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Picking a Bakersfield carpet store for your next project

Are you looking for a Bakersfield carpet store for your next home improvement project? Or maybe you’re looking for a Bakersfield carpet company to remove and replace the commercial carpet in your local business? 

Either way, we’ve got you covered.

At Carpet Cave, we’ve helped the residents of Kern County find, finance, and install the flooring of their dreams.

Here’s how we can help you.

Our Bakersfield carpet store is well connected

We’ve been in the carpet business for decades. Because of this, we’ve built, expanded, and strengthened our relationship with carpet manufacturers from all over. 

We can access:

  • Bulk and wholesale flooring for large commercial jobs
  • High-end designer flooring for interior decorators
  • Residential flooring of all varieties for home improvement projects of all types

Check out some of the flooring options we can provide, and reach out to us online with any questions.

We’re a Bakersfield flooring store that also installs carpet

At Carpet Cave, we don’t like to leave our clients hanging. Instead, we prefer to walk our clients through the entire carpet project. This includes carpet installation.

Over the decades, we’ve built up an amazing pool of top-rated carpet installers. These installers are well-reviewed and 100% trustworthy. If you’re looking for carpet installation in Bakersfield, not only can we help — but we’d love to help.

Don’t forget the financing options!

You shouldn’t wait years to get the carpet of your dreams installed in your home or business. We offer a variety of amazing financing opportunities to get your carpet purchased and installed sooner — rather than later

Reach out to us online to learn more about these opportunities.

Want to learn more about carpet installation and products?

We’ve built up a hub of educational resources that can help you better understand the carpet installation process, including best practices, tips, and answers to common questions. Take a look at some of our most popular topics, and reach out to us if you have any questions.

man installing carpet

Is it cheaper to install carpet yourself?

If you’re thinking about getting new carpet installed in your home, then you might be wondering, “Is it cheaper to install carpet yourself?”

New carpet can be a great addition to any home; however, the cost can be a major determinant for some people. From the carpet itself to the carpet padding to the carpet install to miscellaneous project fees, the costs of new carpet can quickly add up.

Of course, you might be able to cut back on costs if you install the carpet yourself. But is the cost of a DIY carpet install actually cheaper than a professional job? 

Let’s break it down.

The average cost of a carpet install

Carpet installation cost will vary based on how much square footage you’re working with. On the low end of things, a 1-room, 100-square foot job can cost on average around $700, and a 1-room, 1000-square foot job can cost on average around $7,000.

Other factors that can increase the cost of installing carpet:

  • Moving furniture
  • Stairs
  • Removing pre-existing flooring
  • Fixing inadequate subfloor
  • Installing carpet in multiple rooms

On top of the carpet install cost, you also have to include the price of the carpet and padding. This can cost anywhere between $1 and $12 per square foot — all depending on the quality, thickness, and brand of the carpet. Carpet padding will cost around $1.50 per square foot.

Keep Reading: Do you really need padding under carpet?

The costs of installing carpet yourself

Right off the get-go, you’ll need to include the same costs for padding and carpet. This obviously doesn’t go away just because you’re installing carpet yourself. What does go away, however, is the price of the carpet install and any miscellaneous fees associated with it.

This being said, there are going to be other costs you’ll encounter during a DIY carpet install. While a carpet installer will come with all the necessary carpet installation tools, you likely will not

Some of the accessories that you’ll need to install carpet yourself may include:

  • Cutting tools
  • Seam roller ($50 – $150)
  • Carpet tape ($14 – $50 per roll)
  • Carpet stretcher ($65 – $400)
  • Hammer
  • Staple gun
  • Trimmer ($30 – $100)

Many people who want a DIY carpet install think the only costs will be the carpet and padding. And as a result, they don’t budget for the tools and miscellaneous items they need to actually install the carpet. 

Is it cheaper to install carpet yourself? Yes, it can be. But it’s important not to forget that there are additional costs associated with a DIY install. This being said, make sure you budget appropriately.

Keep Reading: Is it hard to install carpet yourself?

The cons of a installing carpet yourself

Sure, you can save thousands of dollars on a DIY carpet install; however, other costs may start to creep up on you in the future. Let’s take a look at a few of the reasons you may want to save up for a professional carpet install.

Why you may not want to install carpet yourself:

  • You don’t know what you’re doing, and you’ll need to spend a few days, weeks, or even months researching and learning how to install carpet. 
  • You’ll miss important steps of the carpet install process, and you’ll end up with improperly installed products. This can result in visible tack strips, carpet that moves around, carpet that doesn’t tuck neatly into the baseboard, and other problems.
  • You’ll void your carpet’s warranty, due to improperly installed carpet. This means, if any issues come up with the quality of the carpet you installed, then you may not be able to get it replaced.

