How to remove old carpet

It costs 20 cents per square foot, plus a dumping fee, to have your carpet removed by a professional. (Dumping fee depends on the weight of the carpet and cushion.)

To save money, some people may prefer to remove old carpet themselves.

If you decide to tackle the job on your own, here are a few dos and don'ts to effectively remove carpeting:

Do cut the carpet into 3- to 4-foot wide strips. The strips will roll up neatly, making the carpet easier to carry out of the room.
Do make sure to remove all the bits and pieces of cushion and staples. If you have a wood subfloor the cushion will be stapled to it, so check to ensure that all the bits are removed after you've pulled up the cushion.
Do carefully scrape away all glue and cushion that remain after pulling up cushion that had been glued to a concrete slab floor.
Don't leave behind debris from your old flooring. If you do, the installers will have to complete the job of removal before installing new flooring.
Do remember that you will feel every little bump left under the new cushion and carpet.
Don't leave the old carpet outside where it could get wet and therefore messy and heavier to take away.