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Flooring FAQ

The most common flooring questions come down to four things: what a floor really costs once prep is included, which material suits which room, whether to refinish or replace, and how to keep a quote from growing mid-job. Installed flooring averages about $12.50 per square foot nationally, but tear-out at $1–$6 per square foot and subfloor work at $2–$12 per square foot are what separate a quote from a final bill.

If you read nothing else: the price per square foot you were quoted is probably not the price of your project. Confirm in writing whether it includes removal, disposal, subfloor repair, underlayment, trim and stairs. Those five items are where flooring projects go over budget.

The second most useful habit is getting subfloor moisture readings documented before install. It costs you nothing at quote time, it is the difference between a floor that lasts and one that cups, and it is the evidence a manufacturer will ask for if you ever file a claim.

And the third: check whether you can refinish before you agree to replace. At $3–$8 per square foot against $6–$12 for new hardwood, refinishing is the most reliably good value in this entire category.

How to choose

Ask 'what is excluded' at every quote
It's a better question than 'what's included' and it takes ten seconds.
Get moisture readings on paper
Free at quote time, decisive in a warranty claim.
Refinish before replacing
$3–$8 per square foot versus $6–$12. Ask an independent refinisher, not the company selling new floors.
Agree a subfloor repair rate in advance
Negotiating after the old floor is up leaves you with no leverage at all.
Take three bids on the same written scope
Different scopes make quotes uncomparable, which is often the point.
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Flooring faq — common questions

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Installed, roughly $3–$11 for luxury vinyl plank, $1.36–$13.58 for carpet, $6–$12 for hardwood, with an all-material national average around $12.50. Add prep on top of all of those.
Subfloor work. Repair runs about $2–$2.50 per square foot and full replacement $3.50–$12, and nobody can price it accurately until the old floor is up.
Properly maintained hardwood lasts 50 years or more. Luxury vinyl plank is rated for at least 20 years and up to 50 with good care.
Refinish, in almost every case where the boards are sound: $3–$8 per square foot against $6–$12 per square foot for new hardwood plus tear-out and prep.
Stop the job and bring in the right specialist. Asbestos abatement runs about $5–$20 per square foot and mold remediation $10–$25. Neither is work for a flooring crew.
Sources

Where these figures come from

You know more than the last homeowner they quoted.

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