That's our range for luxury vinyl plank (LVP) installed, with a typical price of about $9.00 per sq ft. By our ranges, carpet typically runs about $6.25, solid hardwood about $16.75 and porcelain tile about $18.75 per sq ft installed.
Estimate Our ranges, based on sources [1][2]. Planning numbers, not quotes. Your material, subfloor and job size move the price.
Flooring cost per square foot by material
Material choice is the biggest lever. These installed prices include materials and labor for a straightforward job on a sound subfloor.
| Flooring | Installed, per sq ft Estimate | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet | $4.00 – $7.75 | $6.25 |
| Sheet vinyl | $2.75 – $7.75 | $5.75 |
| Luxury vinyl plank or tile (LVP) | $5.00 – $13.00 | $9.00 |
| Laminate | $5.00 – $12.00 | $8.50 |
| Engineered wood | $7.75 – $15.50 | $12.00 |
| Solid hardwood | $12.25 – $23.25 | $16.75 |
| Ceramic or porcelain tile | $15.75 – $27.50 | $18.75 |
| Marble or natural stone | $10.75 – $23.75 | $16.50 |
Estimate Our range, based on sources [1][2]. For each tier we pooled the low, midpoint and high figure each source publishes for a comparable scope (a single benchmark figure counts once), then used the median as Typical and the middle half of the pooled figures as Low–High. Each material pools HomeGuide's and Angi's installed per-sq-ft ranges. Angi groups all vinyl together and all stone together, so its figure is used for both related rows. See How we build our ranges.
What the sources say Sourced
HomeGuide puts the average cost of new flooring at $4 to $15 per sq ft, materials and labor included.[1] Angi's 2026 average is about $12.50 per sq ft.[2] Both cover everything from basic carpet to stone, so a single average says little about your floor. Price the material you actually want.
Typical cost by room Estimate
Our LVP and hardwood ranges applied to common room sizes. Room sizes are our own typical assumptions; measure yours. Many installers have a minimum charge, so very small rooms cost more per square foot.
| Room | Size (sq ft) | LVP Estimate | Solid hardwood Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bathroom | 45 | $250 – $600 | $550 – $1,050 |
| Kitchen | 150 | $750 – $1,950 | $1,850 – $3,500 |
| Bedroom | 150 | $750 – $1,950 | $1,850 – $3,500 |
| Living or family room | 300 | $1,500 – $3,900 | $3,700 – $7,000 |
| Basement | 800 | $4,000 – $10,400 | $9,800 – $18,600 |
Extra costs outside the per-square-foot price
| Item | Per sq ft Estimate | Typical Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Remove carpet and pad | $1.05 – $1.45 | $1.20 |
| Remove tile | $2.75 – $6.50 | $4.50 |
| Underlayment, if not attached | $0.90 – $3.35 | $2.50 |
| Replace subfloor | $3.00 – $6.00 | $4.00 |
Estimate Our range, based on sources [1][2]. For each tier we pooled the low, midpoint and high figure each source publishes for a comparable scope (a single benchmark figure counts once), then used the median as Typical and the middle half of the pooled figures as Low–High. Each item pools HomeGuide's and Angi's ranges. See How we build our ranges.
Line-item breakdown: 300 sq ft of LVP Estimate
Here's how we'd price 300 sq ft of click-lock LVP replacing carpet in two rooms, built from material, labor and prep rather than a single per-foot number.
| Line item | How we priced it | Amount Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| LVP planks, 300 sq ft + 10% waste Materials | 330 sq ft × $4.00, our midrange allowance within HomeGuide's material-only range[1] | $1,320 |
| Remove carpet and pad Labor | 4 hrs × $22.66/hr median wage for construction laborers[3] × 1.7 labor burden | $150 |
| Disposal Materials | Our allowance | $80 |
| Floor prep: patching and leveling Labor | 4 hrs × $27.15/hr median wage for floor layers[3] × 1.7 labor burden | $180 |
| Leveling compound and patch Materials | Our allowance | $120 |
| Install LVP Labor | 10 hrs × $27.15/hr median wage for floor layers[3] × 1.7 labor burden | $460 |
| Reset baseboard and add quarter-round Labor | 4 hrs × $29.12/hr median wage for carpenters[3] × 1.7 labor burden | $200 |
| Quarter-round, transitions and fasteners Materials | Our allowance | $210 |
| Move furniture, two rooms Installed price | Midpoint of HomeGuide's per-room furniture-moving range[1] | $100 |
| Overhead & profit Our assumption | 20% on the labor and materials lines above. Installed prices and fees already include the installer's margin, so we don't mark them up again. | $540 |
| Line-item total | Before contingency and regional adjustment | $3,400 |
Estimate Our line-item build comes to $3,400, about 10% above our blended typical of $3,060 for 300 sq ft of LVP plus carpet removal. Small jobs carry more setup time per square foot, which is why our build runs a little above the per-foot blend. Method: How we build our ranges.
