Have you been thinking about a career change? Perhaps you’re about to leave school and are wondering what to do next. If you like the idea of doing a hands-on job and enjoy working in different environments, then being a carpet fitter might be right for you.
Of course, if you want the best start to your new venture then obtaining new skills and qualifications is a must. In the UK, there are several pathways you can take to become a carpet fitter. You’ll then be fully qualified to either work for an employer or set up your own business.
In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know on becoming a carpet fitter. This includes the education you’ll need, expected salary and even tips on starting your new business. So, let’s dive in!
Why Would You Want To Be A Carpet Fitter?
One of the greatest benefits of being a carpet fitter is that no two days will be the same. If you’re not the type of person that wants to be stuck at a desk all day, this is a job that may appeal to you. Each day you’ll visit new locations and work around new people. What’s more, if you work for yourself, you can choose where you travel. Want to explore the length and breadth of the UK or USA There’s no reason you can’t offer a national service.
Carpet fitting can be very intricate work and you’ll need to pay close attention to detail. But as a result of this, you’ll produce some impressive work which leads to high job satisfaction.
There are many ways you can grow your career and move up through the ranks as a carpet fitter. If promotion is on your mind, there’s lots of opportunities. But we will explore this in a little more detail later on.
What Qualifications Do You Need To Become A Carpet Fitter?
There is no legal requirement for a carpet fitter to obtain professional training. It’s not like someone who works with gas or electricity where safety certificates are required. However, if you want to get into the job as easily as possible, the more training you have, the better.
In the UK, there are typically three routes to becoming a carpet fitter; an apprenticeship, applying for on the job training or attending a professional training course.
Apprenticeships
Many people opt for an apprenticeship because of the chance to earn while you learn. This type of training involves two aspects. You will spend most of your week, usually 30 hours, doing on the job training. You’ll normally shadow a fully trained carpet fitter. The other part of your week will be spent at an education provider such as a college where you’ll learn the theoretical side of the job.
Normally, you will need to have GCSEs in at least English and maths in order to apply for an apprenticeship. For most people, an intermediate apprenticeship is the first step.
On The Job Training
There are a lot of employers out there who are willing to take on people without any experience. They will train them on the job provided that they have the right skills. For example, you’ll need to be good with your hands and be able to handle basic maths. A lot of employers also look for a positive attitude and good people skills as you’ll be dealing with the client directly.
Training Institutes
While not as common an option, some people decide to go to a specialist training institute. You might choose something like FITA (The Flooring Industry Training Association) or there is the Floor Skills Training Centre that also offers a variety of courses.
What Skills Do I Need To Become A Carpet Fitter?
In order to become a carpet fitter, it isn’t only your qualifications that you’ll need to think about. There are several other skills that you should possess to be the best carpet fitter you can be.
You should be diverse in how you work. Sometimes you will be working with other people. Conversely, there may be times that you have to work alone and use your initiative. More importantly, you should have excellent customer service skills as you will be directly dealing with your clients both over the telephone and face to face.
Since carpet fitting is a physically demanding job, you will need to have good levels of fitness. On top of this, you would be expected to have good coordination and dexterity.
Being able to drive is an advantage as you’ll have to travel to your client’s homes or businesses to do the work. Of course, you could team up with someone and have them, but this is far from reliable. Additionally, you’ll need to make sure you have an appropriate vehicle. If you’re self-employed, you will be responsible for this whereas if you work for someone else, they will usually provide this for you.
How Much Does A Carpet Fitter Earn?
The amount that you earn as a carpet fitter will depend on your level of experience and training. If you are doing an apprenticeship then you will be entitled to the minimum wage for your age group. Details of this can be found on the UK Government website.
Once you have established yourself as a carpet fitter, there is the potential to earn a decent wage. The national average currently stands at around £32,100 annually. However, some are earning as little as £17,000 while the most senior and experienced carpet fitters might bring home as much as £45,000 each year.
Someone who is an experienced self employed carpet fitter might be expected to earn considerably more than someone just coming out of an apprenticeship and working for an employer. But the good news is that there are lots of opportunities to progress.
What Can I Expect In My Day To Day Work?
Being a carpet fitter requires you to work between 40 and 47 hours a week, on average. This may include evenings and weekends so you will have to expect to be flexible, according to your client’s needs.
You won’t just be laying carpet; there is a lot more involved in this job. Each day may see you doing different tasks. This might include measuring, cutting, cleaning flooring surfaces ready for installation, moving furniture and removing old flooring.
Can I Progress My Career As A Carpet Fitter?
The beauty of working in a manual trade is that there are always new and exciting opportunities at your fingertips. If you’re willing to do further training, then you might expand your skill set to laminate flooring, tiling and other types of flooring. Of course, this will require you to work much harder as you’ll be working as a carpet fitter while also taking part in a course.
Is it worth it? Absolutely! The more skills you can get under your belt, the more business you will bring in.
However, if you wanted to stick with carpet fitting then you might progress in other ways. Some people work their way up in large companies and take on roles that include purchasing, estimating and supervising. Your options are vast.
But one thing that most people strive to achieve is the freedom of working for themselves. Not only will this open up the chance to work for a wider range of clients but you can work your job around your life. There is no greater feeling than that.
Tips On Starting A Carpet Fitting Business
The great news is that, in the UK, there is a shortage of high quality, experienced carpet fitters. So if you’re looking to set up your own business, there’s some real scope for success.
While you won’t need to have obtained any formal qualifications to set up a business, it is preferable. There’s no law that states a carpet fitter must be trained but think about if you were the client. Would you hire someone with no training or go for the carpet fitter with an array of achievements on his or her website?
Once you’ve got your training out of the way, the next step is to make sure that you have all of the relevant equipment for starting your business.
There are lots of other things to think about when starting a business including how you will finance it and marketing strategies. Making a business plan that assesses these things as well as aspects such as demand, pricing, the type of service you’ll offer and much more gives you an organised and easy to manage approach.
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Conclusion
Carpet fitting is a rewarding job and since there is a shortage of these tradespeople in the UK, there’s never been a better time to get started. You will usually need to undergo some sort of training, whether that be a private course, an apprenticeship or on the job training.
Once you have achieved this, you are free to apply for jobs or start up your own carpet fitting business. You’ll use a variety of skills and each day will be different so you’ll always look forward to getting up in the morning.
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