ft — both separate from the carpet material and part of the installed total.
Next step: compare local quotes
The numbers above come from public cost guides. Getting two or three written quotes for the same scope is the only way to know your local price — free and no obligation.
Compare flooring & carpet quotesSources
Every figure comes from the carpet-installation cost dataset (11 products / 51 price points / 6 sources / 4 flags):
- Fixr — Carpet Installation Cost www.fixr.com/costs/carpet-installation (high reliability)
- HomeAdvisor — How Much Does It Cost to Install Carpeting? www.homeadvisor.com/cost/flooring/install-carpeting/ (high reliability)
- Homewyse — Cost to Install Carpet www.homewyse.com/services/cost_to_install_carpet.html (medium reliability)
- CarpetExchange — Carpet Installation Cost 2026 carpetexchange.com/flooring-school/carpet-installation-cost- (high reliability)
- Modernize — Stair Carpet Replacement Cost modernize.com/flooring/carpet/stair-carpet-replacement-cost (medium reliability)
- Thumbtack — Carpet Installation Cost www.thumbtack.com/p/carpet-installation-cost (high reliability)
Fixr (LIVE 2026-10-02): 'carpet installation costs range from $1.36 to $13.58 per sq.ft., with a national average of $7.47 per sq.ft.' Homewyse (LIVE 2026-10-02, Sep 2026): estimated national average '$5.53-$8.08 per square foot'. CarpetExchange (LIVE 2026-10-02): 'an average of $2 to $8 per square foot installed'. HomeAdvisor (LIVE 2026-10-02): project $780-$2,812 (avg $1,778) or '$3 to $11 per square foot'. Typical = Fixr's published national average ($7.47).
Provenance: fiber/pad/labor/installed-total rows carry multi-publisher corroboration; removal and the full style table are single-publisher (flagged); stairs mix total-vs-labor bases (flagged); retailers (Home Depot/Lowe's) and Angi/HomeGuide were 403-blocked and contributed no figures. Verify-at-source: subfloor prep, adhesive/transition strips, and the furniture-moving policy.
Estimate only — get local written quotes. Bands are per-source, never averaged; every row is quoted with its unit and scope. Full guide: how much does carpet installation cost · carpet cost calculator.