How much does new flooring cost?
Installed flooring usually costs $3 to $18 per square foot, and the material you choose does almost all of the work. A budget carpet or sheet-vinyl floor sits at the low end; hardwood, porcelain tile, and natural stone sit at the top. A common 300 sq ft room lands anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000+ depending on what goes down and whether the old floor has to come up first.
Flooring cost by material (installed, per sq ft)
| Material | Typical installed cost / sq ft | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet | $2 – $8 | Cheapest; includes pad and installation |
| Sheet vinyl | $2 – $7 | Water-resistant, budget-friendly |
| Laminate | $4 – $14 | Durable wood-look, easy to install |
| Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) | $4 – $16 | Waterproof, the popular mid-range pick |
| Engineered wood | $7 – $20 | Real wood veneer, more stable than solid |
| Solid hardwood | $11 – $25 | Premium, refinishable, long-lasting |
| Ceramic / porcelain tile | $8 – $30 | Very durable; labor-heavy to install |
| Natural stone | $10 – $40 | High-end; heavy and slow to lay |
What drives flooring cost up or down
- Material: the single biggest factor — stone and hardwood can cost 5× a basic carpet or vinyl.
- Area: cost scales almost directly with square footage.
- Removal: pulling up old flooring adds roughly $1–$4 per sq ft, more for glued-down tile.
- Underlayment & subfloor: new underlayment runs $0.50–$3.50/sq ft; repairing a damaged subfloor costs extra.
- Layout & pattern: diagonal tile, herringbone wood, and lots of cuts around cabinets raise labor.
- Location: installation labor runs higher on the coasts, lower across much of the South and Midwest.
How to use this estimate
Use the range to plan and budget, then confirm with quotes from local flooring installers — real pricing depends on your subfloor condition, room shape, and the exact product line you pick. You can request free quotes from local pros right in the tool above.