Debating between a DIY and professional carpet install?

Then you’ll want to check out these additional resources before moving forward in your carpet install.

man installs baseboards for carpet

How high do you install baseboard for carpet?

If you’re getting new carpet installed, you might be wondering, “How high do you install baseboard for carpet?” Or maybe you’re wondering, “Why do you need a gap between the baseboard and the floor at all?”

Either way, the gap is there for good reason. Let’s break it down.

Why do you need a gap between the baseboard and the floor?

There are two main reasons there should be a gap between the baseboard and the floor when installing carpet. 

First, if there is flooding for any reason, this gap allows for the absorption of water (and building code may even require it). Secondly, a gap needs to be present, so you can easily tuck the carpet underneath the baseboards.

How high should baseboard be off the floor?

In the majority of cases, the gap between the baseboard and the floor will be between 3/8” and 1/2”. However, if you’re working with a thicker carpet and/or padding, this gap could easily be as wide as a full inch. This being said, many experts believe 1/2” is more than enough space for any carpet thickness.

Keep in mind, while it is important to tuck the carpet in tightly under the baseboards, you don’t want it to look forced. Make sure the carpet has enough room to be snug — but also look seamless with the rest of the room.

Are baseboards installed before the carpet?

Most carpet installers will install the baseboards before the carpet. This is why it’s important to measure thickness and find the appropriate height gap. 

Even though you can install baseboards after carpet, it’s a cleaner, faster process if you install them beforehand. This way, you can better avoid getting paint, stain, or caulking on carpet.

Additional carpet installation resources

carpet in room

Is it hard to install carpet by yourself?

If you’re wondering, “Is it hard to install carpet by yourself?” — the answer really depends on your level of commitment. 

While it is possible to install carpet yourself, you need to prepare, plan, and educate yourself for the carpet install. 

Here’s what you need to keep in mind if you want to DIY your carpet install.

Make sure you measure correctly

If the carpet is going inside a perfectly square room, then you’re lucky, and this process will be much easier. However, if you have random angles, corners, and stairs in the room, the measurement process can be a little tricky. 

If you’re new to carpet installation and not trying to become a professional carpet installer anytime soon, then here’s what we recommend:

  • Draw out a rough sketch of the room. 
  • Measure the square footage. Do this in sections if the room is not a perfect square.
  • Take these measurements and your sketch to the company you’re purchasing carpet from, and ask them to help you confirm the total amount of carpet needed.
  • Order around 10% more carpet (to account for measurement and install issues).

Prepare the room

Before you install new carpet, you have to prep the area for installation. Make sure you take your time on this phase, so you don’t encounter unnecessary hurdles during installation.

Here are some steps to take when preparing for carpet installation:

  • Move all furniture out of the room
  • Remove all pre-existing flooring
  • Remove any baseboards (if necessary for the install), as well as any doors or hardware that could impact the install
  • Sweep the floor and repair any gaps in the flooring
  • Install carpet tack strips. Check out this short video on how to install carpet tack strips.
  • Install carpet padding. It’s important not to skimp on this part of the prep. Carpet padding does a lot for the overall durability and comfort of your carpet.

Cut & install the carpet

After the tack strip and padding are installed, it’s time to measure, cut, lay, and stretch the carpet. Again, make sure you take your time and be as precise as possible. The actual installation is probably the most difficult part of installing carpet. In many cases, you can cut costs by doing the prep work on your own, but still having a professional installer lay the carpet down for you.

Here are the key steps of installing carpet:

  • Measure and cut your carpet by sections, starting with the longest wall. Use chalk lines to keep track of measurement lines to ensure even cutting.
  • Use carpet tape or glue to adjoin two sections of carpet together.
  • Use carpet installation tools to attach the carpet to the tack strip.
  • Use a carpet stretcher to stretch the carpet. Trim and tuck as you stretch.

Here’s a quick video guide on the entire install process:

Additional flooring resources

Interested in learning more about flooring and carpet installation? Check out these additional resources, and fill out our contact form if you have any questions.

shaw flooring aquamarine

Do you need padding under carpet?

Do you need padding under carpet? Many people wonder this as they’re getting ready to purchase new carpet for their home or business. Padding, afterall, is just another added expense to the carpet install process (and you won’t even see it once everything is finished). 

