Room: Think about the room, or rooms, you are about to carpet. The wear and tear your carpet experiences can vary from room to room. For your hall, stairs or landing you might want a heavier wearing carpet than you would for your bedroom.

Carpet style: You will have your own idea about colour whether strong or light and style, whether patterned, plain or flecked. Selecting your carpet style will be a personal decision for you but we are willing to help - we have seen lots of carpet!

Life: Carpet construction varies widely. How your carpet is made, the types of fibres, backings and glues used should determine how long your carpet will last. How you treat it plays a large part too! If you want it to last, fit the best quality you can. If you expect to change it in a few years then try a carpet that's not as hard wearing.

Fibre: This determines the carpet feel, look and how it wears. Wool is naturally flame retardant, wears well and is easy to maintain. Nylon is very hard wearing. Polypropylene is resistant to stains (not oil) and good for difficult to clean areas.

Weight: Pile Weight is the weight of the visible fibre after fitting. Total Weight is the visible fibre plus all backings and coatings. If you are comparing carpet weights make sure you know which weight your supplier has quoted and compare like for like.

Select At Home: Ensure you see any carpet in the room and, if possible, with your other fabrics and furnishings. Most retailers provide samples, but we go one step further. We bring our large samples to you and can often leave them with you for a few days so you can experience your carpet in different lighting.

Budget: How much you have available to spend will be a factor. Include budget for underlay, gripper and fitting. We like to fit on new underlay and some manufacturers' warranties insist on it. Although it can't be seen it can reduce carpet wear.

Terms and Conditions: We provide you a free, all inclusive, written quotation and you can change your mind provided we haven't ordered your carpet!