Carpets and rugs are expensive investments. Even if you choose a budget carpet, it may still be the most expensive piece of furniture in your home. Below are a few reasons why you may be paying top dollar for a fabric to rest your feet.

 

Thread Count—Carpets are often finely-woven, meaning they required significant labor and materials to product. Some carpets reach well above 1 million threads per square foot, meaning you’re paying for the time, material, and work needed to produce the garment.

 

Material—Wool and silk are some of the costliest carpet materials (as opposed to, say, nylon). Regarding silk, the gossamer fibers will result in a higher thread count, meaning the price will be significantly more expensive.

 

Production—If your carpet is hand-made, you should expect to pay between $30-$55 per square foot. If it is made in a factory by a machine, the square foot price will be significantly lower. However, these square foot rates add up—if you are planning to invest in a 5’x8’ carpet, you should expect to spend at least $200.

 

Location—As with most commodities, shipping rates are factored into carpet prices. If your carpet was shipped from somewhere like Turkey or Saudi Arabia, you should expect to pay more money to account for shipping and insurance. If your rug is made locally, you may not have to pay extra for shipping, but American labor is often more expensive than its foreign counterpart.

One Comment

  1. If the carpet is hand-made, you should also think about the time it took to make. Labor costs should always be factored in. If you find a “hand-made” carpet for a low price, it’s either fake or the company has unethical labor practices.

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