How much does new flooring cost in 2026?
Cost breakdown
| Job type | Typical low | Typical high |
|---|---|---|
| Luxury vinyl plank (LVP), installed | $5 | $12 |
| Laminate, installed | $7 | $12 |
| Hardwood, installed | $6 | $22 |
| Tile, installed | $8 | $18 |
| Labour only — LVP or laminate | $3 | $5 |
| Labour only — engineered or solid wood | $5 | $12 |
| Labour only — tile | $8 | $18 |
| LVP material alone (before labour) | $3 | $7 |
Installed cost by material
Luxury vinyl plank runs $4.50 to $12 per square foot installed, with the plank itself $2.50 to $7 and labour $2 to $5 on top. Laminate lands at $6.91 to $11.81 installed, materials $1 to $5 and labour $2 to $8. Hardwood spans $6 to $22 installed, the widest range of any common material because species, board width and finish vary so much. Tile is $8 to $18. A 300 square foot living room therefore runs roughly $1,350 at the cheap end of LVP to $6,600 at the top of hardwood.
The material changes the labour bill too
This is the part most cost comparisons miss. Labour on its own is $2.50 to $5 per square foot for LVP and laminate, $5 to $12 for engineered or solid wood, and $8 to $18 for tile. Tile is not just a pricier material, it is a slower job: mortar and grout need separate visits with curing time between, which is why the labour figure alone can exceed the entire installed cost of vinyl plank. Choosing tile over LVP roughly triples the labour, before any material difference.
Subfloor prep is the hidden line
Almost every quote assumes a sound, flat, dry subfloor, and that assumption is where budgets break. Levelling compound, replacing water-damaged sheathing, removing old adhesive, or adding underlayment are all extra, and none of it is visible until the old floor is up. Ask explicitly what happens if the subfloor is not flat, and get the per-square-foot rate for levelling in writing before work starts. A quote that does not mention the subfloor has not priced it.
Removal, trim, and the other extras
Beyond the floor itself, budget for tearing out and disposing of the old covering, transitions between rooms, quarter-round or new baseboard, and moving furniture and appliances. Doors sometimes need trimming when floor height changes. These rarely appear in a per-square-foot headline but reliably appear on the invoice, so ask for them itemised rather than assuming they are included.
When DIY is realistic
Click-lock LVP and laminate over a flat, sound subfloor are the genuinely DIY-able options — that is much of why they are popular. The cuts are simple, no adhesive is involved, and mistakes are recoverable. Glue-down vinyl, hardwood that needs nailing and site finishing, and tile all reward experience: tile in particular is unforgiving, because a floor that is out of level or badly laid out shows permanently and cannot be nudged once the mortar sets.
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Find a handyman near you →Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest flooring to have installed? ▾
Luxury vinyl plank, at $4.50 to $12 per square foot installed. It is cheapest on both counts — the material is inexpensive and it is quick to lay, so the labour is low too.
Why is tile so much more expensive to install? ▾
Because it is a slower job, not just a pricier material. Labour alone is $8 to $18 per square foot, since mortar and grout need separate visits with curing time between. That labour figure can exceed the entire installed cost of vinyl plank.
What does a 300 square foot room cost? ▾
Roughly $1,350 at the low end of LVP to about $6,600 at the top of hardwood, before subfloor prep, removal of the old floor and trim.
Is the old floor removal included? ▾
Usually not in a per-square-foot headline. Tear-out, disposal, transitions, quarter-round and moving furniture are commonly separate. Ask for them itemised.
What if my subfloor is not flat? ▾
Levelling is extra and nobody can see the problem until the old floor is up. Get the per-square-foot levelling rate in writing beforehand — a quote that does not mention the subfloor has not priced it.
Can I install flooring myself? ▾
Click-lock LVP and laminate over a sound, flat subfloor are realistic DIY. Glue-down vinyl, nailed hardwood and tile are not — tile especially, because errors set permanently.
Does flooring go under or around appliances? ▾
Confirm this before work starts. Running the floor under a fridge or dishwasher costs more now but avoids a visible height mismatch if the appliance is ever replaced.
How long does a room take? ▾
A day for LVP or laminate in a typical room. Tile runs two to three days because mortar and grout each need curing time, and hardwood adds time if it is site-finished.
Sources
Figures on this page are billed rates paid by homeowners unless stated otherwise. Wage data measures what a worker earns and is not the same quantity as a billed rate.
- Homewyse — Cost to install laminate flooring, May 2026 ($6.91–$11.81 per square foot) — accessed 2026-08-24
- Homewyse — Cost to install vinyl tile flooring, May 2026 — accessed 2026-08-24
- Angi — Flooring installation cost (2026 data) — accessed 2026-08-24