1,000 sq ft, 10% waste, $4.50 material, $3 labor, $0.50 underlayment, no removal
- Adjusted area = 1,100 sq ft
- Material ≈ $4,950
- Labor ≈ $3,300
- Underlayment ≈ $550
- Total ≈ $8,800; Cost/ft² ≈ $8.80
construction calculator
Flooring Cost Calculator
Estimate flooring material, labor, underlayment, removal, and waste to see total cost and cost per sq ft.
Results
- Adjusted area (sq ft)
- 1100.00
- Material cost
- $4,950
- Labor cost
- $3,300
- Underlayment cost
- $550
- Removal cost
- $0
- Estimated total cost
- $8,800
- Cost per sq ft
- $9
How to use this calculator
- Enter area and waste percentage.
- Enter material and labor cost per sq ft.
- Add underlayment and removal costs if applicable.
- Review total cost and cost per sq ft.
Inputs explained
- Area
- Total floor area to cover.
- Waste allowance
- Extra for cuts; 8–12% is common for plank/tile.
- Material cost/ft²
- Flooring material per square foot (plank/tile/etc.).
- Labor cost/ft²
- Install labor per square foot.
- Underlayment/ft²
- Optional padding/underlayment per square foot.
- Removal/ft²
- Old flooring removal cost per square foot.
How it works
Adjusted area = area × (1 + waste%). Material/labor/underlayment apply to adjusted area; removal applies to original area.
Total cost = material + labor + underlayment + removal.
Formula
Adjusted area = Area × (1 + Waste%) Material = Adjusted area × Material $/ft² Labor = Adjusted area × Labor $/ft² Underlayment = Adjusted area × Underlayment $/ft² Removal = Area × Removal $/ft² Total = Material + Labor + Underlayment + Removal Cost/ft² = Total ÷ Area
When to use it
- Budgeting flooring replacement before collecting bids.
- Comparing materials (vinyl vs hardwood vs tile) by adjusting material/labor rates.
- Estimating DIY vs pro by lowering labor and keeping material/waste constant.
Tips & cautions
- Tile and hardwood often need higher labor rates; adjust for your material type.
- Increase waste for angled layouts or patterned installations.
- Removal cost varies with old material type (tile removal is higher).
- Does not include baseboard/trim/transition costs—add separately.
- Assumes flat labor/material rates; complex rooms may vary.
- Waste is a single percentage; detailed takeoffs may yield different waste factors.
Worked examples
750 sq ft, 8% waste, $6 material, $4 labor, $1 underlayment, $1 removal
- Adjusted area ≈ 810 sq ft
- Material ≈ $4,860
- Labor ≈ $3,240
- Underlayment ≈ $810
- Removal ≈ $750
- Total ≈ $9,660; Cost/ft² ≈ $12.88
Deep dive
This flooring cost calculator applies waste to your area, then multiplies material, labor, underlayment, and removal to show total cost and cost per square foot.
Use it to compare materials, DIY vs pro installs, and to budget replacements before requesting bids.
FAQs
- What waste % should I use?
- 8–12% for most plank/tile installs; increase for angled layouts or complex cuts.
- Does this include trim/transition pieces?
- No. Add baseboards/transition costs separately.
- Tile vs hardwood labor?
- Tile labor is often higher; raise labor/ft² for tile jobs.
- Demo/removal included?
- Use removal/ft² for demo of old flooring; set to 0 if none.
- DIY scenario?
- Lower labor to $0 for DIY install to see material-focused cost; keep waste realistic.
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Estimates only. Labor/material rates vary by region and material type. Confirm with contractors for accurate bids.