Whether you are renovating a newly purchased home or sprucing up your current space, fresh floors can make your living areas feel bigger, cleaner, and more luxurious. However, budgeting for your flooring project can be a complicated process. Estimating your flooring installation cost requires tracking multiple moving pieces ranging from regional labor rates to the square footage of your home. Use this guide to better calculate floor installation costs to identify your ideal budget for this project. Here’s what you need to know when evaluating your flooring options.
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Shop FlooringWhat Determines Flooring Installation Cost?
The cost of your floor install will vary depending on what materials you choose, who does the work, and the style of your home. Here are a few determining factors and how you can account for them.
The Type of Flooring
The type of flooring you choose is one of the biggest determinants of your flooring installation cost and also one of the easiest expenses to calculate. Before you even start comparing the labor costs of companies, you can identify your ideal flooring option and calculate your costs based on your square footage.
The cost to install carpet will almost always be cheaper than installing hardwood. Vinyl is also a more affordable option than hardwood but comparable to carpet. Along with getting an estimate flooring cost for your project, make sure the materials you choose are right for you. Choose flooring options that are durable, easy to maintain, and give your room the feel you need. Otherwise, you might end up redoing to entire project sooner than you think.
By Square Footage of Flooring
The list below highlights how your flooring installation cost estimates will vary depending on the materials you choose. Even selecting similar alternatives to expensive materials (like engineered wood instead of hardwood) can help you save considerably without sacrificing quality. Here are a few high-level estimates of what you can expect to pay for different flooring materials.
- Cost of Carpet: $3.50—$11 per square foot
- Cost of Vinyl Flooring: $2—$14 per square foot
- Cost of Laminate Flooring: $3—$13 per square foot
- Cost of Engineered Wood Flooring: $4.50—$16 per square foot
- Cost of Hardwood Flooring: $6—$25 per square foot
Materials costs vary depending on the brands you choose and their quality. For example, you could buy cheap carpet for less than four dollars per square foot, but you might want to invest in a higher-end option that doesn’t wear out quickly and repels stains and odors.
Flooring Labor Costs
The next step for estimating your flooring installation cost is to calculate your labor needs. Labor costs vary from one city to the next, with different operating and cost-of-living costs affecting prices. Your labor costs will also vary depending on the rooms that need new flooring. For example, a small galley kitchen might be easier to work on than a larger open kitchen, dining, and living room floor space. Here are a few estimated labor costs by room.
- Living rooms: Depending on the size of the room, living room flooring installation costs can range from $800 to $4,800.
- Bedrooms: Bedroom flooring installation costs can range from $400 to $3,600 on average.
- Kitchens: Kitchen flooring installations costs are usually between $300 to $3,000 for kitchen spaces.
However, each home is unique, so depending on your region and the materials you choose, it can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 to furnish a 1,000-square-foot home.
How to Do a Rough Estimate
When it comes to flooring Tooele homeowners can run a few basic calculations to estimate the costs before giving plans a green light. Start by estimating your cost of materials. This is the cost per square foot multiplied by the square footage you need to cover.
Here’s a basic example:
- You select carpet that costs $8 per square foot.
- You are recarpeting a 10 x 20 bedroom, which is 200 square feet of space.
- Your carpet costs would be about $1,600 for the bedroom.
Flooring labor costs are usually between $2 to $8 per square foot. For the same 200-square-foot bedroom, you would estimate between $400 to $1,600 for labor. This means the total cost of your flooring labor project would fall between $2,000 and $3,200.
Your next step would be to reach out for quotes to see what local companies charge for their labor cost to install carpet flooring (or whichever flooring you choose). You can use your calculated estimate to see which companies are overcharging in your area and which ones have fair prices (CLICK THE ➕TO LEARN MORE).
➕Cost to Install Carpet
When tracking how much does flooring labor cost, carpet will almost always have lower rates than other materials. This is because it’s easier to roll out a line of carpet instead of placing individual plants for wood, vinyl, or laminate projects. In most cases, homeowners will pay between $2 and $8 to have carpet installed.
