Terms and conditions for a carpet and flooring fitter

Flooring is sold on the sample and judged on the floor, and the two are separated by a subfloor the customer has never seen and a delivery date the supplier controls. Terms that deal with measuring, preparation, customer-supplied flooring and what happens when the batch does not match the sample are what I draft, for a fixed fee of £995 in five working days.

Who this is for

Carpet, vinyl, laminate and wood flooring fitters in England and Wales, whether you supply and fit, fit flooring the customer has bought elsewhere, or work for retailers and landlords. The terms are written mainly for homeowners, with a section for landlords, agents and retailers as business customers.

What matters in flooring terms

Measuring, estimates and the subfloor

If you measure, the terms should say your measurements are used; if the customer measured, they should say the quantities are at the customer's risk. The subfloor is the real issue: the terms should make levelling, moisture treatment, ply and repairs extras to be quoted when the old floor comes up, and should say that you are not responsible for problems caused by a subfloor the customer chose not to have treated.

Preparation, furniture and old flooring

The price should assume rooms are cleared, or state the charge for moving furniture, disconnecting appliances and uplifting and disposing of old flooring. If you take old flooring away you must be registered as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency. Door trimming and moving skirting are separate items, and the terms should say whether they are included.

The goods, samples and batches

Where you supply the flooring, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 applies to the goods, which must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, as well as to the fitting, which must be done with reasonable care and skill. The terms should say that natural materials vary, that batch and dye lot differences from a sample are not defects, and that the customer must inspect goods on delivery. Where the customer supplies the flooring, the terms should make clear it is fitted at their risk and that you take no responsibility for its quality or quantity.

Cut-to-size goods and the right to cancel

A job agreed at the customer's home or by email gives a consumer 14 days to cancel under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Flooring cut to the customer's measurements may fall within the exception for goods made to the consumer's specification, but the fitting service does not, so the terms and the order form need the customer's express request before cutting or fitting begins within the period. Deposits should be explained as covering goods ordered for the customer.

Warranties, snagging and payment

Your fitting guarantee should be defined and kept separate from the manufacturer's product warranty, which depends on the manufacturer's conditions and on correct use and cleaning. The terms should give a short snagging window after fitting and say that minor snags do not justify withholding the balance. Payment should be due on fitting, with the deposit taken on order, and business customers can be charged interest and compensation on late payment under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted around your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want to know how much of a problem they are. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Buying online forms the engagement on payment. The scope is what the terms and conditions drafting page describes, you accept the Terms of Service at checkout, and I email you within four working hours to get started. If you would rather ask something first, email me.

What you get

• A full set of terms drafted around your business, not a template with your name inserted
• A covering note in plain English explaining every commercial choice I made and why, so you can defend the terms in a negotiation without ringing me
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions set at a level that will survive a procurement review
• Consumer-facing wording drafted to be enforceable where you sell to consumers
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly, which is where most businesses actually fail
• One round of amendments after you have read them

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country

Questions I am often asked

The customer says the carpet is a different shade from the sample. Is that my problem?

If you supplied it, the goods must match their description, and the terms should say that a reasonable batch variation from a sample is not a defect, which is the usual position with textiles. If the customer supplied it, it is not your problem if the terms say so.

Can I refuse to fit over a damp subfloor?

You can, and the terms should give you the right to stop, to charge for time spent, and to quote for treatment. Fitting over a known problem at the customer's insistence should be recorded as at their risk.

Do I need different terms for fitting work I do for a retailer?

The same document can cover it with a business customer section, and if the retailer wants you on its own terms, that is a contract review rather than terms of your own.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495, if a main contractor or business customer has sent you their terms to sign
• Terms and conditions for a kitchen and bathroom fitter, which deals with the same supply-and-fit issues

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.