Estimate carpet material, padding, and installation costs for your project
Quick Answer:A standard 12x12 ft room needs about 16 square yards (144 sq ft) of carpet. With 10% waste, budget for ~18 sq yd. At $4/sq ft material plus padding and installation, expect roughly $900-$1,000 total.
Total Project Cost
Calculating... for all rooms
Total Area
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square feet
Square Yards
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with waste factor
Linear Feet
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of carpet roll needed
Cost Per Room
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average per room
When buying carpet, always round up to the nearest full roll width. A 13-foot wide room with 12-foot carpet will require a seam, adding material and labor costs. Consider upgrading to 15-foot rolls for rooms wider than 12 feet. Also, negotiate with installers for multi-room discounts -- most will offer 10-15% off for 3 or more rooms done at once. Keep leftover carpet for future repairs.
Multiply the room length by the width to get the square footage, then add 10% for waste. For example, a 12x15 ft room is 180 sq ft, plus 10% waste equals 198 sq ft of carpet needed. Convert to square yards by dividing by 9 (22 sq yd). For irregularly shaped rooms, break the space into rectangles, calculate each separately, and add them together. Always round up when ordering.
In 2026, average carpet costs range from $2-8 per square foot for materials, plus $1-2 per square foot for padding, and $0.50-2.00 per square foot for installation. A typical 12x12 room costs between $500-$1,700 fully installed depending on carpet quality. Budget-friendly options like polyester start around $2/sq ft, while premium wool or nylon can exceed $8/sq ft.
Carpet is traditionally sold by the square yard, though many retailers now price by the square foot. To convert square feet to square yards, divide by 9. When comparing prices, always convert to the same unit. A carpet listed at $36 per square yard is $4 per square foot. Our calculator shows both measurements for easy comparison shopping across different retailers.