Taking up and re-laying carpets

[Stoatman]

Is it true if you take your carpet up, to either lay cables or improve underlay (both things I wish to do) you never get that same level of finish if you try and put it back yourself ?

Will a carpet fitter come and put back a carpet for you , how much would it be do you think ?. Seems like such a small job but i want it right !.

[njp]

The carpet will have been stretched slightly by the fitter to attach it to the grippers. He uses a knee kicker to do this. Ideally, you would use the same tool when replacing the carpet.

I've achieved decent results replacing carpets just by using a wide bolster chisel and a lump hammer to force the carpet back over the gripper and tuck the ends under the skirting board, but you might want to consider getting the proper tool for the job. It would be cheaper than getting a carpet fitter in (if you could even find one who was interested), and all the difficult work has already been done by the previous fitter.

[inzaman]

You just need a knee kicker really imo, i purchased one a few years ago for my cinema room as i need to take the carpet up now and again to service the pump; the knee kicker makes it so easy to put the carpet back. You also need something to get the carpet snug against the skirting board as well, i use a scraper.