How Much Does It Cost to Remove Carpet?

You may have dreamt of replacing your torn, stained, or old carpet for years but feared the final quote. You may not even realize you need to remove your carpeting. In any case, learning about how much it costs to remove carpet and the pros and cons of doing it yourself vs. hiring a professional makes the process a whole lot easier.

Pulling up carpeting seems like an easy job. You just cut away at the edges, pull it up, and remove the glue, right? Wrong. There’s a reason why so many homeowners choose the professional removal route, even after weighing the costs. The total cost averages between $150-$300 per room, depending on room size and shape, labor rate, recycling costs, and even your geographic location. There are additional costs to be aware of and many questions to address if you want to do it yourself.

Factors That Affect Carpet Removal Cost

On the most basic level, you can calculate carpet removal cost by multiplying the amount of carpet by the labor cost. If you’re removing a simple square room that will take an hour tops, you can calculate your rough cost if you have a labor rate.

But there are always more factors to consider.

Room Size and Shape

The most critical factor in any carpet removal job is how much carpet you aim to remove and how it’s all laid out. Some floorplans include strange corners, cuts, and curves, making the job more challenging.

It’s not just the shape of rooms either; it’s their size. More carpet means more hours, which means more labor.

Labor Rate

The labor cost is entirely dependent on the contractor you hire. Some contractors include a separate labor fee on top of the hourly rate for the job. In that case, the rate will be less than if they include labor on top of materials and time. In either case, make sure you set a fixed rate in stone before the job begins.

Carpet Disposal Fee

Waste processing centers charge disposal fees that vary according to the type of waste. For instance, concrete disposal will be different from carpet, and so on.

Have the contractor check your local waste management center for carpet disposal fees and factor that into your cost equation.

Recycling Costs

You can recycle your removed carpeting if you want to avoid adding to the waste problem. The United States produces 292.4 million tons of waste each year, and the impact of that waste on our environment is devastating. Throwing out old carpets only adds to an already catastrophic situation.

Some recycling centers have taken on the tough task of recycling carpeting, which regular municipal recycling centers don’t allow.

You will pay a higher cost for recycling your carpets, but you may also sleep easier at night knowing you aren’t needlessly contributing to environmental waste.

Where You Live

The area where you live affects how much you pay for carpet removal. Municipalities have different waste disposal fees, which also vary across state lines.

Additionally, your local disposal center will charge differently whether you live in a packed urban enter or a more sparsely populated rural area.

Additional Costs and Considerations

As with any major construction or renovation project, the actual cost comes not in the major line items but in the unexpected fees that pop up along the way.

Preparation / Furniture Removal

A carpet removal crew can’t just show up to your home or apartment as is and start working. You need to remove the furniture, wrap up valuables, etc.

Depending on the situation, the crew may also need to remove door frames, baseboards, etc. A lot of prep goes into this job, which adds extra cost.

Glue Removal

There are two main ways of securing carpet to the floor: glue or staples and tack strips.

Staples and tack strips are much easier to remove. Glue-adhered carpets are not necessarily more difficult to remove, just more time-consuming. Some contractors even charge a higher hourly fee for glued-down carpets than stapled ones.

The scraping, softening, sometimes chemical removal, and sanding of the glue takes time, which means more labor hours. It adds to the cost of the removal.

Stairs

You can imagine why removing carpet from stairs might bump up your total removal cost. It’s not only difficult but dangerous. The pulling and yanking that one has to perform to get the carpet off the floor, especially if it’s glued, can make top stair removal a liability.

Carpet Pad Removal

Most carpet is placed on top of carpet padding to make a softer, more shock-absorbent walking experience. Contractors have to remove the carpet pads when tearing up the old carpet. The pad removal includes its own set of disposal costs and labor fees.

How Do I Know if I Need Carpet Removal?

It’s not always evident that you need to remove your carpet. Sometimes stained, matted, or odorous carpet simply needs a heavy-duty scrubbing with the right cleansing agent. On the other hand, you may not even see noticeable stains, tears, nicks, or smell anything off to suggest you need new flooring, but you do.

There are warning signs to help you make the decision.

Stains, Matting, or Fading

The most obvious sign you need new carpeting is if yours is matting, fading, or stained. Minor staining or matting here or there is liveable, but if it covers most of the surface area, you need to remove it.

Moving/Selling

If you’re selling your place, it’s best to re-floor it before putting it on the market. Floors take a beating with all our walking, spilling, etc. Removing carpeting and setting down hardwood or even new carpeting is advisable.

Constant Odor

You may not see the damage, but you may be able to smell it. If there’s a constant mildewed or rotten odor in your living space, it could be your carpet holding on to spills you thought you removed. The only choice is to chuck it.

Worsening Allergies

There is also the case that you can’t see or smell the reason for tearing up your carpeting, but you can sense it. More than 50% of people in the U.S. suffer from allergies, and carpet allergens are one of the main issues because that’s where pesky allergens hide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Cheaper To Remove Carpet Yourself?

It is cheaper to remove the carpet yourself since you don’t have to pay for labor, but there may be additional costs like getting the right tools and cleaning and preparing the subfloors for mold or mildew. DIY removal can be more challenging and time-consuming than professional removal.

How Much Does It Cost to Rip Out Carpet and Install Hardwood?

Pulling up carpeting and installing hardwood will include the materials cost of the carpet and the hardwood, as well as the prep and labor. Expect to spend between $6 and $12 per square foot on the materials, and anywhere from $60 to $100 an hour for labor, and even more.

Is It Cheaper to Replace Carpet or Get Hardwood Floors?

Carpet beats hardwood in terms of the initial cost but not long-term. Where carpeting comes between $1-$2 per square foot, hardwood ranges between $6-$12. Once you have the flooring down, however, you’ll find that hardwood is less costly to maintain than carpeting, which often needs expensive steam treatments.

How Long Does It Take To Remove Carpet?

The removal time depends on the project. A house or apartment with a simple layout, no stairs, and no basement can take 30-60 minutes. More complicated floorplans mean a longer time frame. Then there is carpet pad removal, which adds another 30-60 minutes at least.

Is It Easy to Rip Out Carpet?

It’s easier to rip out carpet than you might think. It does require some muscle, and it can be killer for those with bad backs in terms of the repetitive motion it requires. But it’s a simple process that can last just the length of a morning or afternoon.

Removing Carpet? Nixxit Junk Removal Can Help

If you want your carpeting removed but don’t want to deal with dropping it off at the correct waste processing centers, call Nixxit Junk Removal. Our carpet disposal and recycling service means you can get old carpet off your hands and rest assured of an eco-friendly solution. Nothing beats that.