Cost & hiring
Removing an old floor: cost, time, debris and what to watch for
Taking up the old floor is the dirty, heavy part of every flooring job. Carpet comes up in an afternoon; tile set in mortar takes days and weighs a ton. Here is what to expect for each.
Can the new floor go over the old one?
Sometimes. A floating floor can usually go over sound, flat sheet vinyl, vinyl tile or a glued-down floor, as long as the old floor is firmly attached and the added height works at doors and transitions. Tile can sometimes go over old tile with the right bonding primer. But carpet always comes up, a floor with moisture or loose areas must come up, and every layer left adds height. Check the new floor’s instructions; many list what they can and cannot go over.
Removal cost by floor
| Old floor | Professional removal per sq ft | DIY pace, one person |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet and pad | $0.50–1.50 | about 100 sq ft an hour |
| Sheet vinyl, loose or glued | $1.00–3.00 | about 30–40 sq ft an hour, glued |
| Floating vinyl or laminate | $0.75–2.00 | fast: it unclicks |
| Engineered wood | $1.50–3.50 | slow if glued |
| Nailed hardwood | $2.00–5.00 | slow |
| Tile set in mortar | $2.00–5.00 | about 12 sq ft an hour |
These are national ranges for an average US area. Glued floors cost about a quarter more, because the adhesive must be scraped or ground off before the new floor can go down. Prices usually include tearing up, bagging and a normal clean-up; disposal may be included or extra.
Three removals worked through
Carpet, tile and old vinyl
- 650 sq ft of carpet and pad: $325 to $975 professionally, or about 6 h 30 min yourself; about 390 lb of debris
- 220 sq ft of tile set in mortar: $550 to $1,375, or about 18 h 20 min yourself; about 1,980 lb of debris
- 150 sq ft of glued sheet vinyl from before 1986: $188 to $563 if it tests clear of asbestos; several times more if it does not
The removal and disposal calculator works out the cost, DIY time and debris for each floor, with the disposal option you choose.
Debris weight and disposal
Old flooring is heavier than people expect. Carpet and pad weigh well under a pound per square foot. Tile with its mortar bed is about 9 lb per square foot, so a modest kitchen produces a ton. The flooring weights reference lists new floors by weight; old floors weigh about the same, plus their mortar or adhesive. That weight decides the disposal:
- Contractor disposal, included in many removal quotes.
- A 10 yard dumpster, about $300 to $500 for a few days, enough for most single rooms.
- A 20 yard dumpster, about $400 to $650, for a whole floor of a house; check its weight limit for tile.
- Junk removal pickup, about $150 to $400, for carpet and smaller loads.
Many dumpster rentals charge by weight above a limit, and some will not take heavy tile and mortar in a large container. The flooring weight calculator gives the weight of any floor.
Asbestos in old vinyl
Sheet vinyl, vinyl tiles, and the black cutback adhesive under them made before the mid-1980s often contain asbestos. It is harmless while intact, but sanding, scraping, grinding or breaking it releases fibres. Before removing any old resilient floor, have a sample tested by an accredited laboratory. If it is positive, removal is work for a licensed abatement contractor under EPA and state rules. Often the better choice is to leave it in place and cover it with a new floor, which is usually allowed.
What you find underneath
Removing an old floor often reveals the subfloor’s problems: water damage under a bathroom floor or near a dishwasher, loose or rotten panels, old adhesive that must be ground off, or a slab with cracks. Budget for some repair, especially under old tile and in bathrooms. The subfloor panels calculator counts replacement panels, and the subfloor preparation guide covers what to check before the new floor.
Baseboards, doors and appliances
Removal is not only the floor. Baseboards and shoe moulding usually come off so the new floor can run under them, and they break if pried off carelessly; number them on the back if they are going back up. Doors may need to come off their hinges and later be trimmed to clear a thicker floor. A dishwasher, range and refrigerator have to be moved, and the dishwasher may end up trapped under the counter if the new floor is laid around it rather than under it. Toilets come up for bathroom floors, which means a new wax ring. Each of these is a line in a professional quote, and each takes time in a DIY schedule.
Doing it yourself
Carpet is the easiest removal: cut it into strips, roll and tape them, pull up the pad and tack strip, pull the staples. Floating floors unclick. Glued vinyl needs a floor scraper and patience. Tile needs a demolition hammer or a rotary hammer with a chisel bit, eye and ear protection, a dust mask and a strong back. The labour saving is real, but the time and effort for tile are large, and many people hire out only the removal. The installer labour cost calculator prices the installation that follows, and the guide to installer pricing explains how to read the quote. When the old floor is carpet, the carpet padding guide explains why the pad goes too.