Be sure to ask about any water resistance layers that prevent moisture from seeping through your carpet and into your foundation. Also, confirm that the labor costs include removing and hauling away your old carpet.
➕Cost to Install Hardwood Floor
The cost to install hardwood floors is much higher than other materials, with customers paying between $11 to $25 per square foot for this flooring. Hardwood floor installation cost is higher because this is a more complicated material to handle. It requires more time and greater expertise.
Customers can save by considering engineered hardwood, which usually only costs between $7 to $20 to install. This wood looks just as nice and can last like traditional hardwood, but is more affordable.
➕Cost to Install Vinyl Flooring
The cost to install vinyl flooring is closer to carpet than hardwood. Most homeowners can expect to pay between $2 to $10 per square foot, depending on the type of vinyl they choose. Luxury vinyl planks can cost up to $16 per square foot to install. More advanced vinyl materials might have more complicated installation steps but are also designed to last longer.
Confirm the type of vinyl with your installation crew so they feel comfortable working with the materials. This will allow for an accurate estimate of the costs.
Other Details to Keep in Mind
While calculating the average cost of flooring removal and installation is an important step when evaluating this project, there are a few additional details to keep in mind. Here are a few best practices that can reduce stress.
✅Provide a buffer in the budget for waste costs. Some materials will go to waste because they are stained or broken.
✅Prepare a home for flooring installation. Remove as much furniture as you can or ask if your flooring company does this for you. Create plans for kids and pets to be away from the construction because the unfinished flooring can be dangerous.
✅Set a time frame for the project. No one likes the disruption that comes with home construction. Identify a clear period to get everything done so you can resume normal living.
Additionally, have a realistic picture of what the project looks like. There’s a big difference between replacing the carpet in the rarely used guestroom versus uprooting the flooring in your kitchen. You may want to budget for temporary housing (like renting an Airbnb for a few days) so you don’t live in a construction zone.
Finally, here are a few things to keep in mind as you start your flooring search:
- Carpet is almost always the cheapest flooring to install because it is simple. There aren’t individual plants to connect or cut. It is also usually the easiest and quickest.
- Hardwood is almost always the most expensive flooring to install. This is because each piece of wood is individually placed and glued.
- Your underflooring matters. Make sure your floors will last by preventing moisture from seeping through. A good base can protect your house and your floors for years.
- Take steps to protect your floors. Regardless of whether you choose carpet or hardwood, embrace healthy habits to keep them looking their best.
If you’re ready to begin your new flooring plans, be sure to start with quality by contacting Liddiard Home Furnishings before you start your home flooring project. We will give you a fair labor cost to install hardwood floor designs, carpeting, vinyl, or whatever you need. Ask how you can save on the overall project while working with trusted professionals. Reach out today.
There’s no beating around the bush—installing home flooring is a big job, so having a solid plan is the best course of action to avoid costly mistakes. Now that we’ve covered the basics in this guide, you’re ready to explore the right flooring for your home, budget, and taste in style. Visit our Toole flooring showcase today to about how Liddiard Home Furnishings can help you save on your next home flooring project!
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For over 65 years, Liddiard Home Furnishings has been providing Utah with premium home furnishings. This family-owned business has worked to deliver a better kind of shopping experience to the greater Salt Lake City area. Whether it’s the carefully laid out showroom or the outstanding customer service, when you shop at Liddiard’s, you’ll feel like family. The team at Liddiard has crafted a catalog full of incredible products made by brands with reputations for quality. Shop online or visit our showroom to discover what makes Liddiard Home Furnishings so unique.
Shop Flooring at Liddiard Home Furnishings
For the home furnishings you need, visit Liddiard Home Furnishings in Tooele, UT. You’ll find the best prices when you shop flooring online. Check out Liddiard reviews, and if you have questions, our friendly product experts are always happy to help you break down flooring installation cost — whether you call us at 435-882-0964 or use our online chat feature. Visit our Tooele showroom today!
Learn More: 6 Stunning Wood Look Vinyl Flooring Styles That Look Like Real Hardwood