Licensed DC Flooring Contractor
Carpet Removal Company in Washington, DC
Tear-out, tack strip & staple removal, subfloor prep, and same-day haul-away. Family owned since · projects completed.
Pulling up old carpet looks simple until you're standing in a Petworth bedroom holding a razor knife, a pile of rusted tack strip, and 400 staples driven into 1920s pine. Purcell's Flooring is a licensed, insured carpet removal company in Washington, DC — we tear out carpet and pad, pull every tack strip and staple, prep the subfloor, and haul the debris away the same day so you never have to book a DPW bulk pickup.
We do removal-only jobs, and we do removal as step one of a new floor. Either way the price is quoted up front, the crew protects your stairs and hallways on the way out, and you get an honest read on what's underneath before anything else is ordered — because in a lot of DC rowhomes, the original hardwood under that carpet is worth refinishing rather than covering up again.
Estimated Cost of Carpet Removal in Washington, DC
Carpet removal pricing in DC comes down to three things: how the carpet is attached (stretched over tack strip vs. glued down), how many stairs are involved, and what the debris weighs at the transfer station. Here are typical ranges for Washington, DC properties. Your detailed estimate is free.
| Option | Typical Cost | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Carpet & Pad Removal | $1.25 – $2.25 / sq ft | Cut, roll, tack strip & staple removal, sweep, haul-away. |
| Glued-Down Carpet or Adhesive Scrape | $2.50 – $3.50 / sq ft | Commercial glue-down, marine-backed carpet, adhesive residue removal. |
| Stairs (per step) | $6 – $12 / step | Runner or full-wrap carpet, nosing staples, riser clean-up. |
| Haul-Away & Disposal Fee | $85 – $250 / job | Transfer-station tipping fees; scales with volume, not rooms. |
| Subfloor Repair (if needed) | $4 – $12 / sq ft | Rotted plank replacement, plywood patching, re-nailing squeaks. |
| Removal Bundled With New Flooring | Often $0 – $1 / sq ft | Tear-out discounted or included when we install your new floor. |
Ranges assume ground-level or elevator access. Walk-up third floors, condo COI requirements, and asbestos-suspect adhesive are quoted separately. Book a free on-site measure for exact pricing.
Our 4-step carpet removal process
Every job runs the same way, whether it's one Dupont Circle condo bedroom or a whole Capitol Hill rowhouse.
Test cut & walkthrough
We lift a corner in each room to confirm what's underneath and flag glue-down, moisture, or pre-1980 adhesive before quoting.
Protect & cut
Stairs, halls, and elevator lobbies get covered. Carpet is scored into manageable strips and rolled room by room.
Strip & scrape
Tack strip pried, staples pulled, adhesive scraped. This is the step DIY jobs skip — and the reason new floors telegraph bumps.
Haul & hand back
Debris loaded and taken to the transfer station same day. Subfloor swept, vacuumed, and photographed for your records.
What's under your carpet — and what it's worth
DC housing stock is old enough that carpet removal is frequently a discovery project. What we find changes what you should spend next:
- Original pine or oak strip flooring — common in pre-1950 rowhomes in Petworth, Brookland, and Capitol Hill. Often refinishable for far less than replacement.
- Plywood or OSB subfloor — standard in condos and post-war construction. Fine as a base for LVP, laminate, or new carpet; needs flattening before tile.
- Concrete slab — typical in English basements and high-rise units. Needs a moisture test before any wood product goes down.
- 9x9 tile or black cutback adhesive — a pre-1980 red flag. We stop and recommend testing rather than disturbing it.
- Water-stained or spongy decking — usually a slow leak or basement humidity. See water-damaged floor repair.
If the boards underneath turn out to be salvageable, we'll tell you — even though refinishing them is a smaller job for us than selling you a new floor. If they don't survive, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, and fresh carpet installation are all quoted at the same visit.
