Carpet supply only in Kent
Buying carpet or flooring supply only in Kent. What is included, what to measure yourself, and how it differs from supply and fit.
Supply only means exactly what it says: you are buying the flooring itself, and nothing beyond that. There is no survey visit, no fitting, no uplift of your old floor and no disposal included. What you get is the product, ordered to the specification you confirm, ready to collect from Unit 9, Matilda Close, Gillingham Business Park, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 0PY.
This route suits two kinds of buyer. The first already has a trusted fitter lined up and wants to source the material separately. The second is fitting the floor themselves, whether that is a straightforward vinyl in a small room or a carpet they are confident laying. In both cases, the responsibility for accurate measurement and correct installation sits with the buyer, not with us.
None of that makes supply only a lesser service. It simply shifts where the risk and the work sit. This page sets out what is included, what commonly gets forgotten, and where supply only stops and a full supply and fit service begins.
What is included and what is not
A supply only order covers the flooring product itself, cut or boxed to the quantity you order, along with any accessories you specifically add to that order such as underlay, gripper or trims. It does not include a site visit to check the subfloor, it does not include fitting labour, and it does not include taking away your old flooring.
If anything about the room changes between ordering and collection, such as a doorway being widened or a chimney breast being removed, that is not something we will know about unless you tell us, because there is no survey stage in this route.
Why measuring correctly is your risk on supply only
On a supply and fit job, our own team measures the room, so any error in quantity is caught before the order is placed. On supply only, the measurements come from you, and the order is cut to match what you provide. If the room is measured short, you may need a second delivery, and if it is measured long, you have paid for wastage you did not need.
This matters more with carpet than with vinyl or laminate, because carpet is usually supplied from a fixed roll width and cannot always be split and rejoined cleanly. Getting the room measured accurately before you order is the single most important step in a supply only purchase.
- Measure at the widest point of the room, not the narrowest
- Account for doorways, alcoves and stair nosings separately
- Check roll width against your room width before ordering carpet
- Add a wastage allowance rather than ordering to the exact metre
- Re-check measurements if any building work has happened since
Ordering the right quantity, direction and pattern repeat
Beyond raw square metres, carpet and some vinyl and laminate products have a pile direction or a pattern repeat that has to run consistently across joins. If a fitter lays two pieces with the pile running in different directions, the colour will visibly differ between them even though it is the same carpet.
Pattern repeat affects how much extra material is needed, because patterned boards or carpets have to be matched at the seam, which uses up more product than a plain design. If you are ordering supply only, tell us about pattern repeat and pile direction requirements before the order is confirmed, not after it has been cut.
Collecting your order from Gillingham
Once your supply only order has arrived, it is ready to collect from the Gillingham unit, where there is parking on-site to make loading straightforward. Rolled carpet and boxed vinyl or laminate can be heavy and awkward, so bring a vehicle suited to the size of the order and, ideally, a second pair of hands.
Check the order against your confirmation before you leave the unit. Once flooring has left the premises, it is much harder to resolve a mismatch in colour, batch or quantity than it is on the spot.
Accessories that are easy to forget
Supply only orders often focus on the flooring itself and overlook the smaller items that make a fitting job possible. Missing one of these can mean a wasted trip back to the unit halfway through fitting.
- Underlay matched to the flooring type and subfloor
- Gripper rods for carpet fitted with a stretch
- Door bars or trims to finish transitions between rooms
- Adhesive suited to the specific vinyl or LVT product
- Fitting tape or seam tape for joins
- Scotia or beading to finish against skirting
| Flooring type | Accessory often forgotten | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet | Gripper and underlay | Needed for a stretched, secure fit |
| Vinyl or LVT | Correct adhesive and seam tape | Wrong adhesive can affect the warranty |
| Laminate | Scotia and expansion gap fittings | Boards need room to move without lifting |
Fitting mistakes that void manufacturer expectations
Manufacturers set expectations around subfloor preparation, expansion gaps, adhesive type and acclimatisation time before fitting. On a supply only job, none of these are checked by us, which means the responsibility for following them sits with whoever is doing the fitting.
Common issues include laying laminate or LVT without letting it acclimatise to room temperature first, skipping a subfloor damp check, using the wrong adhesive for the substrate, or failing to leave the gaps a floating floor needs to expand and contract. Any of these can affect how the manufacturer treats a later warranty claim.
How supply and fit differs from supply only
A supply and fit service starts with a survey of the room, including a check of the subfloor, before any order is placed. That survey picks up problems, such as damp or an uneven floor, before they become fitting-day surprises.
From there, our own fitters handle uplift and disposal of the old flooring, preparation of the subfloor, and the fit itself, with one point of contact responsible for the whole job. If you would rather hand over that responsibility instead of carrying it yourself, that is the service to look at.
Frequently asked questions
- What exactly does supply only include?
- Supply only covers the flooring product cut or boxed to the quantity you order, plus any accessories you add to that order. It does not include a survey visit, fitting labour, or uplift and disposal of your old floor.
- Who is responsible if the room is measured wrong?
- On supply only, the buyer provides the measurements and carries the risk of an inaccurate order. There is no survey stage to catch errors before the order is cut, unlike on a supply and fit job.
- Can I collect a supply only order from the showroom address?
- Yes, supply only orders are collected from Unit 9, Matilda Close, Gillingham Business Park, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 0PY, where parking is available on-site to make loading easier.
- Do I need to order extra for pattern repeat?
- Yes, patterned carpets and some patterned boards need extra material so the pattern can be matched across joins. Tell us about pattern repeat before the order is confirmed, as it changes the quantity required.
- What accessories should I order alongside supply only flooring?
- Common items include underlay, gripper for carpet, door bars, adhesive and seam tape for vinyl or LVT, and scotia to finish against skirting. These are easy to forget when focused on the main flooring order.
- Will supply only fitting mistakes affect the warranty?
- They can. Manufacturers expect correct acclimatisation, subfloor preparation and expansion gaps. Since supply only does not include our checks on site, any fitting error that departs from those expectations is the responsibility of whoever installs the floor.
- How is supply and fit different from supply only?
- Supply and fit includes a survey, subfloor preparation, uplift and disposal of the old floor, and fitting by our own fitters, with one point of contact throughout. Supply only covers the product alone with none of that included.
- Can I switch from supply only to supply and fit later?
- Speak to us before ordering if you are unsure which route suits you. It is more straightforward to choose the right service from the start than to add fitting on after a supply only order has already been placed.
Where to go next
Our own fitters for a full supply and fit service.
What changes a quote, without listing prices.
The accessories a supply only order often needs.
Areas covered for supply only and supply and fit.
Check pattern repeat and quantity before you order.
The real cost differences between buying flooring supply-only and using supply-and-fit, including risks, warranties and guide-only price bands.
Measure a room for carpet, LVT or laminate without ordering short: roll widths, waste allowance, doorways, stairs and the mistakes that cost a second delivery.
See what makes up the cost of carpet fitting in the UK, from carpet and underlay to gripper rods, door bars and stair costs — guide-only ranges.
A realistic timeline of what to expect on the day your new flooring is fitted, and how to prepare your home beforehand.
Free measure, free written quote
If you would rather hand over measuring, prep and fitting, compare our supply and fit service before you order.
Showroom and warehouse: Unit 9, Matilda Close, Gillingham Business Park, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 0PY