What to Expect During Carpet Installation

Excitement aside, let’s face it—installing a new carpet in your home can be slightly overwhelming.

If you haven’t gone through the process before (or in a long time), you’ll probably have questions like:

• Who’s responsible for moving the furniture?
• How should you prep the room beforehand?
• What does the actual installation day look like? 

Well, good news—the procedure is not that complex. But I’m with you if you’re not a fan of surprises, so let’s go over exactly what to expect when installing a carpet.

Choosing the Carpet that Works for You

Okay, before we jump straight to technicalities—make sure that you choose the carpet you’re 100% sure of. 

Carpets are not rugs that you can just switch out if you change your mind. They’re expensive, labour-intensive to install, and supposed to last for decades. 

Go through all the important decision-making—like comparing carpet vs. timber flooring and choosing the right carpet colour for your room—way ahead, before booking your installation.  

That way, the installation process will make you feel one step closer to satisfaction, instead of being stressful.

We have this ultimate guide to buying carpets in Australia if you want a tried-and-true approach to choosing the perfect carpet for your home.

Pre-Installation Checklist

Before the carpet layers arrive at your home, here’s what you typically need to take care of as the homeowner:

Subfloor Preparation

Subfloor preparation is the process of getting your floors ready for carpet installation. 

It usually starts with stripping off the old flooring, followed by tasks like cleaning, smoothing, or repairing the surface so the new carpet and underlay can adhere properly.

Pro tip: This is a job best left to professionals. Others say you can DIY this step, but we highly discourage you from doing so. Carpet installers can refuse to install your carpet if they think the subfloor is subpar.

You’ve got two options for handling subfloor preparation:

• Have your subfloor prepped by the same team supplying your carpet
• Hire a separate flooring professional to do it beforehand

At Middleton’s Carpets, we offer subfloor preparation services on top of regular carpet installation—so you can avoid costly and unexpected complications.

Removing Clutter 

The emptier your space is, the easier it is for the carpet layers to move around and work efficiently in your home. So, be sure to clear furniture from the installation area and create a clear path for the installers to walk through.

Struggling to remove clutter all by yourself?

Good news: many carpet installers, including Middleton’s Carpets, can assist with moving light and bulky furniture. In that case, we’ll just ask you to remove fragile items from things like cabinets or shelves before we arrive to make the process safer and smoother.

Ensuring Space Workability

Make sure all power points are accessible and working. You won’t want to be scrambling for an extension lead on the day. It’s also a good idea to cover nearby vents or heaters, as they can blow dust around during installation.

Oh, and don’t forget to plan ahead for your pets and children. 

You’ll want to keep them entertained in another part of the house or have them looked after elsewhere. They could be startled by the noise of the installation or accidentally wander into the work zone.

What Happens During Installation ​

Once the carpet installers arrive, you’ll have done most of what’s needed from your end already.

But just to be sure, we recommend running through a quick checklist to ensure there are no delays or hiccups later:

• Keep your kids and pets away from the installation area
• Lightly vacuum or brush the floor to remove dust and small debris
• Cover air vents or heaters 

Once the area is fully prepped, it’s the installers’ time to take over.

Step 1: Installer Set Up 

Professional carpet installers will arrive fully equipped. So, you won’t need to provide anything. Just make sure to give them their much-needed space to work efficiently. 

Heads up: Expect a bit of noise as the installers work. We’ll try to be as quiet as possible, but the noise is simply part of the process.

Step 2: Final Subfloor Check

The installers will do a final subfloor check to ensure that it is ready for carpet. If your carpet supplier also arranged to prep the subfloor beforehand, it’s very rare for any issues to pop up at this stage.

Step 3: Actual Installation 

We won’t go through the specifics. But in general, the carpet is stretched and fitted to the shape of your space. In some cases, two carpets may be joined together to cover larger areas seamlessly.

How long does this process take?

Well, about two hours, give or take, for smaller rooms, and up to several hours for larger or multi-room areas. Your installer can give you a better estimate, as each one is different depending on layout and complexity.

Step 4: Post-Installation Clean-Up

Your installers will leave the area looking clean and tidy, with scraps removed and the space lightly vacuumed. After that, they’ll carry out a final inspection, making sure everything is up to legal (and their own) standards.

Lastly, they’ll walk you through the finished result so you can sign off on it once you’re satisfied.

This is your best chance to raise any concerns. It’s difficult (and can be costly) to request adjustments once the team leaves—so stand your ground when needed.

Most newly installed carpets need at least an hour to settle before use, but always check with your installer for the recommended wait time.

​ What You Should Do After Installation ​

Once your carpet is installed, you’ll be the one fully responsible for looking after it. So, early on, a bit of damage prevention and maintenance goes a long way in keeping your flooring in tip-top condition for years to come.

Initially, you’ll want to vacuum often—more than once a week. This helps remove loose fibres and gets rid of that “new carpet smell” caused by adhesives and backing materials.

When repositioning furniture, be very careful not to drag anything across the carpet. It’s best to add protectors to the feet of your furniture to prevent dents and damage.

From that point on, take time to learn about your specific carpet type. 

You should know how to clean and maintain your carpet to extend its life—unless you want to risk ruining your beautiful new carpet within weeks. Start with learning how to remove common carpet stains, as they’re the number one reason carpets lose their fresh, clean look early on.

Give Your Home the Long-Lasting and Stress-Free Carpet Installation It Deserves

Here at Middleton’s Carpets, we offer all types of flooring. But not gonna lie—carpets are our favourite to provide to homeowners and local businesses.

Carpets feel comfortable underfoot, give spaces a warm and inviting feel, and transform the atmosphere of a room.

What’s not to love about that?

Hey, we love carpets so much, it’s literally in our name.

So, if you’re ready for your flooring to not just be done right, but be done with care, choose us — Middleton’s Carpets, your neighbourhood flooring specialists.

We don’t install for the sake of ticking a box. We install for the sake of making our local community a little better through skilled flooring work.

Let our 40+ years of flooring experience and hundreds of satisfied clients in Albury-Wodonga be the proof that Middleton’s Carpets will never let you down when it comes to flooring installation. 

We keep it high quality—never cutting corners and always putting your satisfaction first.