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A new carpet quote has three parts: the carpet, the labour to lay it, and the extras that come with your floor and your stairs. This guide prices each one so you can check a quote line by line before you book a carpet layer.
How Much Does Carpet Cost?
Check whether your supplier quotes per square metre or per broadloom metre (a running metre of carpet roll). Confirm the roll width before comparing those units. The allowances below are per square metre. Polyester sits at the cheap end, from about $25 per square metre, and sisal and other plant fibres sit at the top, up to about $180. Wool and nylon fall in between. The table shows the material price and the laying price for each fibre.
| Carpet type | Carpet (per m²) | Laying (per m²) | What it's like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester | $25–$80 | $20–$45 | Budget synthetic with good stain resistance. Wears faster in hallways and other busy areas. |
| Nylon | $40–$120 | $25–$50 | Hard-wearing synthetic that resists stains and comes in a wide range of colours. |
| Triexta | $50–$110 | $25–$50 | Newer synthetic, softer underfoot than nylon, with similar stain resistance. |
| Wool | $60–$150 | $30–$60 | Natural fibre that holds its shape under heavy foot traffic and insulates well. |
| Sisal and other plant fibres | $80–$180 | $40–$70 | Firm, textured weave. Stains easily unless it has been treated. |
What moves the price of carpet
Fibre. Wool and plant fibres cost more than synthetics, as the table shows.
Density and quality. A denser pile with more fibre per square metre costs more and flattens more slowly.
Style. Cut pile (plush, frieze) and loop pile (Berber) carpets are made differently and priced differently, even in the same fibre.
Pile height. A thicker, deeper pile feels softer and usually costs more.
Treatments. Stain-resistant and antimicrobial finishes add to the price per square metre.
Cost of Carpet Installation
Laying usually costs $20 to $70 per square metre on top of the carpet itself. Synthetic carpets sit at the lower end, and wool and plant fibres at the top, as the table above shows.
Your layer will price the job from the measured area and what they find on site. These are the things that push a quote up:
Room shape. Bay windows, alcoves and built-in cupboards mean more cutting and more offcuts than a plain rectangle.
The floor underneath. A cracked slab or uneven boards need patching or levelling before carpet goes down.
Old flooring. Pulling up and disposing of old carpet and underlay is usually a separate line on the quote.
Furniture. Some layers charge to move furniture out and back in.
Location. Labour costs differ between cities and regional areas, and delivering heavy carpet rolls to remote areas costs more.
How Much Does It Cost to Carpet Stairs?
Stairs are priced per step, on top of the carpet. For budgeting, allow roughly $10 to $20 per step for extra fitting labour, then confirm the staircase total and any minimum charge with the installer. Curved or unusually shaped stairs usually cost more, because each step takes longer to cut and fit.
Stairs also use more carpet than their floor area suggests. Each step needs carpet for the tread, the nosing and the riser, so ask the layer to measure the staircase rather than working it out from a plan.
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How Much Carpet Do You Need?
Start with each room's length times its width to get the floor area in square metres. You'll still buy more than that. Carpet comes off a roll of fixed width, so the layer plans where the joins fall, which way the pile runs and how much is lost in offcuts.
Use your own measurements to compare prices per square metre. Before you order, ask the layer to measure, and order from their figure.
Additional Services and Costs
These extras are where two carpet quotes for the same house can end up far apart. Ask each layer which of them are included.
| Service | Typical cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Old carpet removal and disposal | Ask for a separate quote | Pulling up the old carpet and underlay, dealing with any adhesive, and taking it away. |
| New underlay | Ask for the product and fitted price | Type, thickness, acoustic requirements and fitting change the cost. |
| Moisture barrier | $5–$10 per m² | A product specified for the subfloor conditions. A damp slab needs assessment and treatment before carpet is laid. |
| Floor levelling and subfloor repairs | $10–$30 per m² | Patching, sanding or levelling compound so the carpet sits flat. |
| Stair carpet | $10–$20 per step | Fitting carpet over each tread and riser. |
| Edge binding | $10–$25 per linear metre | Finishing exposed edges, often used to turn offcuts into rugs. |
| Custom cutting and fitting | $150–$300 per room | Fitting carpet around fireplaces, built-ins and unusual room shapes. |
| Stain protection treatment | $5–$15 per m² | A protective coating that helps carpet resist spills, useful with pets and children. |
| Carpet re-stretching | $5–$15 per m² | Pulling loose or rippled carpet tight again. Stretching is part of a new installation; re-stretching is a separate repair for carpet that has loosened. |
How to compare carpet installation quotes
Compare the completed job price alongside the product and quantity. A lower price per metre may refer to a different unit, exclude underlay or cover less preparation. Ask the retailer to identify what you are buying before comparing totals.
| Quote item | What to confirm | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet product | Manufacturer, range, fibre, colour and product rating | Two carpets in the same fibre can have different construction and suitability. |
| Quantity and unit | Square metres or broadloom metres, roll width and measured order quantity | The amount ordered can exceed the room floor area because of the layout and offcuts. |
| Underlay | Named product, suitability for the carpet and whether supply and fitting are included | A supply-and-lay package may already include it. |
| Preparation and removal | Old flooring, disposal, subfloor work and furniture moving | These items can sit outside an advertised installed price. |
| Stairs and transitions | Staircase total, joins and finishes at adjoining floors or doorways | Small areas and detailed fitting can be charged differently from a plain room. |
Ask to see a laying plan showing the joins and pile direction. The Carpet Institute of Australia’s buying guidance recommends checking price units and the installation plan. Ask the retailer to explain the order quantity and offcuts rather than assuming the floor area alone determines how much carpet to buy.
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Before installation day
Agree who will empty rooms, move heavy furniture and remove the old carpet. Ask when the subfloor will be inspected and how additional preparation will be priced. If that work needs extra time, confirm how it affects the fitting appointment.
Choose underlay to suit the specified carpet and use, and check the manufacturer’s installation and warranty requirements. Ask the installer to assess unevenness or dampness before fitting; underlay is not a substitute for resolving those problems.
Before the installer leaves, walk through the rooms together. Ask them to show you the joins, edge finishes and transitions to other flooring. Check door movement and agree how any concerns will be handled. Keep the product and underlay details, invoice and care instructions.
Tips for Saving Money on Carpet Laying
Get more than one quote. Carpet and laying prices vary between suppliers and installers, and extras vary even more.
Ask about timing. Carpet and laying prices can move through the year, and a layer with gaps in their schedule may offer a better price.
Match the fibre to the room. A spare bedroom doesn't need the carpet you'd put in a busy hallway. Spend on the rooms that get the most foot traffic.
Think twice before laying it yourself. Carpet that isn't stretched properly ripples and wears unevenly, and fixing it means paying a layer anyway.
Tip: Ask every carpet layer to quote the same scope: carpet, underlay, removal of the old carpet, stairs and moving furniture. Then the totals compare like for like.
Carpet or Hard Flooring?
If you're still choosing between carpet and timber, laminate or vinyl, our flooring cost guide prices the hard floor options. Once the carpet is down, regular cleaning keeps it looking newer for longer. See what that costs in our carpet cleaning cost guide.
All prices are an approximate guide and may differ by location and between businesses.