How much does it cost to install laminate flooring? This is a commonly asked question given the popularity of laminate over other forms of flooring. Laminates are easy to install and require low maintenance.
They are also just as beautiful as wood floors without all the associated costs. Laminates act as a moisture barrier and thus, prolong your home’s longevity.
For these reasons and more, many home-owners are switching from other types of floors to laminate flooring. The cost of installing a laminate floor will be determined by the following important factors.
Cost of Moving Furniture
To save on costs of laminating floors, move your furniture yourself before the contractors get there.
Otherwise, they will charge you extra for removing furniture and replacing it after the installation is complete. For the service, contractors will charge anywhere between $10 and $60 per hour.
Cost of Removing Old Flooring
If you have old flooring that needs to be removed before the laminate is installed then that will add to your cost of installing laminate flooring. Carpets and wood floors are easier to remove than tiles so expect to pay more if you will be discarding tiles.
Typical charges for removing old floors range between $1 and $4 per square foot. The contractor may also opt to charge a fixed fee of between $10 and $30 depending on floor size and type of floor.
If the resultant old flooring is too much to be carried out by your regular garbage collection service provider, then the contractors will charge extra to get rid of it for you. This will cost you an extra $10 to $25.
Cost of Preparing the Subfloor
A perfect laminate floor installation requires a clean and even-surfaced subfloor. Therefore, you will have to thoroughly clean the subfloor, remove all nails and tacks, remove all the stables, and get rid of any bumps, drywall, or paints that may be splattered on it.
If there are no repairs required to your subfloor, the contractors will likely charge you between $10 and $60 per hour for cleaning.
Cost of Padding
Before the laminate flooring is installed there has to be ample padding. Paddings are bought in rolls of 100 square feet, 200 sq ft, 400 sq ft, and 500 sq ft.
Depending on the brand name, the quality, and the thickness, a roll of padding can go for as low as $30 for 100 sq ft or as high as $500 for a 500 sq ft roll. Charges for installing the padding will be included in the charges for installing the laminate.
Cost of Laminate
There are various types of laminate with different features and qualities. Low-end laminate may cost around $1 per sq ft while high quality laminate may cost over $5 per sq ft.
Remember to purchase between 5% and 10% extra to cater for trimmings and wastage. Laminate come in boxes so divide the total number of square feet of your floor with the square feet of each box to figure out how many boxes of laminate you will require.
Cost of Woodwork
When installing laminate flooring, there may be some special installations required around walls and doorframes. The color of your woodwork and the type of wood required will determine how much you pay.
Expect to add between $1 and $6 per sq ft to your cost of installing a laminate floor depending on the kind of woodwork you will need.
Cost of Labor
The cost of labor for installing laminate flooring will depend on your location and the contractor you pick for the job.
A professional contractor will charge you anywhere between $1 and $5 per square foot of floor or charge you hourly rates from $10 to $60 per hour.
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