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Flooring and tiling

Carpet fitting

Fitting carpet and underlay, stairs included.
Post a task Carpet fitting by county

Whether this needs a licence in Ireland

Ireland

No licence required

Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer

Irelandwww.cru.ieChecked

Carpet fitting: what the job involves

Fitting carpet and underlay in rooms, on stairs and landings: gripper rods round the edges, underlay laid and taped, carpet stretched, seamed and trimmed, and threshold strips at the doors. Stairs take the longest and show the quality of the fitter most.

Also asked for as: carpet fitter · stair carpet fitted · carpet and underlay fitted · fit my own carpet · carpet layer

How the job is usually done

  1. Measure the rooms and stairs and plan seams and pile direction to keep waste down and seams out of sight.
  2. Lift old carpet, underlay and staples, and check the floor for loose or squeaky boards.
  3. Fit gripper rods round each room and on each stair tread and riser.
  4. Lay and tape the underlay.
  5. Lay the carpet, power-stretch it tight, seam where needed and trim to the walls.
  6. Fit stairs, by waterfall or Hollywood method as agreed, then threshold strips at the doors.

Carpet fitting: what is included

Usually included

  • Gripper rods and underlay fitting
  • Laying, stretching, seaming and trimming
  • Stairs and landing, if part of the order
  • Door threshold strips

Usually not included — agree it separately

  • Lifting and disposing of old carpet, unless agreed
  • Moving heavy furniture, unless agreed
  • Trimming doors that no longer clear the new carpet
  • Repairing loose floorboards found underneath

Materials and who supplies them

  • Carpet and underlay, often bought from a carpet shop that measures and arranges the fitter
  • Gripper rods, tape, staples and threshold strips

How long it takes

A few hours for a room; most of a day for stairs and landing, and longer for patterned carpet that has to be matched.

When to book

Fit carpet last, after painting and any work that brings dust or ladders into the room.

Carpet fitting: the rules in Ireland

What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.

  • Anybody who takes the old flooring or tiles away must hold a waste collection permit, and handing waste to an unpermitted collector is an offence for the householder.

    Applies to: the homeowner and whoever removes the waste

    National Waste Collection Permit Office · nwcpo.ie · Checked 9 October 2026

What carpet fitting costs, and why

What jobs on Talqero came to

Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.

What affects the price

  • Area and the number of rooms
  • Stairs, winders and landings
  • Patterned or striped carpet that must be matched
  • Lifting old carpet and moving furniture
  • Supplying the carpet or fitting the customer’s own
  • Doors that need trimming
  • VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.

Paperwork to ask for at the end

  • Carpet and underlay product details and warranty
  • Care and cleaning instructions

Safety

  • Stair carpet must be fixed tightly on every tread so it cannot slip; loose stair carpet is a common cause of falls.
  • Gripper rods have sharp pins; keep children and pets out until the carpet is down.
  • Doors may need trimming to clear a thicker carpet and underlay.

Carpet fitting: before you hire

Questions to ask a tradesperson

  • Do you power-stretch the carpet?
  • Where will the seams be?
  • Is lifting the old carpet and moving furniture included?
  • Will doors need trimming afterwards?

What you can do yourself

Carpet tiles or a small room with a simple shape can be done at home, but stretching broadloom carpet and fitting stairs needs a fitter’s tools.

What to put in your task

  • Which areas are being carpeted?
  • Roughly how many square metres of rooms (not counting stairs)?
  • If stairs are included, what shape are they?
  • Do you already have the carpet?
  • Does old carpet need to be lifted and taken away?

Photos that help

  • Each room, showing the doorways
  • The stairs from the bottom, and the landing
  • The carpet chosen, with its label

Carpet fitting by county

Choose your county for carpet fitting close to home.

Flooring and tiling

Need carpet fitting? Describe the job.

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Questions about carpet fitting

Does carpet fitting need a licence in Ireland?

No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.

Does the price include underlay?

It depends. Many carpet shops quote carpet, underlay and fitting together; fit-only fitters usually price the labour and gripper but not underlay. Ask what each offer includes.

Waterfall or Hollywood stairs?

Waterfall lets the carpet fall straight from the nosing to the next tread, which is quicker. Hollywood wraps it tight under each nosing for a tailored look and takes longer.

Can my old underlay be reused?

Usually not; old underlay flattens and wears, and the new carpet will wear faster on it. Most fitters recommend new underlay with a new carpet.

Often booked with carpet fitting

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