Carpet Remnants are one of the best kept secrets in the carpet business.

Few homeowners know that they can enjoy new carpet at a fraction of the typical cost for new carpet. The trick is knowing how to choose carpet remnants wisely.

How To Choose Carpet Remnants?

Anyone can easily save a ton of money buying Carpet Remnants or “In Stock” rolls carpet that may be available at your local carpet or flooring retailer.

This free report can give you the edge you need to save a bundle on new carpet for your home, office or rental!

What is a Carpet Remnant?

Local Carpet stores often order full rolls of carpet. After selling most of the roll to other customers, there is usually a small amount leftover.

This leftover material is called a Remnant or a Roll End. Sometimes called a Roll Balance.

The color, style and size of the carpet remnant varies widely and if you find a carpet remnant you like, and if it is the right size to fit your room, then you stand to save a lot of money!

Some folks buy carpet remnants to use as stair runners or for runners or area rugs anywhere in a home.

Remnants can be cut to any size you want and you can also have the edges bound to add beauty, increase stability and prevent fraying.

Carpet Stores With Rolls “In-Stock”

These “In-Stock” rolls of carpet are available for immediate purchase and quick installation, but some rolls of carpet may not be worth buying at any price….

Some of these rolls of carpet may have hidden manufacturing defects that you will not be aware of until after it has been installed in your home.

Most locally-owned carpet dealers have both manufacturer’s carpet samples and a number of in-stock rolls of carpet and carpet remnants available in limited sizes and colors.

Some smaller carpet stores don’t have enough room for in-stock carpet and may only have carpet samples for you to order from.

Many in-stock rolls of carpet displayed on the showroom floor are “second-grade” goods and do not come with a manufacturer’s new carpet warranty.

Ask your dealer if their in-stock rolls of carpet are first-quality or second-quality, and if they come with a manufacturer’s new carpet warranty.

If so, I suggest you read the warranty completely before you buy so you understand what you are expected to do to keep your new carpet warranty in force.

Carpet Remnants Explained

A carpet remnant is a length of carpet that is less than a full roll. Most carpet comes in rolls that are 12 feet wide and up to 200 feet in length.

If some of the roll has been previously sold it will leave a partial roll still available for purchase, this is either called a carpet Remnant or a Roll End.

What’s the difference? Remnants are usually about the size to do just one room, while a roll end or roll balance might be large enough to do several rooms.

So if you just want to carpet your bedroom, then you might do well buying a remnant and save 25 to 50% or more.

If you want to carpet several rooms then you might save more money buying a roll balance, perhaps up to 70% off the original retail price.

First-Quality vs. Second-Quality?

First-Quality are rolls of carpet that pass the manufacturing quality control and are sold with a full manufacturer’s new carpet warranty.

These are sold through authorized dealers that have mill samples on display for you to inspect, take home to consider and to place your order from.

Take my free Carpet Foot Traffic Test to help determine what grade of carpet you need to buy for your home and lifestyle.

Sometimes a carpet manufacturer makes a roll of carpet that fails to pass their quality control. This could mean the color did not turn out right or the roll has a defect of some kind.

These are considered Second-Quality goods. These rolls of carpets are often auctioned off in large lots to the carpet dealer with the highest bid.

There are dozens of reasons why a carpet might fail their quality control. When this happens they sell the carpet at a significant discount to any carpet seller.

Then the dealers sell them to you at a discount for you of up to 50% off retail for a full roll.

Important: If you plan to buy a roll balance or carpet remnant, be sure to ask the salesperson roll out the carpet completely so you can inspect it fully before you decide to purchase it.

Look for anything that might not look right. Pay close attention to color streaking, shading problems, watermarks or missing tufts.

Take a look at the carpet backing too; make sure there are no obvious abnormalities or defects.

What Makes a Carpet Second-Quality?

Some carpets may have missing tufts; some may have color dyeing, shading or streaking problems.

It could have a backing defect that can be difficult to detect until after it has been installed.

Some carpets are just leftover roll balances from larger jobs, overstock or discontinued goods. These are sold at a hefty discount to make room for new stock.

What is a Rem-Pac?

When the carpet manufacturer has too many roll balances they offer carpet dealers a special deal if they are willing to purchase a truckload of roll balances at a discounted price.

These are called rem-pacs or remnant packages. Carpet retailers that buy rem-pacs are able to offer consumers partial rolls of carpet or rems at a fraction of the original price.

Carpet dealers never know what will be included in a rem-pac, so it’s a gamble for them.

Buying a remnant can save you money so long as you are willing to accept the carpet as-is.

You can save up to 50% on a roll balance so long as you like the color and style.

You will likely not be able to purchase additional carpet of the exact same carpet in the future.

Do I Get a New Carpet Warranty?

You don’t get a manufacturer’s warranty on second-grade or discounted goods.

It’s possible to get a warranty from the dealer, but it will be very limited if   offered at all.

You may get a limited installation warranty from the dealer or from the independent installer you hire.

This can be helpful if your carpet is installed poorly and you need the installer to fix the problem.

Most installation warranties are good for one year. Learn more Carpet Installation Inspection Checklist

Should I Buy First-Quality Carpet?

Buying second-quality materials can be a smart way to go. If you are looking for a specific style, grade or color, order first-quality goods to achieve your goals.

That means ordering from a sample and waiting for the carpet to be shipped from the carpet manufacturer.

You only get a full new-carpet-warranty from the manufacturer if you buy first-quality goods.

See who I recommend near you, visit Alan’s List of Preferred Carpet Dealers

New Carpet Warranty Requirements

Most homeowners never need to make a warranty claim but when necessary it can be a daunting task.

New carpet warranties are written in such a way that it is very difficult to submit a valid claim.

Care and maintenance requirements must be performed in a timely fashion and is why most warranty claims are denied.

If you buy first-quality carpet, get a copy of the warranty and follow the guidelines to the letter.

Keep your sales receipt showing the cost of the carpet separate from the cost of the pad and installation.

Keep all receipts for periodic professional cleanings, use the recommended vacuum cleaner, use the correct pad type, thickness and density.

Be sure to have your carpet installed according to the CRI 105 installation standard guidelines.

Learn more What Carpet Style or Grade Should I Select?

Remnants and Roll End Discounts

In conclusion, anyone can save a significant amount of money by choosing carpet remnants and roll ends.

It takes patience to find the right size, color and style of carpet but your savings will be significant.

Negotiate a Better Deal

You are more likely to negotiate a better deal if the dealer has a large selection of remnants.

Sometimes dealers have too many remnants on hand and want to make room for other products. This puts you in the driver’s seat when the retailer wants to thin out their existing stock.

It never hurts to ask for an additional discount, especially if you find several remnants you are interested in.

The best place to find a good selection of carpet remnants is a well established, locally-owned flooring retailer.

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