10 tips for choosing a carpet(2)

8: Don't waste your budget

Even the most luxurious rugs don't have to cost a fortune. Do shop around for a carpet that suits your lifestyle and budget. Always ask for separate pricing for materials and installation so that you can do an 'apples to apples' comparison between suppliers.

Make the most of any budget by choosing the best carpet for each room. For example, a stain-resistant product may be worth the money you spend on a busy family room, but a more affordable low-traffic carpet may be just right for your guest room.

Consider lifetime replacement and maintenance costs to keep costs lower. If you have children or pets, try carpeting rather than rolled carpets. Rather than replacing an entire room after a few years of spills and stains, you can replace individual pieces of carpet as needed to keep your carpet looking fresh and new.

Explore different material options before you buy to balance price and comfort. Wool represents the best carpet material, but also has the highest price tag. Nylon and other synthetic materials have a similar feel to wool, but are less expensive. For areas prone to moisture like basements or staircases, try lower priced options like olefin or polyester.

7: Choose your carpet supplier carefully

You can buy carpets from a variety of places - carpet showrooms, of course, but also flooring companies, furniture shops, large department stores, and even online. While you can end up with beautiful carpets that are professionally installed in any of these ways, your best bet is to choose a reputable establishment that specialises in carpets.

A quality carpet shop will have a large selection of different carpets, including different fibre options such as wool, synthetics, blends, sisal, linen, jute, brown silk and vinyl weaves. The staff should be able to answer all your questions easily and allow you to take samples home with you.

The quality of the carpet installation is just as important as the quality of the carpet itself. A second-rate job will leave you with visible seams, lumps, dents and other problems, so look for shops that employ their own installers. This can be difficult as most carpet dealers use subcontractors. While subcontracted carpet installers are not necessarily inexperienced, they are often less experienced and less skilled than full-time employees. If you can't find a good shop with its own installers, make sure your carpet dealer's subcontractors have been with them for years.

6: Know the maintenance requirements

One of the best ways to ensure you are happy with your new carpet is to stick with carpets that you can easily maintain. Homeowners with small children or dogs and cats may want to avoid hard-to-clean pile carpets or high-end rugs. Stain-resistant carpets can eliminate the frustration associated with spills and may reduce your cleaning time.

Before you commit to a purchase, be sure to ask the salesperson about cleaning and maintenance requirements. Find out how often you need to clean and what special equipment or products the manufacturer recommends. Don't choose a carpet with extensive maintenance requirements unless you have extra time to perform these tasks.

The type of material you choose and the style of carpet you choose will also have a significant impact on maintenance. Choose a carpet with a texture to hide footprints and hoover marks. In high-traffic areas, look for textured Saxon carpets, horizontal loop carpets or high-density loop carpets to resist dust and make cleaning easier. You should only install cut pile and multi-layered loop carpets in low to medium traffic areas, as both designs tend to harbour dirt and resist cleaning.