Lay Out Your Floorplan
First, carefully measure the rooms and areas you want to carpet, then draw a floorplan as we've done in the example below.
(Graph paper is helpful here.) It's important to record accurately all the details of each room.
This will determine the total square yards you'll be carpeting.
It will also help your salesperson determine the most efficient and economical way to plan for seams, if necessary.
Whatever the total square yardage is, always plan to buy extra so you won't come up short. And always talk to a salesperson before you buy.

How to calculate the square yardage of a room

Width (in feet) x Length (in feet) / 9 = Square Yards

Example: 15' x 20' = 300 / 9 = 33.33 Square Yards

In the example above, the room is 15'x20'. Since most carpets come in 12-foot wide rolls, you'll probably need to seam the installation in this room. Salespeople are trained to help you place the seam where it will look the best, and use the least carpet. Their experience can be very valuable.

In some instances, the installers will be cutting out large pieces to make your carpet fit. If that's the case, you can have the edges of these pieces bound, and have the benefit of using them as runners or rugs.

If you're also planning to carpet a staircase, measure and record the width, height and depth of one step, and count and record the number of steps. Your salesperson will then help you determine the amount of yardage the stairs will need, depending on whether you want to carpet the full width of stairs, or have the carpet run just down the center, leaving a natural wood border.

Establishing A Realistic Budget
First determine how much you want to spend in total on new carpeting. When you do this, keep in mind there are other costs besides the carpet itself that should be anticipated. We've included a list of all typical costs so you won't have any surprises.

• Carpet

• Padding

• Installation

• Delivery

Many stores include padding and installation in the advertised price per square yard. If not, padding will be sold on a per-square-yard basis. The charge for installation will also typically be based on the total square yards of the area that's being carpeted. Delivery is sometimes a separate charge; be sure to check in advance. Here's a typical cost for carpeting a room 15' x 18' (30 sq. yds.) With carpeting priced at $21.95/sq. yd.:

Carpet (padding & installation included) $21.95 x 30	658.50
Delivery	50.00
Total	708.50