How to upskill with carpet fitting training

Carpet fitting is always an in-demand trade. Trade professionals with the right carpet fitting training should find plenty of work opportunities.

For example, in 2024, there were over 131,000 job searches for carpet fitting on the Checkatrade website.* Fancy a slice of that interest?

It’s a profitable trade business to consider. The average annual salary for a carpet fitter will also depend on your skill level. With more experience, you’ll be able to earn and charge more.

Carpet fitting courses can also cover more than just carpets. Training can often cover other flooring types including:

• Carpets
• Vinyl and lino
• Wood
• Laminates

Once trained, you could earn more working for yourself. Perhaps use the skills you learn from a carpet fitting course to start your own carpet fitting business.

Skills needed to become a carpet fitter

Carpet fitting courses provide the technical training to make you a professional. You’ll also need other skills to be really good at your work.

If you’re thinking of starting a carpet fitting business, these business skills are essential:

Excellent customer service

Carpets can be expensive items for homeowners. You’ll need to make sure they are happy throughout the process.

You could be taking carpet samples to customers and helping them to choose. It helps if you can advise customers on types of carpets, colours and thickness.

Good communication skills

You’ll probably also need to work closely with other tradespeople. In particular, plumbers, electricians and painters if you’re working on a new or refurbished property.

Also, you might need to discuss exact orders with carpet suppliers.

Attention to detail

You’ve got to get it right the first time with carpet fitting. That’s why it is highly skilled work. Mistakes can be hard – and expensive – to put right afterwards

Patience

A lot of carpet fitting is meticulous. You could be under time requirements, so make sure you can work well under pressure.

Maths and problem-solving skills

This includes working out the best way to cut and lay carpets. After all, many rooms are unusually shaped. Then there are sums to do. You’ll need a head of figures to provide quotes and invoices.

Don’t worry if preparing quotes and invoices isn’t your forte. We can help – Checkatrade members get access to use our free quoting and invoicing tool.

Good level of fitness and dexterity

Carpets aren’t light! There could be a lot of manual handling involved. You’ll also need good dexterity for cutting carpets to the correct size. The laying and finishing can be fiddly. You could also work in confined areas and on your hands and knees.

Other important aspects include:

• Driving licence
• Health and safety awareness
• Manual lifting
• Using adhesives, solvents and other chemicals
• Using equipment, including sharp instruments and powerful staplers

What to look for in carpet fitting courses

We’ve looked at the personal skills you’ll need as a carpet fitter. Now, let’s see what technical skills the role requires. Here are some of the expertise that carpet fitting training should provide:

Measuring up

• Learn the art of measuring spaces for carpets and floor coverings

Preparation work

• Removing old carpet and coverings
• Cleaning surfaces
• Levelling floor spaces ready to fit carpets

Cutting carpets

• Using specialised tools for cutting
• Making carpets the right shape to fit round obstacles, like fireplaces
• Cutting for angled areas and doorways

Laying

• Putting down underlay
• Stretching and tucking carpets
• Using specialised tools for joining sections of carpets and trimming excess areas

Finishing off the job

• Rehanging doors if you have to remove them to fit the carpet
• Sorting out any imperfections in carpets once they have been laid

Finding the right carpet fitting courses

It will take time to complete a carpet fitting course. So, it’s best to look locally.

That’s why tradespeople usually start off by asking: “Are there carpet fitting courses near me?”

Carpet fitting apprenticeships

The basics for this trade are available in a carpet fitting apprenticeship. Apprenticeships provide on-the-job training, so you’ll probably want one near you.

Professional carpet fitting courses

The Contract Flooring Association (CFA) supports trade businesses that supply and install commercial floors. Its training guide is a useful place to find out about the skills you need.

Remember, too, that many residential and commercial spaces feature non-carpet alternatives. For example, to use more sustainable and environmentally-friendly materials for flooring.

Between them, the CFA and the National Institute of Carpet Floorlayers set up the Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA). This is the training organisation where you’ll find carpet fitting courses.

Flooring Industry Training Association carpet fitting courses

For domestic and commercial interiors, the Flooring Industry Training Association (FITA) offers a range of carpet fitting courses. NVQs are available for floor covering operations.

FITA runs carpet fitting courses for:

• Domestic installers
• Commercial installers

Take your carpet fitting business to the next level

With professional carpet fitting training under your belt, you’ll be ready to look for job opportunities. Checkatrade members receive our help with new enquiries.

There are lots of other benefits of Checkatrade membership too.

They include:

• Dedicated membership advice team
• Work guarantee up to £1,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive offers and discounts
• Up to 20% off Public Liability Insurance
• Reduced cost of workwear and branding
• Use of the dedicated members app for job management and invoicing
• Savings on other business essentials such as vans, fuel and materials

Key takeaways

• Carpet fitting skills can be applied to other types of flooring, such as wood, vinyl and lino
• As well as carpet fitting training, you’ll also need good business skills like being a good communicator, working with others, manual dexterity and maths knowledge
• Carpet fitting courses teach you about measuring up spaces, preparing them, cutting and laying
• Carpet fitting courses are available from trade associations and trade businesses, that offer apprenticeship and NVQ qualifications

* Internal search data from consumers using the Checkatrade.com website in 2024