We bought an Asian area rug from Costco Home in Kirkland, but we bought our main carpet from Contract Furnishings Mart. I take it you're in Ashland, OR from your handle? Check out CFM...they have an office in Portland. Every brand of carpet and pad from cheapest to most expensive, at contractor prices, meaning about 50% off retail. All you need is a contractor's name and phone number (you can use your GC or one of your subs). You pay for it directly, and your installer picks it up for installation from the warehouse in Portland. They can give you a list of installers. Or you can drive a truck/van up to Portland and haul it back yourself. You'll save a huge amount of money.

We also purchased the zero emission pad, made from the same Tempurpedic memory foam as the mattresses. Really amazing under bare feet, and it holds up better than regular pad....twice as long. In fact, when you replace the carpet, you're supposed to tell the installers to leave the pad in place and use if for another go round.

And your carpet lasts longer as the pad gives better support.

We purchase a 20-something year old townhouse last year with the original carpeting and decided to use Costco for our carpet needs. Because we live in a fairly small town they did not have a local designer that could come out, measure, bring us samples, etc., which is usually how their process works. Consequently we had to deal with a sales rep in the Atlanta area (6 hours from us) and rely on him for samples, which were sent FedEx to us. We never met the guy face to face. Costco contracts with local firms to do the measuring and installation. LoweÂs hardware did our measurements and a regional carpet retailer did the installation. The carpet was shipped directly to the installer so you donÂt have to worry about tons of carpet being dropped on your doorstep. The carpet is not cheap  it is a higher grade of carpeting and includes an upgraded pad in the sq ft cost. You have the option of upgrading that as well should you wish. We went with a commercial grade in our basement media room/office and stairwell and a plush in our upstairs bedrooms & stairwell. It wasnÂt the most user friendly purchase IÂve ever made but we are pleased with the carpeting. Also, IÂm not really sure how much money we saved since we didnÂt get quotes from other retailers. It seems like we still spent a lot (around $8K) but maybe it has been so long since we had to replace carpet I just didnÂt realize how expensive it was. Hope this helps!

A note of clarification....Our GC will be removing old carpet and installing new carpet at $7/ sq. ft. He wants us to pick out the carpet ourselves.

Bruno: Thanx for the advice on pad. We definitely want a new one because I don't think the one we have is of a high quality. Does the "zero emission" pad means it is "green?" And yes, we are in Southern Oregon which is still a long ways from Portland.

Whoa! $7/sq foot for removal and installation is HIGH! Does your GC let you sub some of the stuff yourself? My contractor did almost everything but HVAC, masonry and carpeting (he did framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, etc). You should be able to get installation and removal for $3-5/sq foot. I've had carpet installed in two houses in five years in two different states. One place charged $4/sq foot for install and removal, while the other charged $2/sqft just for install.

I actually have found really good luck at those Georgia Carpet/Dalton Direct carpet outlet type places. They generally have some decent, higher grade carpet they buy in bulk and keep in huge rolls on the floors. You won't have much choice in colors, but if you like neutrals, you should have no problem finding something. Since they buy in bulk, the cost is much, much less than most carpet places which require a special order. Also, depending on the size of the room, I have found some VERY NICE remnants at these places. I saw a beautiful 60 oz frieze that was, maybe, 12 x 15 for something like $250. Some remnants are big, some are small. Anyway, good luck!

Kim

It sounds like the GC is doubling the cost of the carpet removal and install. $3.00-$4.00 per yard including haul away is a fair price for carpet work. The only thing that I can think of that might raise it would be having to do serpentine seams which is a nice touch on some berber.

Oops! I meant to say our GC is charging $7/ sq. yd., not ft. I get measurements for wood flooring and carpets mixed up.

First find the color and type of carpet you're wanting, then go by these stores, and some carpet stores, and get bids.
Lowes/HD/CC won't necessarily be the best prices if you're looking for certain colors/designs. I've often found the best deals at my local carpet stores (not big box stores).

$7/yd can't be right either for total charge of purchase and install. It's probably the charge just for removal and install labor.........no carpet.

We are not happy with the white foam pad that Costco uses. Our carpet is 2.5 yrs old and you can feel and see traffic indenations on our stairway. The stairway leads to guestroom that is seldom used. Loren at Custom Decorators says read the fine print. Carpets must be cleaned every 2 years and halls and stairways are not covered. Her # is 1 888 992 2773!!I will follow up if things change.

