DIY or Professional Carpet Repair: 2 Basic Factors at Play

Carpet repairs are more common than you might think. Heavy stains, tears, cigarette burns, and loose and rippling carpet are all common examples of a carpet damage. Even things as simple as a chewed gum can do irreversible damage if left unnoticed and works its way down into the carpet textile. Luckily for all residents out there, a damaged carpet doesn't necessarily mean buying a new carpet. From minor repairs to major jobs like re-fastening and re-stretching, the world of carpet repair can help you salvage damaged carpeting and make it look like new again.

When it comes to carpet repair, your first option is to bring in a professional. For some repairs like re-stretching and re-fastening, or even removing tough stains, hiring pros such as a carpet installer or a carpet cleaning service is probably your best option. Smaller repairs are also easily hired out to competent carpet repairmen, with the obvious benefit of getting quality results. As for how much a basic carpet repair costs, the nationwide average is about $100 to $200, depending on the size and nature of the task.

Of course, not every carpet repair requires you to call a pro to do the job. Actually, many residents choose to tackle carpet repair on their own to save a few dollars. Solving the dilemma of whether to hire the job out or DIY almost always seems to hinge on two factors:

#1: The Size of The Issue

Small areas of damage are generally tasks that the average homeowners can perform by themselves. Bigger jobs such as re-stretching and re-fastening are most often needed because of a poor initial installation. In these cases, it usually makes more sense to bring in someone who knows what they're doing and who has the right tools, or there's a good chance you'll be having to repeat the repair again in the near future.

#2: Homeowner Expectations

The other factor that influences whether you want to DIY or hire a service are your expectations regarding the final results. While the vast majority of DIY jobs turn out well and can't be spotted from across the room, there's a pretty good chance that once you get up close, you'll be able to tell some work has been done. On the other hand, licensed carpet repairman have a lot of tricks up their sleeves they can use to make your repair virtually invisible.

At the risk of sounding redundant, you better not try to re-stretch and re-attach your carpets on your own. The main reason - there are simply too many things that can go wrong. Not to mention the researching process you have to go through and the number of job-specific tools you have to rent in order to get the job done right. As poor installation is likely the root of your issue in the first place, using services that guarantee the job will be done correctly is worth the extra expense.