Do Carpet Fitters Remove Old Carpet?
It's the first question most people ask when booking a new carpet: will the fitter take the old one away? The short answer is it depends. More often than not, you'll be left to deal with it yourself.
Here's what to actually expect from carpet fitters, retailers, and what to do when they won't help.
Will carpet fitters pull up your old carpet?
Most independent fitters will pull up old carpet as part of the job, since they need a clear floor to lay the new one. But pulling it up and taking it away are two different things.
Many fitters will rip the old carpet up, leave it rolled in your hallway or garden, and consider their job done. Some won't even do that without an extra fee. Ask before you book and don't assume removal is included. If you end up doing it yourself, it's not as hard as you'd think. Our guide on how to remove carpet walks you through the full process.
Will they take the old carpet away?
This is where it gets unreliable. Some fitters will take old carpet if it's in decent condition, especially if they work with landlords who might reuse it. But if it's worn, stained, or heavy, most will say no.
Even those who agree often just drop it at the nearest tip rather than recycling it. You won't know where it ends up, and you won't get any documentation to prove it was disposed of properly.
What about retailers like Carpetright, Dreams, or John Lewis?
Some bigger retailers offer old carpet removal as an add-on when you buy from them. But there are usually conditions.
Some will only remove carpet they originally sold you. Others won't touch anything stained or damaged. And because removal is handled by the delivery team rather than waste specialists, they may refuse at the door if the carpet is worse than expected. For more information on what each disposal method costs, see our guide to carpet removal costs.
Do carpet fitters remove grippers and underlay too?
Fitters will usually pull up old gripper rods if they're fitting new ones, but they'll leave them otherwise. Same with underlay. Some will pull it up, most won't take it away.
Stapled-down underlay is particularly messy. The underlay comes up but the staples stay in the floor and need pulling out individually with pliers. Most fitters won't spend time on that and will expect it done before they arrive.
Do carpet fitters move your furniture?
Most fitters expect the room to be completely empty when they arrive. Some will shift light furniture, but almost none will move heavy items like wardrobes, beds, or sofas.
If you can't move furniture yourself, you'll need to arrange that separately before the fitter turns up.
The easier option: separate your fitting from your disposal
Rather than gambling on whether your fitter will deal with the old carpet, book your fitting and your disposal separately. The fitter does what they're good at, and someone else handles the rest.
With Litta, you can book a collection for the same day as your fitting. We collect old carpet, underlay, and grippers from inside your home. No dragging anything to the kerb, no negotiating with the fitter, no tip runs. We have a 97% landfill diversion rate and you get a digital waste transfer note as proof.
Get a free quote today and have the old carpet sorted in one visit.
