Similar to any home-related labor cost, the average labor cost for installing hardwood floors is also vary greatly according to where you live. The biggest factor that impacts the cost is the wood types that are available near to where the building is located. For instance, the final price may raise up drastically if you choose to outsource non-local woods, due to the shipping fees. This article will lay out to you the general information about how much should hardwood floor installation cost.
To calculate the labor cost of hardwood floor installment, it is important to know that contractors commonly charge it by per square foot. You may expect the labor cost to around $4 – $8 per square foot for solid hardwood floor, and around $3 – $10 per square foot for engineered wood. These estimations may increase if the floors have plenty of irregular shapes or vents.
Material cost is another factor you have to consider the most. This is the component the most variation on the cost. Similar to the average labor cost for installing hardwood floors, it is determined by the square foot. Some of the less expensive options would be solid hardwood species – for examples, American cherry and oak that cost around $5 – $10 per square foot. Some pricier instances would be mahogany and Brazilian walnut that cost around $8 – $14 per square foot. Meanwhile, engineered wood has more variation in terms of price, which usually depends on the plywood layers numbers underneath and the top veneer thickness of the woods. Some lower end options are available for about $3 to $5 per square foot, while middle range options cost about $5 – $10 per square foot, and the higher end alternatives cost about $8 – $13 per square foot.
The cost calculation doesn’t stop there. There might be some unknown cost until the work is started by contactor. This case is most commonly applied for the subfloor, which is the surface layer underneath the flooring; because it may hide moisture or not being flat enough so it needs to be proceeded further. Other undisclosed costs are including the costs to remove and dispose the prior flooring.
While the project of hardwood flooring installment is feasible to be done through DIY method, it’s extremely recommended to opt for professional service. After all, the average labor cost for installing hardwood floors makes up for smaller portion of the total cost compared to the material cost.
