How Much Does Flooring Installation Cost?

Flooring Cost Factors

It's not just the type of flooring you choose that impacts the cost of your flooring project. The square footage, labor rates in your area, whether you need new baseboards, subfloors or underlayment, or have stairs to incorporate all influence price. Old flooring removal and disposal, asbestos testing and remediation (if your house was built before the early 1980s), and mold remediation are all substantial cost factors to consider as well.

Material

The cost of materials starts at $0.50 per square foot for budget-friendly vinyl or linoleum. You've got hardwood at the other end of the range, which can run you up to $14 per square foot, not including installation fees. If you want something soft and comfortably warm, carpeting costs around $4.50 per square foot.  

Size

While larger projects cost more overall, they may have a discount per square foot. Small jobs may also cost more per square foot because most contractors have a minimum call-out fee to make a project worth their time. 

Labor

Labor rates vary between $1 and $15 per square foot. The cost range varies widely because of the differing difficulty, complexity, and time requirements for the various types of flooring. For example, the labor for installing laminate and vinyl flooring starts at $1 per square foot for a simple installation. For the same installation with mosaic or custom tiles, the cost can total $15 per square foot. Flooring installers typically charge $60 to $120 per hour, depending on their skill, the difficulty of the job, and your location.

Underlayment and Subfloor Replacement

Replacing the subfloor costs $2 to $2.50 per square foot, including removing and disposing of the old material. Installing underlayment costs $3.40 to $5.30 per square foot, including removal and disposal of the old material. 

The subfloor is the layer below the flooring. Common subfloor problems can include water damage and broken or sunken floorboards. Unless you have an obviously noisy floor or a sunken floorboard, you probably won't know if there are any issues unless a local flooring installer removes the flooring and exposes the subfloor. 

Underlayment is sandwiched between the flooring and the subfloor. It's not strictly necessary with tiles or hardwood, but it is considered a necessary addition for vinyl, laminate, and carpet. Underlayment reduces noise, acts as a moisture barrier, and can help with insulation. Plus it smoothes the surface and adds a bit of extra cushioning for added comfort. 

Removal and Disposal

Removing old flooring costs an additional $1 to $6 per square foot. Tearing up and disposing of old flooring material increases labor time, travel costs, and disposal costs. Carpet, vinyl, and laminate typically cost less to remove because the job is more straightforward; however, hardwood and tile are more challenging and therefore priced higher.

Moving Furniture

Moving furniture will likely be billed at the standard hourly rate of $60 to $120 per hour. If you have a lot of furniture or you're reflooring a large area, this can quickly add up. If you're able, moving the furniture yourself is a great way to save some money.

New Baseboards

Adding new baseboards costs $1.60 to $4.20 per linear foot. If the existing baseboards are damaged or excessively worn, you’ll want to consider replacing them as well. New baseboards can elevate the finish of the room, hiding imperfections where the walls meet the floors.

Alternatively, if the baseboards are in reasonably good shape, but you're switching from a thicker flooring material like carpet to a thinner one like laminate, there'll be a distinct gap between the bottom of the baseboard and the flooring. In this case, you can install wood shoe molding or wood quarter round molding at a cost of $0.60 to $3.80 per linear foot. This type of molding adds a finishing element and hides the gap between baseboard and flooring, yet it costs less than installing completely new baseboard.

Stairs

Flooring stairs costs $11 to $160 per step. At the lower end of the range, carpet, vinyl, and laminate are relatively simple to install, so take the least time. At the upper end, hardwood costs up to $160 per step because it's the most challenging and time-consuming option.

Asbestos and Mold Remediation

Asbestos removal costs $5 to $20 per square foot. Removing mold costs $10 to $25 per square foot. If your flooring pro identifies mold or asbestos, you'll need to hire an asbestos removal specialist or hire a mold remediation pro.

Mold and asbestos removal both require specifically trained and licensed pros to carry out the remediation and removal work.

Cost to Replace Flooring by Type

The material you choose for your new flooring has a direct impact on the total cost of your flooring installation project. If you're replacing your flooring on a tight budget, you could choose vinyl that starts at $1.50 per square foot, installed. On the other end of the cost spectrum, there is natural stone or hardwood that can cost $27 and $29 per square foot, respectively. 

Flooring Cost Estimator

The cost of flooring varies substantially based on material quality, availability, and aesthetic.

Vinyl and Linoleum

The price of vinyl and linoleum floor installation runs from about $1,500 to $20,000 to cover 1,000 square feet of space. The materials run from $500 to $5,000. Vinyl must be installed on a flat surface. Linoleum requires sealing after installation and then once every year afterward.

Wood Tile

Wood tile flooring costs from $1.50 to $21.50 per square foot. Expect to pay from $500 to $6,500 for materials to cover 1,000 square feet.

Laminate

Laminate flooring costs around $9,350 to install on 1,000 square feet. The materials run from $700 to $2,000. This option provides a good imitation for wood, stone or tile without the high price tag.

Carpeting

The price to install carpeting on 1,000 square feet runs from $3,000 to $22,000. For materials alone, you’ll pay $2 to $7 per square foot. Builder-grade olefin and polyester materials are less expensive than high-end wool carpet or specialty materials.

Tile

Tile floor installation costs vary greatly, but typically run from $3 to $30 per square foot. To cover 1,000 square feet, you can expect to pay $3,000 to $30,000. For materials alone, you’ll pay $2 to $15 per square foot. Some specialty tiles—like agate, abalone, and mother of pearl— are much more expensive.

