What's usually under the carpet
In period houses, original pine or oak boards — often in far better shape than the owner expected, and restorable from £28/m². In post-war and modern homes, chipboard or screed, which means a new floor rather than a restoration. Lifting a corner in the doorway before you plan anything is five minutes well spent.
Warmth, sound and comfort
Carpet is warmer underfoot and absorbs sound, which is its real advantage in bedrooms and on stairs. A hard floor is colder unless there's underfloor heating, and it reflects sound — in a flat, that's an acoustic underlay question, and in a large open-plan room it's a rugs-and-soft-furnishings question.
Maintenance, allergies and lifespan
A hard floor is wiped rather than deep-cleaned, and it doesn't hold dust in the way a pile does. It also lasts substantially longer: a restored timber floor can run 10–15 years between refinishes with board life well beyond that, where carpet in a hallway is a repeat purchase.
- Bedrooms and stairs: carpet still has a strong case
- Hallways, kitchens, living and open-plan: hard floor wins on life and cleaning
- Flats: check the lease acoustic requirement before removing carpet
Practicalities of the swap
Gripper rods, staples and old underlay all have to come out, and the exposed subfloor tells us whether we're restoring or replacing. Threshold heights change when carpet goes — doors may need easing, which we identify at survey rather than on the day.