Laminate Flooring Cost

You may have heard that laminate is a cost effective alternative to solid hardwood or engineered wood. While this might help you decide between different flooring options, just knowing that it is less expensive than another option doesn’t help much when you are trying to plan and budget for a flooring project. 

So how much does laminate flooring actually cost?  Well, it depends on the laminate you select and the size and complexity of your project. To have laminate professionally installed, you can expect to pay between $4 and $10 per square foot.  Small projects with basic laminate can cost as little as $600, while large projects with luxury laminate can cost over $10,000.

This large of a cost range is not very useful for budgeting, however.  To more closely estimate the cost of your laminate project, the first thing you need to do is measure your space.  Be sure to include closets and any other nooks that you will be flooring with laminate. Once you have a total square footage for your project, add 5% for small jobs or 10% for large jobs to cover unavoidable waste. This is the total amount of laminate you will want to purchase.

If you have already chosen your laminate planks, you can now easily calculate the material cost of your project by multiplying the size of your space by the price per square foot.  If you are still weighing your laminate options, you can use a median price to estimate your material cost.  Smooth laminate ranges from $1 to $3.50 per square foot, while oiled or hand-scraped laminate can cost up to $8 per square foot.

Installation costs are unfortunately a little harder to determine on your own.  There are so many factors that go into installation costs: whether or not you have floor vents, how far your home is from the installer’s office or warehouse, and the condition of your subfloor, to name just a few.  For a rough estimate of your installation cost, you can multiply your square footage by $5.  Just keep in mind that this is only an estimate - we strongly recommend getting at least a couple quotes before finalizing your budget!

There are other costs to consider when budgeting for a flooring replacement as well: demolition of existing flooring, moving and storing furniture, and baseboard work often add to the total cost of laminate flooring.  Be sure to ask a potential flooring contractor if these items are included in the price, will cost extra, or if you will need to hire someone different to handle them.

Overall, laminate is a cost-effective way to make your space look great, but just how cost effective it is depends on many factors. At Tiling Victoria Floorex, we encourage you to look at your own finances and decide how much you are willing and able to spend on a new floor, then call us for a no-obligation quote on laminate flooring. We will help you find the perfect flooring for your style and budget!