Carpet Installation Cost Guide (2024)

Most homeowners spend $3.50 to $11 per square foot for installed carpet in 2024 - roughly $1,400 to $4,400 for a 400 sq ft bedroom. Fiber and pad drive most of the spread; labor is one of the most predictable line items in flooring.

The quick number

Use $6/sq ft installed as a planning figure. That covers a mid-grade nylon, a 6-lb rebond pad, basic furniture move, removal of one existing carpet, and standard transitions.

Material cost by fiber

Pad - the most ignored line item

• 6-lb rebond: $0.40–$0.70/sq ft. Standard residential.
• 8-lb rebond: $0.60–$1.00/sq ft. Better for stairs and high traffic.
• Memory-foam / visco pad: $0.80–$1.50/sq ft. Quiet, soft underfoot.
• Moisture barrier pad: add $0.20–$0.40/sq ft. Recommended for kids, pets, basements.

Cheap pad is the most common reason a 5-year-old carpet looks 15. Bump the pad one tier before bumping the carpet.

Labor & install

• Stretch-in (tack strip): $0.80–$1.50/sq ft.
• Glue-down (commercial / basements): $1.50–$2.50/sq ft.
• Standard stairs (waterfall): $15–$30 per step.
• Wrapped stairs (French cap): $40–$75 per step.
• Pattern match upcharge: 10–20% on labor + extra waste.

Tear-out, prep, transitions

• Old carpet + pad removal: $0.50–$1/sq ft.
• Tack strip replacement: $0.50–$1/linear ft.
• Subfloor screw-down to stop squeaks: $200–$500 flat per room.
• Transitions to tile/wood (T-mold or Z-bar): $20–$60 each.

Worked example: 400 sq ft bedroom

• Mid-grade nylon carpet: $4/sq ft → $1,600
• 8-lb rebond pad: $0.70/sq ft → $280
• Stretch-in labor: $1.20/sq ft → $480
• Old carpet removal: $300
• 2 transitions: $80

All-in: ~$2,740, or $6.85/sq ft installed.

Where carpet quotes hide cost

Watch for: pad upgrades buried in the carpet line, "rooms under 100 sq ft" minimums that double small-room pricing, and stairs quoted as "labor only" with no carpet allowance. Ask for material, pad, labor, removal, and stairs as separate lines.