I don't know the cost either, but don't skimp on the pad underneath. My uncle did the carpet in our old house in Washington and he got us the best pad you could get. It was awesome.
Yep. Get the solid run of foam rather than the pieces glued together. Usually it's quilted and it's pink. Depending on your area of the country it should run about $2.50-$4.00 a yard. A good carpet will feel like crap with a bad pad, but a so-so carpet will feel great with a good one. It also won't break down as quickly, which means your carpet will last longer.
When you look for carpet, first decide on the type you want (frissee, shag, plush, berber, etc.). I prefer open loop vs. closed loop because the latter can run with pulls. You want to look for twist count and density. The higher the better. Wool is superior, but expensive. Nylon is fine. After that, choose your color.
In terms of how much you need, you can't go by total square footage. You need to measure each room. Carpet rolls come in 12 foot widths. Therefore, you won't always be able to get just the amount of your house. 10-12% extra is normal. Keep any decent-sized scraps. You can use them for floormats, runners and as replacement pieces for damaged areas.
The area sounds like it should be small enough to get remnant pieces. Shop carpet discount centers rather than retail shops. Do your homework. You should be able to get something decent between $12-25 per yard. Tearout should be $1 per yard and haulaway should be $1 per yard. Installation should be $1.50-$2.50 per yard.
Whoever you buy your carpet from, get a list of recommeded carpet installers. They'll pass on the best people.
If you decide to do tearout yourself, you'll save money and also have time to prep the sub floor. Vacuum it completely. If there are any stains, cover them with Kilz. If there is cat urine, go to a PetSmart and purchase an enzyme cleaner. Regardless, you'll want to give the subfloor a few days to breathe.
If I think of anything else, I'll post it, but that's just some info to get you started.
Good luck and I hope you get the house.
55000 townhouse? Wow.. at first I was shocked on such an expensive car payment.. but now I read it right, and its a low mortgage.