Well the problem is that white foam pad Costco uses. It has no memory and retains traffic patterns. Coit said cleaning the carpet will not revive the pad.

i AM A LUCENSED AND INSURED CONTRACTOR WHO INSTALLS FOR COSTCO. I HAVE DONE THIS FOR 35 YEARS. I HAVE ALWAYS INSTALLED FOR LARGE STORES ALL MY LIFE. I WILL SAY COSTCO IS NOT CHEAP BUT THEY HAVE THE BEST PRODUCT 100% NYLON AND THE BEST OF BEST PADS. I USED TO SUPPLY THE PAD TO THEM BUT IN THE LAST 2 YEARS IT HAS GONE UP 9 TIMES DUE TO BEING PETROLEUM BASED PRODUCTS. THERE INSTALERS ARE VERY TOP KNOTH AS COSOTCO DOES NOT STAND FOR LESS. I WILL SAY ALLOT OF THE LOCAL SHOPS DUE HIRE UNDER THE TABLE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS CUTTING THE THROAT OF LEGITIMATE US CITIZENS. THEN THEY RIP YOU OFF IN A WEEK OR SO AS WELL AS THEY SCIOPE OUT YOUR HOME. BECAREFULL WHO YOU BRING IN YOUR HOME AS IF THEY GET HURT IN YPOUR PROPERTY YOU THE HOMEOWNER ARE RESPONCIBLE AS MY NEIGHBOR IS FINDING OUT FROM A HISPANIC GARDENER WHO SNIPPED OFF A FINGER HE IS SUING THE HOMEOWNER AS HE HAD NO INSURANCE. CHEAPER MAY NOT BE BEST. COSTCO ALSO MAKES YOPU SIGN A FORM ON COMPLETION THAT INSTALLER DID GOOD AND USED A POWER STRECHER. OPE THIS HELPS

*** BEST ANSWER

Costco is Expensive, because it is not Costco.
Costco does not sell carpet. A company using the trade name Custom Decorators leases square footage inside Costco so that they can put up their kiosks.
Pros:
The carpet they sell is good quality.
Cons:
You pay 40% more than you would pay at any carpet store.
Small selection.
Work given to lowest bidder and you lose the company's quality control.

A lot of profit is made on the padding, so the padding they give you is not good quality.
My recommendation is to go to a carpet store with a long history and reputation and not a big box store. Half the battle with carpet is having a good installer and carpet stores are usually hired by bigger companies for installations.

Here is a link that might be useful: A First Impression

We bought Shaw carpet thru the Toledo Ohio Costco store in April 2017. What a nightmare! Defective carpet installed twice, Costco carpet kiosk employees located in Seattle WA are rude, never apologize for all problems we have had. Poor follow up and communications. Costco keeps contact info a secret. Had to visit our local warehouse mgr twice for help. Watch out for cost of transition strips etc as they are very over priced. Costco is expensive, poor communication, no empathy for my terrible experience, no local help, have to work with headquarters. Read reviews on Shaw carpet, expensive and poor quality! Out of 180 reviews 127 rated very unsatisfied. Complaints of fading, separating, warranty not honored, matting and within first 6 months. Wish I would have read reviews first and not trusted Shaw and Costco! Never again and still waiting for final resolution.

I made the unfortunate decision to recommend Costco - Shaw carpet (Seattle area) to my daughter. They were higher, but explained Costco would be a better experience. It was truly terrible. Quote high, promised to sand a concrete small threshold lump (added this work to quote for a fee). Day of installation went by home - installers were beyond rude. They were lifting and moving a fridge in the middle of the room over and placing on newly installed carpet (hardwood guys left it in wrong spot, but things happen in life. Just wanted to find a quick workable solution. Installers Pablano and Tony had agreed to move outside it outside in the AM when speaking with my daughter). Came back with help and a dolly, but installers would not in any way help move the fridge 6" outside (it's old and not used so not worried about damage to fridge as they claimed, worried about leaking and damaging new carpet though). Said it wasn't in their work order.

Second, they wouldn't sand the quoted lump - again said wasn't in their work order (did another process I didn't see or trust at this point). Call the sales rep Jason - who told me too bad, they could do anything they wanted, what they did was actually better (Jason's boss Liz Long told my daughter they didn't sand as would cost 3xs what was quoted). Do you understand the lack of trust on our end?

Called Jason - Shaw sales rep (253) 431-XXXX hung up, he was on vacation and didn't really care to help solve. Really? Costco - this is the face of who is out representing your name!

Please re-consider other options when choosing carpet - I am a Costco stock holder and WILL NOT choose Costco again. BUYER BE AWARE ;(

Did you get your money back?

glad to have read all these articles before moving forward. I cancelled my appointment based on these readings. The quote process alone was a like herding cats. thank you

I read lots of blogs and articles and reviews about carpet, padding and installation. Most recommended to stay away from big box stores like Costco. I am the research queen. I chose a high quality nylon carpet by Shaw and 8 pound padding. I purchased it at a local carpet store who only use select highly experienced carpet installers. I now have beautiful carpet that is perfectly installed. The store also called me several times: both days of installation, to make sure I was a happy customer. I doubt you would always get that service from a big box store.