Carpet Removal Pricing Guide

Pre-job walk-through and scope confirm

Walk every room with the customer. Confirm rip-up vs haul-only, identify glued sections by pulling back a corner in each room, count stair flights, and note furniture that needs moving. Document scope in your job notes so there is no dispute at invoice time.

Carpet removal costs $150–$600+ depending on scope. Haul-away only for pre-ripped carpet runs $150–$300. Rip-up including pad, tack strips, and staple removal costs $250–$400 for rooms under 500 sq ft and $400–$600+ for larger areas. Stair carpet adds $50–$100 per flight. Glued-down carpet carries a 30–50% surcharge over standard tack-strip pricing because it takes 2–3× longer to remove. Whole-house rip-ups over 1,000 sq ft with stairs and glued sections can exceed $900.

A two-person crew can rip up, roll, and haul carpet from a standard 12×15 ft room (180 sq ft) in about 45–60 minutes including tack strips and staple removal. Larger rooms of 300–500 sq ft take 1.5–2.5 hours. Glued carpet doubles the time. Stair flights add 30–45 minutes each. Haul-only jobs where carpet is already ripped and staged take 20–40 minutes for loading and transport. Budget a full day for whole-house rip-ups exceeding 1,000 sq ft.

Yes, but recycling availability is limited. The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) operates collection points in select markets — check carpetrecovery.org for locations. Nylon fiber carpets have the highest recycling value. PET and polypropylene carpets are harder to recycle economically. Carpet pad made from foam can sometimes be sold to rebond manufacturers at $0.02–$0.05 per pound. In most markets, MSW landfill at $40–$80 per ton remains the standard disposal method.

Most professional junk removal operators include tack strip and staple removal as part of a full rip-up service. Tack strips are pried up with a flat bar and nails are extracted. Staples are pulled individually with end-cutting nippers or pounded flat with a hammer. A typical 12×15 room has 200–400 staples, and pulling them takes 20–40 minutes. Confirm that staple removal is included in your quote — some operators charge it separately at $50–$100 per room.

Standard general liability insurance covering carpet removal typically costs $1,200–$2,400 per year for a small junk removal operation, bundled into your overall GL policy. Carpet work is not classified as demolition under most policies. The primary claim risk is subfloor damage from pry bars or scrapers. Workers comp — required for crew members — adds $3,000–$6,000 per year depending on state rates and payroll. Puncture wounds from tack strip nails and knee injuries are the most common carpet-specific claims.