For homeowners who like the look of wood or tile but don’t want to deal with the price or maintenance, laminate flooring can be a great choice. While sometimes confused with vinyl, laminate is actually made of layers of manufactured wood, with a plastic layer on top that imitates the look of solid wood grain or tile. In some cases, you can purchase laminate with a thin hardwood veneer.
Pros: Laminate is durable, affordable and easy to maintain while giving the look of wood or tile.
Cons: It doesn’t add value to your home the way real hardwood can. It can also feel hard to stand on for prolonged periods of time.
While the cost often ranges for laminate flooring install, the pricing is effected by a variety of situations such as materials, number of doorways or transitions to other flooring types(carpet, tile, linoleum, etc.), subfloor type and condition, and much more. You’ll have a number of materials to choose from, including hardwood and carpet, all of which carry a different price tag. Ultimately, the total cost of your flooring project will depend on the type of materials you choose, how many square feet you’ll be working with and the labor costs.
Typically, material costs for a laminate flooring range usually from around $2.50/sqft to upwards of $7-$8/sqft. Pricing for materials is usually based on the quality of product, durability, color, and availability. Type of laminate flooring will also play a factor in the cost of the flooring, such as waterproof, engineered hardwood, if its wood or vinyl, thickness, etc. Most homeowners can expect to spend anywhere from $3-$5 per square foot on laminate flooring for materials.
Labor is also a variable given some of the factors listed above. The type of flooring and the installation required play the largest roll in labor costs. If the flooring you choose is a floating floor, meaning it doesn't require any adhesives or special bonding to the subfloor, your installation cost will be lower. If your flooring is a nail or glue down type, the installation cost will usually be higher. Here in the Reno and Sparks, Nevada area, you can expect labor to usually start right around $2.50 per square foot for a basic installation. The cost for installation will go up if other items are required to be able to install the flooring such as, baseboard removal and reinstallation, subfloor preparation, demo of old flooring, laying of underlayment to protect the flooring, and disposal of any waste. Licensed contractors will almost always cost more than unlicensed contractors. Please be sure to ask your flooring installer if they are licensed and insured to install flooring in your area. If you choose an unlicensed contractor, you could be putting your home and your project at risk.
If you have any questions about the cost to install flooring in your home or business and you are in the Reno or Sparks area, please call Paramount Craftsman Services at 775-238-3332, or email us at info@pcsreno.com.
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