How to Budget: Flooring
Flooring is literally the base of our designs and no matter what style you are working towards and what budget you are working within, there is a flooring option for you. The big question is “… but how much?”. If you are looking to create your own budget here are some numbers to help you estimate the cost of new flooring in your home. These numbers are courtesy of my friend Adam Jensen at Great Floors in Ingersoll and are a useful estimating tool. These numbers are estimated ranges, current as of Summer 2022, in Canadian dollar amounts and include their full-service labour, meaning in addition to laying your flooring, they will also take away your old carpet, reattach baseboards and move furniture:
Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring: $7-12/ sqft.
Engineered hardwood: $13-$18 / sqft. Photo shows the oak, engineered hardwood we have in our home, purchased from Great Floors in Ingersoll 3 years ago.
Porcelain: $12-$15 / sqft
Real Stone (marble slate etc): $15 -$20/sqft. Remember that these stones will require regular maintenance such as sealer applications and so the on going maintenance costs should be considered.
Carpet: $5-$8 / sqft for wall-to-wall carpet but for some higher-end carpets you may see $10 /sqft. Also remember that with carpet you also need to consider the cost of a carpet pad, which also varies ($0.50 to $1.50 /sqft), with the price increasing with thickness and function (such as spill guard). My advice is, always get the most cushioned underpad in your budget and seriously consider the extra $1 / sqft for the extra thick pad with spill guard as you are investing in loving your carpet for much longer.
Further Considerations:
Sustainability: When choosing these materials it is a good time to consider how you can make choices for a more sustainable design. If sustainability is important to you ask your designer, contractor or sales person to point you in the direction of sustainable options within your budget. You should consider the lifespan of your chosen product (when do you think it may need replacing?) and what happens to the product once disposed. Vinyl flooring is often economical and quality vinyl products are very durable, but once disposed of they will not decompose and for that reason it is not considered an environmentally friendly choice. If your budget means you are leaning towards vinyl but you have concerns about sustainability look for a quality product in a neutral, timeless colour, size and pattern, so that it can be enjoyed for years and years and fit with any design changes.
Contingency: after measuring your space to determine the square footage you will use for estimating costs of your flooring, add at least 5% to that area. When you order the flooring you should always plan to order more than is needed for a few reason: To account for waste and also to have on hand should you need to replace 1 tile or a few floorboards in the future. Depending on your layout and they type of flooring you may be ok with 5% additional flooring. However, your sales person may suggest 10%+ more when placing your order.
Installation costs: The estimates above include installation, but if you are looking for anything other than straight, brick-lay or offset brick-lay installation you may need to pay more. For example, herringbone is a popular and traditional pattern, but the installation of flooring in a herringbone pattern can double your installation costs as it takes much longer to install. However take a look at these floors and tell me it wouldn’t be worth it! If you love the idea of herringbone pattern but want to keep costs lower, consider installing it in a bathroom or entryway only. That impact in smaller places will provide interest and grandeur to your home but mean less impact to your budget.
(photos: 1. Maison de Pax 2. Studio Mcgee 3. Resawn Timber Co.)
I will be back with a few more blog entries about renovation budgeting, specifically how to plan and estimate for your kitchen renovation. So stay tuned if you have a renovation in your future, or if you ever wondered- “…but how much would that cost?”.
