carpet fitting - diyable or dumb idea...

Try a local carpet place (unless you're totally set on that carpet). The one I used doesn't charge for all the extras (grippers etc.) and the carpet fitters they arrange are paid directly. The cost seems so low I'd never consider fitting one myself.

I'd never go to a chain place.

I've only ever paid for fitting.

I sourced underlay and gripper bars my self and self fitted.

Fitter warned he would charge me x if I hadn't done it right but he was happy on arrival

It’s eminently diy-able but, and this is a big but,  it’s also easily screw-upabble.

One wrong cut and the carpet’s ruined.

I’d be lifting the old carpet myself, folding it so that it fits in the back of the car, dumping it in the council skip.  Buying and fitting the new underlay myself, reusing the existing grippers and door bar.
Buy the new carpet and pick it up myself and pick up a bunch of carpet fitters business cards that are on the counter of most carpet shops. These guys are predominantly self employed sub contractors. Phone one of them and pay them the  sixty odd quid just to fit the actual carpet.  Job done and you’ve cut out most of the retailers “extras” whilst getting a professional job.

It's astonishing watching carpet fitters fit stuff like vinyl, they do it ten times quicker than you could do and much better into the bargain. Carpet is easier but having a carpet stretcher is a good plan.

I agree, try to find a local carpet shop, not a chain - you’ll probably get a better rate.

That’s not expensive carpet, but you can probably save a good fraction and still get it fitted - a well fitted carpet is trickier to achieve than it looks.

After renovating three houses, I’ve never seen delivery charge. A local place probably won’t have the admin charge, and will be unlikely to charge you more for underlay than the carpet. And the disposal charge can get in the sea. Lift it yourself, fold/roll/cut so it fits in the car and take it to the tip next time you’re passing nearby.

Should be doable for a fair amount less, but I’d still pay get it fitted

I've fitted carpets and didn't think it was too bad, but for the price they charge for fitting I'd pay now just to watch how quick and easily a pro does it.

Had a carpet fitted last week from a local place.

I took the old stuff up myself and used the opportunity to sort out any squeaky floorboards.

The carpet itself was an end of roll so £50 for about 12m2, but I only needed ~6m2.

Underlay was £5/m2.

Fitting paid direct to the 2 fitters on the day was £55 (2 guys for a tiny room, took them about 10 minutes!). £55 was the minimum charge, it's not as if a 12m2 room would have been double. For that much I'd just pay to have it done and know it's been done right.

"Admin fee" and "make it easy package" just sound like rip offs. It's not like you're going to buy the carpet and leave it in the carpet shop!

Find a different shop.  our local place (non chain) charges for the carpet, underlay and gripper as required, then the fitter brings it all to site (no delivery charge) and its £40 all fitted if a normal squarish room direct to the fitter.

EDIT - That's if the old carpet/underlay is up, they don't take rubbish away, that's up to the customer unless charged extra

You're being had there 😅

Get a pic of the carpet, go to a local place who'll be able to get the same stuff, and half your outlay in one easy step.

I've fully renovated a house including wiring/plumbing, dropping walls/ceilings, a bit of plastering, hired myself a digger for the landscaping etc.
No ****ing way would I attempt to lay some carpet!

Our local one (stress free flooring in Dalkeith) had to be talked into selling us a more expensive carpet. Their fitters have always done a good job. 

There is underlay and then there is underlay. But how in the hell does it cost more than the carpet itself?

Disposal fee, check with your local council website about bulky item disposal. At the old place it was free so long as you didn't take the piss, here they charge like £12 or something. They took away two rooms' worth of carpet and underlay for that.

A few have commented "I took up the old carpet myself." Back when I had a new living room carpet fitted at the old place the fitter arrived, said "your old carpet's still down." I said, paraphrasing, "nothing gets past you, does it." He said "can't touch it mate, health and safety, you'll have to reschedule" and left. I'm led to believe this is standard practice.

Watch a couple of youtube vids. Measure twice, cut once. How hard can it be?*

*disclaimer: IANACF - in fact I don't even have any carpets in my house.

There are some jobs you pay a professional for. Fitting anything which involves cutting, and where getting it wrong is disastrous, is one of those jobs. Pay a fitter. 

I've done it before, and it wasn't too bad.

If there's carpet already, and you've a big enough space, it occurs to me than you could lift it and use it as a template.

For a room I cared about, or for particularly nice carpet, I'd probably pay to have it fitted.
For a teenage boy's room, where I might never see the carpet again after it was laid, I might have a go myself.

I've done all the rooms in our house and the stairs. I'll caveat the stairs, we were using some free carpet that came from my mother in laws old house and there was plenty of it. And the stairs were the last thing I did. None of our rooms are massive so just bought a knee kicker and lots of Stanley blades. And took my time. I bought all the underlay and grippers online.

Small, easy room I have done. It worked fine. Do not under estimate cost of door bars, grippers etc.

We use a local place who are a) really helpful b) honest in pricing / often have roll ends etc and c) have some local fitters they recommend who you pay when they do the job. They are always cheaper than the big brand places.

Well popped my head into a local place as I was close by.

Carpet a bit more, their best underlay £92, grippers and doorbars sub £30.  Fitting £45.

£328 all in, and can do it in a week or so.

Approx a third cheaper and I didn't even try to haggle.  I could still save another £100 or so by doing it myself.  I think with the potential for screwing it up relatively high I'm leaning to get these guys to fit.  And it supports a local business.

I'm quite pleased actually as I had been put off going to local places as my experience in the past is they try to get what they think they can out of you and quote more expensive than the big brands.  (well with karndean that was true)

Now just need wifey to accept a different named carpet that looks identical (to me anyway) !