Floor installation pricing can be a complex subject due to the variety of products and also the variety of scope from job to job. The focus on this blog is cover the various labor aspects on our typical installation projects. Hopefully you will gain some understanding of how we prepare our quotes and the typical scope of work involved on our installation projects.
Product Costs
Hardwood materials will have a wide variance depending on the quality of the product. I will quickly cover a few of the most important factors that often dictate pricing.
- Product unfinished or pre-finished in a factory? Factory finished floors will cost more than comparable unfinished floors.
- Specie – white oak is currently almost double red oak. Walnut, Hickory, Maple, and other domestic species costs more than readily available red oak. Prices go up/down based on supply, but hardwood species have a wide range of pricing.
- Grade – cleaner grades cost more than lower rustic grades.
- Cut – riftsawn or quarter-sawn material will cost more than plainsawn.
- Construction – thin engineered product with thin wear layer will costs less than a thicker product with bigger wear layer.
- Finish – custom finishes, wire-brushing, and two-toned color treatments will usually drive the cost up.
- Patterned (parquet, herringbone, chevron) materials will cost more than stand-straight planks.
- Width – usually the wider the plank, the more expensive the product.
Demolition
Most of our clients ask us to remove their existing floor covering and haul it away. Notice I didn’t say, leave it on the curb. Here’s a breakdown for various floor coverings that we typically demo.
- Carpet – remove carpet and tack-strip. Typically, around .50/square foot.
- Tile – can vary depending on whether or not it’s on backer board or mortar bed. Will range from $3.50/SF to $10+ if mortar bed is involved.
- Laminate/LVT – if floating, $1.50/SF. If glued down, $3.50/SF
- Hardwood – existing hardwood usually ranges between $2.50/SF (nailed down) and $5/SF (glued down).
Subfloor Preparation
Check out our other blog on the importance of sub-floor preparation. This step is critical, make sure your installer isn’t skipping over it.
- Standard prep includes sanding the seams and screwing down loose panels. This is the minimum we will do on every project. This is included in our installation costs.
- We occasionally have to replace plywood sub-floor. This will be an additional cost and will fluctuate depending on lumber prices.
- We may have to sand the sub-floor entirely if it’s in really bad shape or if the product requires an adhesive installation. We usually charge around $1.50/SF to sand the entire subfloor.
- Shims/Leveling compound may be required if your floor has a significant amount of slope. There are several options here and the price will wildly vary depending on the agreed upon solution.
- Concrete grinding/sealing will vary based on the situation.
Hardwood Installation
- Nail down installation averages around $5/SF
- Glue assist installation is $6/SF – includes moisture barrier
- Trowel glue installation $7/SF – includes moisture barrier
- Herringbone/Chevron Pattern – $15/SF
- Custom Parquet patterns – $25+/SF
- These are averages and will vary depending on size and scope.
Additional Installation Services
- Base shoe installation $2.75-$3.75/linear foot
- Baseboard installation – $3.50/linear foot
- Flush mount vents – $75-$150/vent
- Custom Thresholds – $125/average
- Nosing – $20/linear foot
Summary
As you can see there are many variables involved with our installation services. The onsite consultation is critical, and we do our best to identify as many of these variables as possible. This will allow us to provide you with an accurate quote up front and prevent expensive change orders after the project has started. You will find that our quotes are very detailed and lengthy. Obviously, our pricing will change as the economy changes but this should provide you will some ballpark costs as of March, 2023.
Our Commitment To Clients
As flooring professionals, we strive to stay educated on the various flooring systems available on the market. We stay at the forefront of new advancements in the flooring industry through continued education and training courses provided by the National Wood Flooring Association. Our knowledge enables us to educate our clients on the pros and cons of various hardwood solutions. Our job is to listen to our clients and provide solutions that best fit their lifestyles. We provide easy and stress-free installations by staying informed, prioritizing clients’ needs, and setting proper expectations.
