How much does carpet repair cost?

How much you pay to repair or clean your carpet will depend on the room size, carpeting material, and the type of damage you need to fix.

Room size

The average cost of carpet repairs nationwide is $1.85 per square foot, depending on the material the rug is made of. It costs between $0.20 and $0.40 per square foot for cleaning and stain removal.

Carpeting material

Repair and cleaning costs also depend on the material of the carpet. Nylon, polyester, olefin, or polypropylene tend to be the cheapest to repair or clean, while wool and Triexta are the most expensive. Here are the average costs to repair different carpeting materials:

• Polyester: $1 per square foot
• Olefin/Polypropylene: $1.08 per square foot
• Nylon: $1.25 per square foot
• Triexa: $3 per square foot
• Wool: $3 per square foot

Note that some places will charge per square yard, not foot, for tiles of new carpet.

Types of damage and the repair necessary to fix it

Different types of carpet damage will also cost different amounts. Here are common types of damage and how a professional will approach your carpet repairs:

Tears

Expect to pay $50 to $100, depending on the size of the rip. To fix a tear (not a hole) in your carpet, the contractor will stitch the carpet back together. They will then use carpet fibers from the carpet to blend in the new seam and hide the stitching.

Holes

The national average cost to patch a hole in a carpet is between $140 and $200, depending on the size of the patch and the rug's construction.

A hole in our carpet will require a patch. To patch carpet, the technician will cut out the damaged area, then sew a new tile of carpet into the hole. If you don't have any extra carpet pieces from the initial installation, your technician may cut a piece from a closet or other hidden area. In some cases, they can cover the area by stretching the carpet over the hole, and sew it together.

For both the patch and stretching methods, they will then blend in the edges of the patch or new seam by covering it with carpet fibers, and sealing it with a seam roller or seam tape.

Bleach stains

Spot-dying a carpet costs between $100 and $300, depending on the size of the area to be dyed and the carpet's material. This can fix bleach stains, which happen when a harsh chemical spills on your carpet and takes the color out of it. To repair it, a technician can spot-dye the stained area to match the rest of the floor.

Fading

The cost of dying a full room of carpet averages $580, depending on the size of the room and the pile (thickness) of the carpet.

Your carpet's color may also fade over time, especially if your carpet or rug is in a sunlit room where UV rays bleach the color. Rather than endure the costly installation of a new carpet, a technician can do a full-room carpet dye and restore your old carpet to its original color.

Stains

Basic carpet cleaning averages $30-$50 per 12' by 18' foot room. You may be charged an additional amount for pre-treatment and cleaning of stubborn stains.

This is one of the most common problems with old rugs or carpets, especially if you have pets. While you can get some stains out yourself, a professional can get rid of particularly stubborn stains with a steam cleaner.

Water damage

Water damage can be repaired if it's one area of spilled water like, say, your child knocking over the aquarium in his room. But if your carpet has been flooded by a busted pipe, the carpet can only be salvaged if the water was clean and the rug was completely dried out within 12 hours.

If the water is dirty or takes a long time to dry out, you'll need more than just a cleaning. You'll need to replace it and install an entirely new carpet.

Burns

This process to fix a burn in a rug or carpet usually costs around $100. Burns can happen when your fireplace spits an ember out onto your rug or carpet, or a stray match fell on the floor. To fix a burn, your technician will cut out and remove the burned area, which will probably be two-square inches or smaller, and repair it with a carpet plug cut from a remnant or a less visible part of the carpet.

Padding replacement

Expect to pay $3.50 - $7.00 per square foot to replace padding.

If your carpet has gotten smelly or looks uneven, you may need to replace the padding. Padding gets stained over time, and worn out by constant foot traffic. This is especially true in high traffic areas, like your entryway or bedroom.

Professionals recommend replacing your padding every five to seven years to extend the life of your carpet. However, this project cost is higher than other carpet repairs. The project cost will cover pulling up the carpet, removing the old padding, and installation of new padding.

Furniture dents

The cost to remove the dents in an average-sized room of carpet costs around $45. These are the deep dings left in your carpet by heavy furniture. They're a problem when you re-arrange your furniture and expose them. A pro can remove dents by steaming the compressed carpet fibers, drying them with a hot dryer, and fluffing up the fibers.

Carpet rippling

Fixing a rippled carpet typically costs $150 - $250 for a 200-square foot area. A lot of humidity in your home can cause carpet to ripple. A carpet professional can pull it up, re-stretch it with a piece of equipment called a power stretcher, and install it back in place.

It's a more expensive carpet repair because you must pay the labor costs for a technician to remove, re-stretch, and reinstall the carpet. However, it's cheaper than the installation of a wall-to-wall replacement carpet.

Snags and runs

The national average cost to patch a hole in a carpet is between $140 and $200, depending on the size of the patch and the rug's construction. Snags can happen to thick, loop construction rugs like Berber carpet. Fixing them will require patching the rug.

Additional services

Some carpet repair services will charge you extra to move furniture before they start on carpet repairs. Others include it in the repair fee.

You may want to completely clean your carpet before you repair it. Carpet repair services will spot clean the area they're repairing, but expect to pay $130 - $170 for a full carpet cleaning.