Use this carpet installation cost calculator by room type to price a bedroom, living room, basement or hallway with carpet, pad and pro labor included.
Enter your room size below to estimate carpet, padding and professional installation cost. The worked example beneath the form is produced by the same calculation the tool runs.
Inputs: 12 × 15 ft living room (180 sq ft), standard nylon, professional install. Midwest labor rates, 10% waste, standard 6–8 lb rebond pad.
Total estimated cost: $865 – $1,390 (typical mid-point $1,128). Labor and disposal use the Midwest rate; enter a ZIP code in the tool to switch regions. You can download this breakdown as a PDF from the live tool.
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1. Raw floor area | 180 sq ft (20.0 sq yd) |
| 2. Add 10% waste factor | 199 sq ft ordered |
| 3. Carpet material | $594 – $990 |
| 4. Padding | $129 – $168 |
| 5. Installation labor | $143 – $232 |
This calculator returns an all-in 2026 US carpet installation estimate — carpet, 6-8 lb pad, professional labor and a built-in 10% waste factor. Enter length and width in feet, pick a tier (budget polyester, standard nylon, premium wool), and get a range that lands within 10-15% of a real installer quote.
The calculator uses 2026 US national-average pricing from Lowe's, Home Depot, and independent installers, with a 10% waste factor built in. Final quotes typically come within 10-15% of the estimate.
Yes. Every estimate includes carpet material, 6-8 lb residential padding ($0.30-$0.80/sq ft), and professional installation labor ($0.50-$2.00/sq ft).
Square footage = room length × width in feet, plus 10% for waste, seams and pattern matching. A 12x12 room needs about 158 sq ft of carpet ordered.
Builder-grade polyester carpet is the cheapest at $1.00-$2.50/sq ft material, with installed cost of $3.50-$5.00/sq ft including pad and labor.