Carpet installation: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering carpet installation
Carpet installs are judged on stretch, seam quality and how the edges look at the walls, and the subfloor decides how tight the carpet stays. Win the job by planning the seams, checking the subfloor and showing the padding and the tack strip method in the quote.
What customers ask
- Will the seams show, and where will they fall?
- Will the carpet ripple after a few months?
- What padding do you use, and does it come with a warranty?
- How do you finish the stairs, and what happens at the transitions?
- Will you take up and dispose of the old carpet?
How to win the job
- Walk the room with the customer and mark the seam location on the floor, showing the traffic paths and why the seam sits where it does.
- Check the subfloor for flatness and debris on the first visit, and write the findings and any needed prep into the proposal.
- Name the carpet fiber, the face weight and the padding type in the quote, with the padding thickness and its rating.
- Explain the stretch method, the number of stretch points and the tack strip placement, so the customer understands the tight install.
- Quote the stair work as its own line, with the treads, the risers and the nosing finish listed.
- Show the seam tape and the seam method on a sample, so the customer sees how the seam will be finished.
- Include the removal and disposal of the old carpet in the proposal, with the number of rooms and the square footage.
What to put on your profile
- Before and after photos of carpeted rooms with the seam layout and the edges visible
- Close-up photos of stair work, the nosing and the transition strips
- Photos of the tack strip placement and the stretch before the carpet is trimmed
- A list of the carpet fibers and padding types you install
Follow-up that helps the customer
- A care sheet for the carpet, with the vacuum schedule and the stain steps
- A check visit after the first few months to look at the seams and any ripple
- A quote for a second room or a stair runner, offered only if the customer asks
Licenses and permits
Carpet installation commonly does not need a license, but subfloor repair and any structural work may require a permit or qualified contracting. Confirm your business registration and insurance in your state and locality before you take the job.
Questions
Should I warranty the stretch?
Warranty the stretch and the seam workmanship, and pass through the carpet and padding warranties from the manufacturers. State that the warranty excludes ripples caused by a subfloor you did not repair.
How do I handle a room with a sloped floor?
Check the slope at the visit and note it in the proposal. A large slope can make a tight stretch hard, so tell the customer the limits before the work starts.
About this guide
This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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