Cost data reviewed August 2026. Sources listed at the foot of this page.
Installed cost by flooring type
| Type | Installed per sq ft | Material only | Typical waste |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carpet | $2 – $11 | $1 – $5 | 10% |
| Luxury vinyl plank | $4 – $16 | $2 – $10 | 7% |
| Laminate | $4 – $14 | $1 – $6 | 7% |
| Engineered hardwood | $7 – $20 | $2 – $9 | 8% |
| Ceramic / porcelain tile | $10 – $50 | $2 – $30 | 12% |
| Solid hardwood | $11 – $25 | $4 – $15 | 10% |
Tile has the widest genuine spread of any flooring category, and it is not noise. Material alone runs $2 to $30 per square foot, and large-format or patterned installations take far longer to set. A basic 12 × 12 ceramic in a straight lay and a large-format porcelain in a herringbone are the same category and completely different jobs.
Always order more than the room
Cut waste is not optional and it is not padding. Every plank that meets a wall gets cut, and the offcut is usually too short to start the next row. Add pattern matching and it climbs. Order 7 percent extra for plank in a straight lay, 12 percent for tile, and more for diagonal or herringbone layouts.
Then order a little more still. Keeping one unopened box after the job is finished is the cheapest insurance in home improvement — flooring lines are discontinued constantly, and dye lots vary. When a dishwasher leaks in year four, having matching material is the difference between a patch and a whole new floor.
What the installed price does not include
This is where flooring quotes diverge, and where the calculator deliberately stops:
- Tear-out and disposal of the old floor. Carpet is quick. Glued-down vinyl and mortar-set tile are slow and dusty, and disposal is charged by weight.
- Subfloor preparation. Most flooring needs a flat substrate — commonly within 3/16 inch over 10 feet. Self-levelling compound on an out-of-flat floor is a real cost, and it is the item most often discovered after the quote.
- Underlayment. Sometimes included in the material price, sometimes not. Worth asking explicitly.
- Transitions, trim and thresholds. Small individually, additive across a whole floor.
- Furniture and appliance moving. Often billed hourly.
Angi puts the all-type average installed cost at $12.50 per square foot. Note that HomeGuide and Angi disagree meaningfully on labor-only rates — $2 to $8 versus $0.60 to $4 — largely because Angi excludes subfloor work and old-floor removal from its figure. Which is precisely why those items belong on your quote as separate lines.
Common questions
How much does it cost to floor a 1,000 sq ft house?
At the all-type average of about $12.50 per square foot installed, roughly $12,500. In LVP you might spend $4,000 to $16,000; in solid hardwood, $11,000 to $25,000. Subfloor preparation and removal of the existing floor are additional.
Is LVP better than laminate?
For wet areas, clearly — luxury vinyl plank is waterproof through its core, while laminate has a fibreboard core that swells if water sits on it. Laminate generally has a harder wear layer and can feel more like real wood underfoot. For kitchens, bathrooms and basements, LVP. For bedrooms and living rooms on a budget, either.
How much extra flooring should I order?
Seven percent for plank in a straight lay, 10 percent for hardwood and carpet, 12 percent for tile, and 15 to 20 percent for diagonal or herringbone layouts. Keep one unopened box after the job for future repairs.
Why is tile installation so expensive?
Tile is the most labor-intensive common flooring. It needs a flat, rigid substrate — often a cement backer board or an uncoupling membrane — then setting, spacing, cutting around obstacles, and a separate grouting visit. Large-format tile demands even flatter substrate and heavier handling.