Reference
Flooring Installation Labour Rates and Cost Ranges
The cost, labour, production and lifespan figures behind every cost and planning calculator on the site, with where they come from.
Cost per square foot by material
All figures are in US dollars per square foot, as ranges, reviewed October 8, 2026. They are the common middle of published 2025–2026 cost surveys (HomeGuide, Angi and HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Bob Vila and Rubi), not quotes. A real job can sit outside them; the calculators let you replace any figure with your own.
| Material | Material | Labour | Supplies | Removal (as the old floor) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxury vinyl plank, click | $2 to $6 | $1.50 to $3.50 | $0.10 to $0.50 | $0.75 to $2 |
| Laminate | $1.50 to $5 | $1.50 to $3.50 | $0.25 to $0.75 | $0.75 to $2 |
| Engineered wood | $4 to $10 | $3 to $6 | $0.30 to $1 | $1.50 to $3.50 |
| Solid hardwood, prefinished | $5 to $12 | $4 to $8 | $0.25 to $0.75 | $2 to $5 |
| Porcelain or ceramic tile | $2 to $10 | $5 to $12 | $1 to $3 | $2 to $5 |
| Natural stone tile | $6 to $20 | $7 to $15 | $1.50 to $3.50 | $3 to $6 |
| Carpet with pad | $2 to $6 | $0.50 to $1.50 | $0.50 to $1 | $0.50 to $1.50 |
| Sheet vinyl | $1 to $4 | $1 to $2.50 | $0.20 to $0.50 | $1 to $3 |
| Cork | $3 to $8 | $2 to $5 | $0.50 to $1 | $1 to $3 |
Used by the flooring cost estimator, the installer labour cost calculator, the removal and disposal calculator, the cost per square foot calculator, the DIY vs pro calculator and the whole-house budget.
Labour adjustments
| Item | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Region | ×0.85 lower-cost areas, ×1.0 average, ×1.3 high-cost metros | A judgement from the spread of BLS state median wages for flooring trades |
| Pattern | diagonal ×1.15, herringbone ×1.4 (tile ×1.3) | Installer pricing practice |
| Subfloor prep | light $0.50 to $1.50; leveling $1.50 to $3; new underlayment $2 to $4 per sq ft | Cost surveys |
| Stairs | carpet $25 to $50; LVP and laminate $60 to $120; hardwood $100 to $200 per step | Cost surveys |
| Tile labour by size | mosaic $10 to $18; small $7 to $12; standard $5 to $10; large format $7 to $14 | Cost surveys; used by the tile installation cost calculator |
| Minimum charge | $300 to $500 | Typical installer minimums |
Wages
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook gives a median wage of $25.00 an hour ($52,000 a year) for flooring installers and tile and stone setters combined, May 2024. The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables for May 2023 give $22.85 an hour for carpet installers and $23.52 for tile and stone setters. An installer’s quote implies two to three times the wage per hour of work, because it also covers insurance, vehicles, tools, travel, unbilled time and profit.
Crew output and lifespans
| Material | Two-person crew, sq ft per day | Typical life (years) | Upkeep, $ per sq ft per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl plank and laminate | 650 | 15 to 25 | 0.02 |
| Engineered wood | 450 | 20 to 40 | 0.05 |
| Solid hardwood, nailed | 350 | 50 to 100 | 0.10 |
| Tile | 150 | 50 to 75 | 0.05 |
| Natural stone | 110 | 50 to 100 | 0.15 |
| Carpet | 900 | 8 to 15 | 0.10 |
| Sheet vinyl | 600 | 10 to 20 | 0.02 |
| Cork | 400 | 20 to 40 | 0.08 |
Crew outputs are installer rules of thumb for an empty room, including cuts and clean-up; used by the installation time calculator and the project schedule. Lifespans come from manufacturer warranties and the home life-expectancy tables published by builders’ and inspectors’ associations; upkeep figures are judgements. They are used by the flooring comparison calculator and the cost per year calculator.
Electricity
The US Energy Information Administration’s Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts an average residential electricity price of about 18.2 cents per kWh in 2026; the April 2026 monthly average was 18.83 cents. The radiant floor running cost calculator uses 18 cents as its default.
Updates
These ranges are reviewed at least once a year and whenever a major survey publishes new figures; the date at the top of this page is the last review. The guide to what installers charge explains how to read a quote against them.