Thinking of adding carpet to your humble abode? This could prove to be a wise and practical move on your part. Adding carpet not only enhances the comfort and look of your home, but it can also increase the value of your property.
These days, carpets are becoming a fixture in many households. But it’s not exactly cheap. This can prompt you to look for affordable carpets. You may even ask: “when is the best time to buy carpets?” Continue reading this article to find out.
The Best Time to Buy New Carpet
Buying a new carpet would cost you a significant amount. According to the website Home Advisor, the average homeowner would spend a minimum of $800 for the installation of a new carpet. Still, this is a lot cheaper than installing new wood flooring, which could cost you around $2,500 per the same website.
It’s practical to time your purchase of a new carpet as you could gain substantial savings when you do so. There are three occasions or times of the year that you should watch out for when shopping for a new carpet.
First is the holiday season, or a few weeks before Christmas and a few weeks after the New Year. Around this time, people are in a rush to decorate their houses because family members will be coming in to celebrate the holidays.
Knowing this trend from their target market, carpet retailers would often introduce more items with a wide range of patterns of colors. It’s also common for them to give deals on carpets. If you’d want to have a new carpet by Christmas, then you should start shopping once December sets in.
But if you’re willing to wait a few more months in anticipation of bigger carpet deals, then you should time your carpet shopping during spring. This is arguably the most opportune time or season for shopping carpet.
Why is spring the best time to go shopping for a new carpet? For one, this is the time of the year when major manufacturers roll out their newest carpet additions. The largest floor covering trade show in the world, The International Surface Event, is often held every early February in Las Vegas. It is during this occasion when the newest collections and most promising carpet lines are put on display. And it is typical for many manufacturers to put their older carpet models on sale during this time of the year.
There’s also the chance that the new carpets on display during the said event will hit the shelves by the time spring sets in. You can also look forward to some manufacturers putting their new products on sale in a bid to promote these items. But the discounts aren’t that significant.
You should also watch out for carpet deals around late spring or when schools are out. This stretch is from the second week of May till the first week of June. During this period, people are busy planning special events like Father’s Day. It is also usually this time when manufacturers restock their inventory with new lines and designs of carpets.
Summer and fall are two seasons which can also represent a lot of opportunities as far as getting discounted carpets is concerned. Summer is traditionally a slow time for most retailers because everyone’s taking a vacation. People are most likely headed somewhere instead of retail shops looking to improve their ones. In climates where all four seasons are experienced, most people are focused on the outdoors. They are looking to buy something for their yards instead of buying a new carpet for their living room. Because of this scenario, some stores can offer lower carpet prices in a bid to increase their sales.
Once fall sets in, carpet retailers get busy once again. People are turning their attention to their home interiors because the weather is starting to get cooler. They will spend more time indoors. They also want to prepare their homes in time for the holidays, when their friends and families visit them.
And before the holiday season rolls in, manufacturers run their biggest promotions, especially during October. You can wait for promotions such as coupons, rebates, and on-the-spot discounts offered by home improvement stores selling carpets. You could score great deals and save a lot on a new carpet.
Thus, the best times of the year to shop for a carpet are spring, fall, the holiday season, and summer.
Worst Times to Buy New Carpet
Now that you’ve learned the best times of the year to buy a new carpet, you might also ask: “when should I avoid buying carpet?” There are certain periods of the year when carpet prices are high that you’d want to put off your shopping plans.
One season which you’d want to avoid buying a carpet is the tax season, or around February to April. It’s that time of the year when most people get tax refunds from the government.
This means many homeowners have extra cash to spend on shopping. Knowing and understanding this trend, carpet manufacturers and retailers aren’t likely to offer discounts on their products. You can expect that prices of carpets to be quite high during this stretch of the calendar.
Winter is not the busiest time for the floor covering industry. During this time, specifically after the holiday season, the shopping rush is over. Moreover, new styles and additions to carpet lines have yet to be rolled out in the retail stores. There could be an uptick in customer traffic in early January as people try to look for new ways to spruce up their homes. But generally speaking, the carpet prices aren’t likely to go down during this time of the year.
In short, you may want to wait a few months before shopping for a more affordable carpet.
Things to Consider When Shopping for Carpet
Now that you have an idea of the best time to buy a carpet, let’s look at the factors you must weigh when shopping for a new carpet.
First, consider the type of carpet. There are different carpet types. Plush carpet is thick and soft, but it can easily show vacuum tracks as well as footprints. This is the type of carpet you don’t want to place in high-traffic areas. Berber carpets are flat and dense with looped and colored fibers. It is durable, but if you have dogs in the house, their claws may damage the carpet.
There’s also the level cut loop carpet where some fibers are upright while others are looped, thus creating a pattern. A frieze carpet, meanwhile, has slightly twisted fibers capable of hiding dirt well. The fibers also feel soft on the feet.
You should also look into the density of the carpet. This refers to how close the fibers are to each other. Generally speaking, a denser carpet has longer fibers that will stay upright for years. This, in turn, affects the durability of the product.
Speaking of fiber, there are three fiber choices that you can opt for. Wool is soft and eco-friendly. It is also incredibly durable. The downside is the cost, as it is up to three times more expensive than other fibers. Suffice to say, you’d have to pay more for a carpet made of wool fiber.
There’s also nylon that is soft too, aside from being available in various colors. Compared to wool, nylon is the more durable fiber. It is also more affordable. The disadvantage is that it can be prone to stains. Finally, you can opt for polyester fiber which is the cheapest of the three materials. It is also eco-friendly and stain-resistant. The problem with polyester fiber is that it isn’t the most durable.
You should also consider the stain resistance of the carpet before buying. While you’d want a durable carpet, stain resistance is perhaps more important. Can you imagine what would happen when you spill something on a beautiful carpet that you’ve just installed? Certain fibers are inherently stain-resistant because of their ability not to absorb liquids. You can also choose a carpet with a built-in stain treatment.
The carpet pad is also equally important. Sure, it’s not as exciting as choosing the carpet, but the pad can affect the longevity and support of the carpet. It can also improve the feel of the carpet itself. You’d want to have a carpet with a firm and dense pad, especially if you will install it in a high-traffic area.
Finally, the color of the carpet will also be important. Keep in mind that light-colored carpets would make a small room feel larger. On the other hand, darker-colored ones can make big rooms feel smaller but cozier.
Conclusion
Adding carpet to your home can make your place even more inviting. You can do so without spending a lot of money by timing your purchase of a carpet as described above.
