A hugely common mistake only too many people make when they’re working out the cost of installing a hardwood floor is to look at the cost of the floor alone if they’re doing it on a DIY basis and the floor and the fitting only if they’re engaging a professional. Like most interior jobs, the fitting of a new floor can affect much more than the floor alone, so, if budget is important to you (which we’re sure it is!) it’s essential to look at the whole job when trying to work out the final price.
To work out the cost of your wood flooring itself, you’ll be able to get a pretty accurate price by working out the number of square meters of flooring you’ll need and multiplying it by the price of the flooring per square meter. If you need help to work out the number of square meters in your room, you’ll find a useful guide here on how to measure your room. Once you’ve calculated how much flooring you’ll need, it’s important to factor in wastage. Generally speaking, between 8 and 10% will be fine.
Thereafter, once you know the cost of the floor, you need to think of the cost of fitting. Labour costs vary enormously from company to company and one really important thing to make sure of (again) is that the fitting quotes you get are for the complete job and not just part of it. It’s essential that you double check that the fitting quotes you obtain are for all labour aspects and all materials and not just labour alone. Even then, it’s worth cross checking that the quote you get includes such extras as disposing of your old flooring (if required); leveling your subfloor (if necessary) and any required alterations to doors and skirting boards as well as the provision of any accessories you might need such as finishing beads or bars.
If you’re planning to fit your new wood flooring on a DIY basis, in some ways you need to be even more thorough in your planning process. Remember to check, check and double check that you’ve included everything you’ll need to complete the job. If you’re in any doubt, ask your floor supplier to help with your check list and most importantly make sure you include the cost of any tools you’re going to have to buy to do or to finish the process. For more DIY floor laying tips, check out our guide to installing wood flooring.