This being said, is it absolutely necessary to install carpet padding underneath your new carpet?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is yes… it is absolutely necessary to install padding underneath carpet, and here’s why.

Carpet padding makes your carpet softer

Thin carpet is not comfortable for anyone. And even if you plan on buying the thickest, softest carpet around, it’s still going to seem thin without carpet padding underneath it. But not only that, your carpet will feel cheap, old, and dirty without padding underneath it.

Padding makes it easier to clean and maintain your carpet

If you don’t install carpet padding underneath your carpet, then there will be nothing for your carpet to latch onto. It’ll just be resting on top of your pre-existing ground floor. Because of this, when you try to vacuum or clean your carpet, there will be very little suctioning capability, and your vacuum cleaner won’t be able to suck up all of the dirt.

Carpet padding keeps you warmer and quieter

The added layer of padding underneath your carpet works double-time. Not only will it absorb extra sound (especially if you’re walking on a second floor or up some stairs), but it will keep warmth in — which is especially useful during those cold winter months.

Additional flooring resources

Interested in learning more about flooring and carpet installation? Check out these additional resources, and fill out our contact form if you have any questions.

carpet install in hallway

Do you install baseboard before or after carpet?

Do you install baseboard before or after carpet? We get asked this question a lot, and the answer depends on preference or individual circumstances.

Thankfully, you can install carpet or baseboard first. Either will work. So if you have one already installed, don’t worry. You don’t need to start over. 

However, there are a few things to keep in mind when deciding which to install first. Let’s break it down.

Read More ▸
shaw flooring aquamarine

How to find carpet installers near you

If you want to find carpet installers near you, Google is not your only answer. In fact, there are a ton of great ways to find carpet installers that are tested and verified.

Let’s take a look at those ways right now.

Ask your Facebook friends

If you still have a Facebook account, then this is a perfect place to start. When you create a post asking for recommendations, Facebook alters the look of your post. Instead of a regular post, Facebook makes it more noticeable that you’re asking for feedback. Your friends can then drop business names into the post and share insights with you. This is a great way to find carpet installers that your friends and family have already vetted for you.

Check out Google Maps

Instead of scrolling through Google search results, scroll through Google Maps results. To do this, type in “carpet installers near me” and click on the first Google Maps result. From here, you can look through all reviews left by previous customers and check out before and after photos posted by the company and customers. This is the perfect place to find a company’s best and worst customers (since people are more likely to leave a review if they’ve had a really good or really bad experience). Then, you can get a better idea of how the installer responds to complaints and what quality work they can produce.

Find carpet installers on Google Maps

Search local listings sites

If you’re on Google, check out sites like Angi and Yelp. Although these sites shouldn’t be your end-all-be-all, they can give you a good idea of where to start your search for a carpet installer. Companies can pay to advertise or get certified on these websites, so it’s important not to take everything at face value. However, you can still find some decent reviews, and of course, a healthy list of installers to research.

Find carpet installers on Yelp

Get more info on local carpet installation

Modern carpet Phenix

Can you install carpet over tile?

Can you install carpet over tile? Yes, you can! In fact, many people decide to lay carpet over tile — as opposed to removing the tile first. This is because tile can be difficult (and expensive) to remove. If you don’t decide to remove the tile yourself, you’ll need to be prepared to pay a hefty fee. Installers usually charge quite a bit more to remove tile than they would charge to remove carpet or laminate.

If you are going to install carpet over tile, there are definitely some potential hurdles that could pop up. It’s important to go over these potential hurdles before getting started on a new carpet install. This way, you can avoid issues such as having to spend more money, restarting the job, or being left without enough product to finish a job.

For example, if you’re installing carpet over tile, it may be more difficult to shut doors (since the carpet will sit higher). This is something you’ll need to have a gameplan for before getting started. In these situations, many people will simply leave a small area of tile at the entrance and install carpet around that area. 

Another issue to consider is how big the grout lines are. When installing carpet, many installers will nail the tack strip to the grout lines. However, if these grout lines are wider than usual, it could cause installation issues. And if your carpet and padding is not thick enough, you could potentially feel the grout lines underneath your feet.

Keep in mind, these are only some of the most common hurdles you can face. There are many more to consider — like broken tile and baseboards that will sit too low. Make sure you speak with a knowledgeable carpet installer to go over all issues you could face when installing carpet over tile.

Want to learn more? Check out these additional resources:

 

carpet installation in Bakersfield with baby and dog on carpet.

