help with carpets please!

[cuppaneeded]

we have just had John Lewis round to give us an estimate about how much it would be to carpet our house. The quote is really high and I'm not sure whether shopping around is a good idea or whether it is a false economy. With JL, I know the advice will be sound, the goods and delivery will be reliable and I know the fitting will be good. Does anyone have any other good ideas? My husband and I are happy to shop around but just don't know where to begin. For example... are there any buzz words to use in terms of quality? Eg, when I was looking at wooden floors, I soon learnt the difference between solid and engineered, laquered and oiled etc.

I would really appreciate your help

Thank you!

Not sure about JL but many shops eg. B&Q will sell goods at a reasonable price and seriously sting you on fitting. If your quote is for JL carpets and fitting, I'd find out the cost separately and get quotes for what a local tradesman would charge. If the carpets include fitting then I would contact a tradesman for quotes for fitting and try and find out what brands they recommend or what to look out for.

We bought our carpets from a local supplier and managed to get the carpets a bit less than John Lewis and the fitting substantialy less - the fitters are all people who live round here and don't have to travel far. The carpet shop is just a unit on a cheap industrial estate so their overheads are much less. Is there anywhere like that around you OP? It would be worth checking them out.