Carpet disposal & DC bulk trash rules
This is where most District DIY projects stall. Old carpet and pad from a single rowhome easily fills a pickup bed, and the District's bulk collection isn't built for it: DPW bulk pickup serves eligible residential properties only, has to be scheduled in advance, limits how many items go out per appointment, and won't take construction or renovation debris. Apartment and condo buildings are on private hauling contracts entirely — so carpet left by the dumpster becomes a management complaint, not a pickup.
We carry it out and take it with us. Debris is separated where it's practical, carpet pad is bagged rather than blown around your alley, and everything goes to a licensed transfer station the same day. You get an invoice line for disposal instead of a Saturday spent at Fort Totten.
Asbestos, lead & pet-odor subfloors
Three things turn a routine tear-out into a stop-work moment, and a carpet removal company that doesn't mention them isn't looking:
- Asbestos-suspect adhesive and tile. Black cutback glue and 9x9 tile under carpet in pre-1980 DC homes may contain asbestos. We don't sand or grind suspect material — we recommend testing and coordinate licensed abatement.
- Lead paint on baseboards. Homes built before 1978 may have lead-painted trim. Pulling carpet and tack strip along the base can chip it, so we work carefully and keep the area contained.
- Pet urine in the subfloor. Odor lives in the wood, not the carpet. We identify saturated areas under blacklight, then seal or replace the affected decking so the smell doesn't come back through your new floor. See pet-friendly flooring.
What's included with every removal
- Carpet, pad, tack strip & staple removal
- Same-day haul-away and licensed disposal
- Floor and stairwell protection during carry-out
- Subfloor swept, vacuumed & photographed
- Written subfloor condition report before new flooring is ordered
- Certificate of insurance for condo & HOA buildings
Neighborhoods we serve for Carpet Removal
We bring our crew and truck across all four quadrants — from Tenleytown and Cleveland Park in NW to NoMa, Brookland and Woodridge in NE, and the Waterfront and Wharf in SW. Popular areas include:
Frequently asked questions
How much does carpet removal cost in Washington, DC?
Most DC carpet removal runs $1.25–$3.50 per square foot including tear-out, tack strip and staple removal, and haul-away. Stairs are quoted per step, and glued-down carpet or a damaged subfloor adds labor. When we remove carpet as part of a new floor we install, the tear-out is usually bundled into the installation price.
Do you haul the old carpet away, or do I have to arrange DC bulk trash pickup?
We haul it away the same day. DC's Department of Public Works bulk collection only serves eligible single-family and small residential properties, requires a scheduled appointment, and caps how many items go out per pickup — which rarely works for a whole house of carpet and pad. Our crews cut, roll, and bag everything and take it with us, so nothing sits on your tree box waiting for a collection date.
What is under the carpet in an older DC rowhouse?
In most pre-1950 DC rowhomes it's original pine or oak strip flooring, often in good enough shape to refinish rather than replace. Above-grade condos usually have plywood or OSB subfloor, and basements are typically a concrete slab. We pull a small test section before you commit so you know what you're buying.
Can carpet removal disturb asbestos or lead in an older home?
It can. Cutback adhesive and 9x9 tile under carpet in homes built before 1980 may contain asbestos, and painted baseboards in pre-1978 homes may contain lead. We stop and recommend testing rather than sanding or scraping suspect material, and we coordinate licensed abatement when it's needed.
How long does carpet removal take?
A typical three-bedroom DC rowhome takes 3–5 hours for tear-out, tack strip and staple removal, and clean-up. Whole-house removal with stairs is usually a full day. If new flooring follows, we normally remove and install back-to-back so you're only out of the rooms once.
Do you remove carpet from condo buildings with elevator and COI requirements?
Yes. We're licensed and insured in DC and regularly work in buildings downtown, in Navy Yard, and along 14th Street that require a certificate of insurance, reserved freight elevator windows, and floor protection in common areas. Send us your building's move-in rules and we'll handle the paperwork before the crew arrives.
Related flooring services
Need Carpet Removed in DC?
Free, no-pressure estimates anywhere in the District — haul-away included.