Remodel Budget Starter
A free one-page budget sheet: list each room's square footage, material, removal and trim, with a contingency row built in.
Get it freeWhat drives the cost up or down
The material you pick
Our typical installed prices run from about $5.75 per sq ft for sheet vinyl to $18.75 for porcelain tile. Within each type, thickness, wear layer and brand matter.
Tearing out the old floor
Pulling up carpet is cheap; breaking out tile is not. In older homes, old flooring or adhesive may contain asbestos, which needs testing and professional removal before anyone sands or scrapes.
Layout, stairs and waste
Angi suggests ordering about 10% extra material for cuts and waste.[2] Diagonal or herringbone patterns, lots of doorways and stairs all add labor and material.
Moisture
Bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements need water-resistant flooring such as LVP or tile. See our basement finishing guide.
Contingency Estimate
Subfloor surprises are the usual budget-breaker. A 10% cushion is a sensible planning choice for most flooring jobs. That's our guidance, not a sourced figure.
Regional cost differences
Instead of republishing city price lists, we apply our own interior cost index for each Census division to a typical 300 sq ft LVP job.
| Region (Census division) | Our cost index Estimate | Typical LVP, 300 sq ft Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| New England CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT | 1.04 4% above U.S. | $2,800 |
| Middle Atlantic NJ, NY, PA | 1.13 13% above U.S. | $3,050 |
| South Atlantic DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV | 0.98 2% below U.S. | $2,650 |
| U.S. average | 1.00 | $2,700 |
| East North Central IL, IN, MI, OH, WI | 0.96 4% below U.S. | $2,600 |
| East South Central AL, KY, MS, TN | 0.90 10% below U.S. | $2,450 |
| West North Central IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD | 1.02 2% above U.S. | $2,750 |
| West South Central AR, LA, OK, TX | 0.89 11% below U.S. | $2,400 |
| Mountain AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY | 0.96 4% below U.S. | $2,600 |
| Pacific AK, CA, HI, OR, WA | 1.07 7% above U.S. | $2,900 |
Estimate Derived, not published. Our interior index divides each division's 2025 Cost vs. Value average for four interior projects (three bathroom remodels and a basement remodel) by the national average and averages the four ratios.[4] The typical column multiplies our national typical by the index. See How we build our ranges.
Flooring cost FAQ
What's the cheapest flooring to install?
Sheet vinyl and basic carpet have the lowest installed prices in our ranges, typically about $5.75 and $6.25 per sq ft.[1][2] LVP costs a bit more but holds up better in kitchens and baths.
Is LVP cheaper than hardwood?
Usually. Our typical installed prices are about $9.00 per sq ft for LVP, $12.00 for engineered wood and $16.75 for solid hardwood.[1][2]
How much extra flooring should I buy?
Angi suggests adding about 10% to your measured square footage for cuts and waste.[2] Complex layouts and patterns may need more.
How long does flooring installation take?
HomeGuide says 1 to 3 days on average.[1] Some materials need to sit in the room for a day or more first to adjust to its temperature and humidity.
Related cost guides
Sources
- HomeGuide, “How much does flooring installation cost?” (updated Feb 5, 2026). homeguide.com/costs/flooring-installation-cost (accessed Oct 8, 2026).
- Angi, “How Much Does Flooring Installation Cost? [2026 Data]” (updated July 10, 2026). angi.com/articles/how-much-should-my-new-floor-cost.htm (accessed Oct 8, 2026).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 national median hourly wages by occupation, retrieved through the BLS Public Data API. bls.gov/oes (accessed Oct 8, 2026).
- Zonda / Journal of Light Construction, 2025 Cost vs. Value Report: national averages and regional pages (New England, Middle Atlantic, South Atlantic, East North Central, East South Central, West North Central, West South Central, Mountain, Pacific) (accessed Oct 8, 2026). © 2025 Zonda Media. We quote a few national figures and use the regional figures only to derive our own cost index. States per division from the U.S. Census Bureau, Census Regions and Divisions.
Quoted figures are labeled Sourced. Everything labeled Estimate is our own arithmetic on these sources, explained in How we build our ranges. Planning numbers only, not quotes. Get itemized local bids before you commit.