Broadloom Carpet Takeoff Services for Commercial Bids
A carpet takeoff measures every carpeted room and converts it into the square yards you must order once roll width, seam placement, pile direction and pattern match are applied. CFE uses Callidus® to lay out each roll cut, so the gross quantity reflects the real installation rather than a flat waste percentage added to the net area.
Why broadloom carpet is hard to estimate
Carpet is manufactured in fixed roll widths, most commonly 12 feet, with some products made 13'6" or 15' wide. A room that is 14 feet wide cannot be covered with one 12-foot width, so a second cut is needed and the leftover strip may or may not be usable elsewhere. Multiply that across corridors, offices and open areas and the difference between net and gross can be large.
Patterned carpet adds another layer. The pattern must align at every seam, which means each cut is extended to the next full repeat. Directional products must also run the same way across adjoining rooms, which limits how fill pieces can be reused.
| Factor | Effect on the carpet quantity |
|---|---|
| Roll width (12', 13'6", 15') | Determines how many cuts each room needs and how much side drop is left over. |
| Pattern repeat (length and width) | Each cut grows to the next full repeat; large repeats add significant waste. |
| Pile direction | All pieces in a space must run the same way, limiting reuse of drops. |
| Seam placement | Specifications often keep seams out of doorways and high-traffic lanes, which can force extra cuts. |
| Room geometry | Angled walls, columns and small rooms create offcuts that cannot be used. |
| Borders and inlays | Separate products and hand-cut details add material and labor items. |
What a CFE carpet takeoff includes
- Net square feet and square yards of each carpet by finish code and area
- Gross square yards based on an optimized Callidus roll layout
- Cut list and seam diagram showing roll direction and seam locations
- Separate quantities for borders, inlays and walk-off carpet
- Wall base, transitions and stair nosings as separate line items
- Notes on specification requirements such as seam sealing and pattern match
See how the layouts look on our seam diagram and shop drawing page.
How do you convert carpet square feet to square yards?
Divide square feet by 9. A 1,800 SF office needs 200 SY of carpet before waste. Broadloom is usually priced and ordered by the square yard, while plans are measured in square feet, so the conversion appears on almost every carpet bid. Use our square feet to square yards calculator for quick checks.
Broadloom or carpet tile?
Many commercial projects mix both: carpet tile in open offices and broadloom in corridors, ballrooms or premium spaces. Carpet tile usually has less waste, since tiles can be rotated and reused, but its estimating rules differ. See carpet tile estimating for those details.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much waste should I add to a broadloom carpet estimate?
There is no single correct percentage. Plain carpet in large open areas may need under 10%, while patterned, directional carpet in small rooms or corridors can need much more. A roll layout for each area gives a more reliable figure than a flat percentage.
What is a carpet seam diagram?
A seam diagram is a drawing that shows where each carpet seam falls, the direction of the roll and how each cut fits the room. It supports the bid, the installer's plan and submittals that require seam layouts.
What roll width is commercial carpet?
Most commercial broadloom is 12 feet wide. Some products are made 13'6" or 15' wide. Always confirm the width on the manufacturer's product data, because it changes the layout and the gross quantity.
Do you include carpet pad and stairs?
Yes, when they are in the documents. Cushion, stair treads and risers, nosings and transitions are listed as separate quantities so each can be priced.
How many square yards are in a 12-foot carpet roll?
Each linear foot of a 12-foot-wide roll is 12 square feet, or 1.33 square yards. A 100-foot cut of 12-foot carpet is 1,200 SF, which is about 133.3 SY.
Should carpet seams run with the corridor or across it?
Most specifications run seams lengthwise down corridors and keep cross seams out of doorways and traffic lanes. Follow the project specification and the manufacturer's seaming guidelines, which a seam diagram documents.
Need this takeoff done for your next bid?
Send your plans and specs. Most CFE takeoffs are completed within 24–48 business hours of receiving complete documents.
Written by
Cristian Valcu – Founder & CEO, Commercial Flooring Estimating LLC
Cristian Valcu is a U.S.-based commercial flooring estimator with over 20 years of experience estimating with Callidus software in the commercial flooring industry. He is an expert in reading and interpreting floor plans, specifications and project-related information, and in producing full takeoff reports with quality material takeoffs based on all available bid documents.
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