Why choose Carpet Cave for carpet installation in Bakersfield

If you’re looking for carpet installation in Bakersfield, then you’ve come to the right place. At Carpet Cave, carpet installation is our thing. For over four decades, local businesses, property management companies, and homeowners have all come to our carpet store in Bakersfield to fulfill their wildest flooring desires.  Check out just a few of the reasons Bakersfield turns to Carpet Cave for flooring installation.

You get killer discounts

The first question you’re probably going to ask when it comes to anything home improvement related is: How much is it going to cost me? And that’s only natural. However, we’re a local, family-owned business, and we want discounts and great deals just as much as you do. In other words, we get you, and we also got you. When it comes to your home improvement needs, our goal is to find you the very best deals on all your flooring products in Bakersfield. That way, you can rest easy knowing you didn’t overspend, that you got the best deal, and that you’re getting high-quality service. 

You get expertise

Like we mentioned earlier, we’ve been Bakersfield’s go-to flooring company for over four decades now. That translates to 40 years of experience, and when you take each of our associates’ experiences, too, that’s over 200 centuries of combined flooring experience. Crazy, right? When you choose Carpet Cave for carpet installation in Bakersfield, what you’re really doing is choosing experience. 

You get professionalism

We’re all about the total package. We don’t just install flooring and call it a day. We help you get financing. We help you choose the right products for your needs. We help you plan, organize, and prepare. We help you install, understand, and maintain. We are YOUR flooring company, and we ARE the epitome of professionalism. With us at your side, you’ll go from financing to carpet installation to a brand new space with as few hurdles as possible. Guaranteed.

You get local

Why choose a big box store like Lowe’s or Home Depot when you can choose a local flooring store like Carpet Cave? You get all the same products (and more); you get the right experience, and you get a business built up by your community. It’s a win-win-win-win-win situation. And if you’re not in agreement, we can say ‘win’ one more time. Win. 

You get selection

We just said it — you get all the same products (and more) at Carpet Cave. This is because we’ve taken the time to build relationships with vendors, suppliers, and manufacturers. They know us, we know them, and we work together to get the consumer the best deals possible. We’re not in this for commission, promotions, or recognition. We’re in this because it’s our passion. Come to Carpet Cave for carpet installation and you get the best selection at the best prices — no matter what.

Additional resources for carpet installation

Small dog plays on Bakersfield carpet.

Bakersfield Carpet: 3 things to consider

Looking for a Bakersfield carpet company but not sure how to choose? As one of the longest lasting Bakersfield carpet companies, we understand the journey you’re about to undertake, and we want to make sure you have everything you need to make quality decisions about your flooring. Here are three things you should consider before you make a decision about your carpet.

Does this Bakersfield carpet company have financing available?

You can’t exactly get new carpet if you can’t afford it — so obviously, one of the very first things you need to consider is your budget and whether or not you need financing. Many big box retailers (like Lowe’s and Home Depot), offer financing; however, good deals can be hard to come by and interest rates are usually pretty high. With a local Bakersfield carpet company such as ourselves, you can find competitive financing and pricing available (including deferred interest loans and fixed payments).

Does this flooring company offer installation?

If you can find a Bakersfield carpet company that will help you from financing to product to installation, then you’re golden. It can make the home improvement process very difficult and frustrating if you have to deal with multiple vendors to achieve one outcome. But when you deal with a flooring store like Carpet Cave, we’ll help you with everything — that includes carpet installation in Bakersfield.  Related Content: 3 reasons to stick to a Bakersfield flooring professional

Can this flooring store find you quality discounts? 

It’s true — big box stores have close ties with some pretty large flooring vendors. However, it’s typical that they’ll only provide discounts for one or two of those vendors. This is because they have advertising and marketing incentives tied into that relationship. And not to mention, many flooring associates at these stores make commission off your purchase (meaning, they don’t exactly want to give you a discount). But this works differently when you deal with some of the best carpet stores locally.  For example, we have decades of combined experience providing Bakersfield with flooring products and installation, and in the process, we’ve built up strong relationships with a variety of vendors (not just one or two). We are able to hunt down the best flooring deals for our customers, and we’ll do it with a smile. We want you to get the best deal possible, and we’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Visit Carpet Cave, the best flooring store in Bakersfield

Better flooring is just around the corner. The pros at Carpet Cave are here to guide you through your next project and to show you why we’re the best flooring company in Bakersfield. Give us a call today at 661.327.9742 or visit our store in downtown Bakersfield to check out our modern-day floors at prehistoric prices.  Additional Resources: