Understanding your result
The headline says which floor is cheaper over the period and by how much, with both totals beneath it. The stats give each floor’s cost per year; the bars compare the totals; the table describes each floor’s installs, refinishes and upkeep, its total over the period and its cost per year.
Installs are the number of times each floor is put down in the period: the period divided by the floor’s life, rounded up. A 15 year floor over 20 years is installed twice. Each install after the first also carries removal of the worn floor. Upkeep is a small yearly figure per square foot for each material. Refinishing applies to wood, every 15 years at $3.50 per sq ft. A refinish that would fall in the final year is not counted, because the period ends.
When the period is shorter than both lives, neither floor is replaced and the comparison is mostly the first price; the note says so. To see one floor’s cost per year on its own, use the lifespan and cost per year calculator; for the first installed price of each, the flooring cost estimator; and for a whole house, the whole-house budget.
How we calculate this
The upkeep figures and lifespans are planning values gathered on the installer rates reference page with the cost ranges; lifespans come from manufacturer warranties and home life-expectancy tables published by builders’ and inspectors’ associations. The guide to wood and laminate covers durability in more detail, the installer charges guide covers the installed prices, and the LVP buying guide covers what makes vinyl plank last.
The assumptions behind the numbers
| Assumption | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Floor A | tile, $16 per sq ft installed, 50 year life | Mid-range installed tile; tile life 50 to 75 years |
| Floor B | LVP, $7 per sq ft installed, 15 year life | Mid-range installed LVP; LVP life 15 to 25 years |
| Removal at replacement | $1.50 per sq ft | Cost surveys for removing click floors |
| Upkeep | $0.02 to $0.15 per sq ft a year by material | A judgement for cleaning products, minor repairs and resealing |
| Wood refinishing | every 15 years at $3.50 per sq ft | Cost surveys and NWFA guidance on refinish intervals |
| Horizon | 20 years | A typical time in one house |
Assumptions last reviewed October 8, 2026.
The calculator does not discount future costs, model inflation, or put a value on comfort, noise, resale or appearance. It assumes both floors suit the room; vinyl in a sunroom or carpet in a bathroom will not last its nominal life. The lifespans are the most uncertain input, so try the short and long ends.
Two worked examples
Tile against vinyl plank in a 400 sq ft kitchen, 20 years
- Tile: 1 install × $16 × 400 = $6,400 + upkeep $400 = $6,800
- LVP: 2 installs × $7 × 400 = $5,600 + removal $600 + upkeep $160 = $6,360
- LVP is cheaper by $440 over 20 years
Close enough that either is a reasonable choice on money alone. If you stay longer than 25 years, or the LVP wears out at the short end of its range, tile wins.
Hardwood against carpet in a living room, 30 years
Hardwood at $12 lasting 60 years; carpet at $5 lasting 12 years; removal $1 per sq ft.
- Hardwood: 1 install $4,800 + 1 refinish $1,400 + upkeep $1,200 = $7,400
- Carpet: 3 installs $6,000 + removal $800 + upkeep $1,200 = $8,000
- Hardwood is cheaper by $600 over 30 years
Hardwood costs more than twice as much on day one and ends up cheaper. Over 10 years the result reverses, so the horizon decides.
Where to find your inputs
Installed cost per sq ft. From quotes, or the cost estimator’s midpoint for each floor.
Expected life. From the product warranty and the ranges in the FAQ; use a shorter figure for heavy traffic.
Years. How long you expect to keep the floor.
Removal. The cost to remove the worn floor at each replacement; the removal calculator gives it.
Common mistakes
- Comparing first prices only. Replacements change the answer.
- Using the warranty as the life. Warranties are for defects; wear depends on the house.
- Forgetting removal. Every replacement starts with a tear-out.
- No refinishing for wood. It is what lets wood last.
- A horizon longer than you will stay. Use your own time in the house.
- Ignoring comfort and use. Money is one side of the decision.
Questions people ask
- Is tile or LVP cheaper over 20 years?
- Close. For a 400 sq ft kitchen, tile at $16 per sq ft installed and lasting 50 years costs about $6,800 over 20 years with upkeep; LVP at $7 per sq ft lasting 15 years is installed twice, about $6,360 with removal and upkeep. Over 30 years or more, tile pulls ahead.
- Is hardwood cheaper than carpet in the long run?
- Usually, over 30 years or more. A 400 sq ft room in hardwood at $12 per sq ft, refinished once, costs about $7,400 over 30 years; carpet at $5 per sq ft replaced every 12 years costs about $8,000. Over 10 years carpet is far cheaper.
- How long do different floors last?
- Roughly, carpet 8 to 15 years, sheet vinyl 10 to 20, vinyl plank and laminate 15 to 25, engineered wood 20 to 40, solid hardwood 50 to 100 with refinishing, and tile 50 years or more. Traffic, pets, sun and care move these a lot.
- What horizon should I compare over?
- How long you expect to stay in the house, or how long until you would renovate anyway. Over five years the cheapest install wins almost every time; over 30 the most durable floor usually does.
- Does the comparison include inflation?
- No. Replacements are priced at today's cost. Inflation raises the cost of both floors' future installs and does not change which is cheaper; it widens the gap slightly in favour of the longer-lived floor.
- Is the cheaper floor always the better choice?
- No. Comfort, noise, water resistance, resale and how it looks also matter, and a few hundred dollars over 20 years may be worth paying for the floor you prefer. The calculator only puts the money side on paper.