To not have underlay for carpets in new build?

[MoiraNotRuby]

Has anyone ever skipped underlay and how much difference did it make? I am moving to a well-insulated small-roomed house and need to carpet the whole place. Had a quote for a carpet that can be laid without underlay and it would save a lot of money.

Context is that I am working 3 jobs and still having to borrow money for the floor so want to minimise what I spend. I know everyone says 'get the best underlay you can afford' but realistically am I going to regret the lack of underlay or is it truly worth getting into more debt?

I have a local carpet shop. It's cheaper than carpet right etc all in and all the costs include a 9mm underlay as standard. Might be worth looking around?

Alternatively I'd be pretty tempted to just leave all the floors bare for now and buy proper carpet and underlay when you can afford it - otherwise you risk being in "buy cheap, buy twice" territory.

I recently recarpeted a rental. Really cheap carpet and underlay purchased from Amazon for £33 for a very large roll.
Carpet looks the business.
It's quite easy to lay yourself, as you don't have to go right to the skirting (got to leave room for the gripper rod stuff. Or ask on a local FB group, you might get a carpet fitter willing to do a little private job one evening for cash.
In my experience, laying carpet straight onto floorboards means new carpet in a few years. It will wear unevenly and you'll begin to see lines where the edges of the floorboards are.

@crochetmylifeaway

Never skip underlay. The difference is huge. My underlay was pretty cheap and when I moved after 10 years it was in such good condition that i took it with me and relaid almost my entire new house with it. Just needed new for a few steps on the stairs and the lounge.

You took your carpets and underlay with you when you moved house?

I can't imagine getting the keys to my new house, opening the door.... oh, they took the carpets!

Is this normal?

Sorry, what my post should say is....

GET THE UNDERLAY!

Have you looked here? I hit really high quality wool carpet & super thick & squishy underlay for my daughter’s bedroom and had a guy lay it & it was really cheap:

www.burts.co.uk/remnants/

@indiesearcher, it is not normal, no. But like everything in a house sale, it can be negotiated.

It's sound between floors that underlay absorbs, not so much neighbors noise to worry about in new builds unless in flats? I have noisy stompy kids and the floor creaks as it's not traditional floor boards.

I hear my neighbors shut their kitchen cupboard, but no other noise, no Tv, no shouting ( if they shout.)

I'm in a new build I meant to say that ! It's 5 year old. Who's the builder ?

@indiesearcher

You took your carpets and underlay with you when you moved house?

I can't imagine getting the keys to my new house, opening the door.... oh, they took the carpets!

Is this normal?*
*
It could be that the house was housing association. They rip all carpets and flooring out, regardless of the state of repair, where I live. I remember my friend's mum had put flooring down in their house (next door to us) about a year before she moved out. Then the council came in and ripped it all out, and the tenant had to pay out for all new flooring (ironically, the same type) again!

It is very easy DIY you just need a hammer for the rods and a Stanley knife to cut the underlay and a tape measure. Do you have a handy friend you could get to help you?

Definitely get underlay, even if you fit it yourself.

It's so uncomfortable to walk on carpet without underlay - you will 100% notice the difference.

We moved in January and bought a felt backed carpet without underlay in 2 rooms and 1 room with a good quality underlay, there's very little difference in warmth in any room at all. But the sound there is a difference. Noticeable but not awful. The carpet with underlay however is much nicer to stand on.