Hardwood

The cost to install hardwood floorboards on 1,000 square feet runs from $4,000 to $29,000. Most projects of this size cost around $16,500. Materials for this area run from $3,000 to $14,000. There are several types available, including parquet, engineered wood flooring, and various species of wood to choose from. Talk to a hardwood floor pro to find out what will work best in your space.

Stone

The cost to install natural stone tile is $7,000 to $27,000 for 1,000 square feet. The typical price for installing 1,000 square feet of natural stone tile is $17,000. For materials alone, expect to pay between $4,000 and $20,000. Slate and travertine tiles, both of which are naturally textured and non-slip, can cost as little as $4 per square foot, while marble and granite can cost up to $20 per square foot.

Other Types

Here are a few different kinds of flooring and their costs, including fiber floor prices and polished concrete flooring costs.

Cost to Refloor a House

The cost to refloor a house is $16,500 to $67,730, which is a substantial range based largely on material quality and labor costs. This range is for the typical American house size of 2,300 square feet, based on the 2019 U.S Census data. It includes the cost to rip up and dispose of old flooring. But it doesn't include the cost of replacing subflooring, underlayment, or baseboards and trim so, if you want those services, remember to account for them when working out your project budget.

Take a look at the cost breakdown, based on the average percentage of space taken up by different room types, the average square footage of those spaces based on the average house size, and the typical flooring costs associated with each. 

Basement

The cost to add flooring to a basement is $830 to $2,900, based on the average American home with a basement that takes up 6% of the available floor space, or around 138 square feet. 

While there are several popular flooring options for your basement, we chose polished concrete for our example, as it's affordable and extremely durable. If you've got a finished basement and want to add a warm, cozy floor, you could try stone or porcelain tile with a radiant heating system underneath.

Other options include ceramic or stone tiles, LVT, and vinyl.

Just remember, when flooring a basement, unless you live in a hot, dry climate or have a fully sealed, waterproof basement, you need a flooring type that's resistant to water damage.

Hallways and Foyer

The hallways, foyer, and landings cost $1,610 to $8,100 to refloor. Hallways, landings, and the foyer make up 10% of a home's floor space. Or, in this case, 230 square feet. 

We chose hardwood for our example because it's relatively easy to keep clean, durable, and makes a great first impression on guests. 

Some people use carpet upstairs for extra warmth and comfort for bare feet and then use hardwood or tile downstairs. You can also use laminate or vinyl in hallways because they're durable and can withstand regular foot traffic.

Family Room and Living Room

To refloor a living room and family room costs $1,840 to $11,500, based on the average-sized home and the typical 20% of living space taken up by these two rooms. In this scenario, that's 460 square feet. 

We chose carpet for these rooms because it's warm, inviting, and can be budget-friendly. Other choices include easy to clean hardwood, laminate, or vinyl.

Bathroom and Laundry

The cost to install bathroom flooring and the laundry room floor is $2,210 to $13,250. This is based on the average American home, where bathrooms and a laundry room make up 16% of the total floor space, which is 368 square feet in this case. 

Our example uses porcelain tile as the flooring material of choice, but you can choose from ceramic tiles, natural stone, or vinyl. Installing ceramic or porcelain tile costs $4 to $115 per square foot. 

Because of the risk of expensive moisture-damage problems down the line, the bathroom and laundry room are two places you should go for the best quality you can afford—selecting a long-lasting material with a high degree of waterproofing.

Bedroom

The cost to install carpet in the bedrooms of a typical American home is $2,670 to $16,680. This is based on the average square footage of all the bedrooms, which is equal to 29% of floor space, or, in this case, 667 square feet.

For our example, we chose carpet, as that's the most common bedroom flooring option, and it's very budget-friendly at the lower end. For something a little more luxurious, you could go for hardwood flooring in your bedrooms. Or, if you're trying to save money but achieve a similar style, you could go with wood-look laminate or LVT. 

Kitchen and Dining Room

The cost to install hardwood flooring in a typical kitchen and dining room is $3,060 to $15,300. The kitchen takes up 11.6%, while the dining room makes up 7.4% of a home's available floor space. Even if the kitchen and dining room are separate, many homeowners prefer to use the same flooring in both areas because they share similar flooring needs:

• Easy to clean

• Hygienic

• Water-resistant

• Durable

• Slip-resistant

• Comfortable

For the whole house flooring example, hardwood is used for the kitchen and dining room, as it's a popular kitchen floor material that gives a warm, luxury look and a durable, long-lasting finish that's easy to maintain. A more affordable option is vinyl, linoleum, or laminate. Other high-end options include tile and stone. 

Take a look at the most common kitchen and dining room flooring options and how much you could expect to pay to floor a typical kitchen and dining room, averaging around 437 square feet.

DIY Flooring Installation vs. Hiring a Pro

Hiring a pro lets you save $1 to $15 per square foot on labor costs, which is significant savings. However, you'll still spend between $0.50 and $20 per square foot.  

Even if the subfloor is in good condition and requires no preparation, it'll still take you longer than it would take a pro to install flooring in a room. Remember that you're still paying for the installation, but with your time instead of your money. Plus, unless you have a fair degree of skill, you may not achieve the same high standard of finish as a pro.