Square footage, waste factors, and subfloor prep. Choose a project type below for a complete step-by-step guide with formulas, waste factors, productivity benchmarks, and pro tips.
Flooring contractors price installed material per square foot, plus subfloor prep, transitions, and removal of existing flooring. The waste factor varies sharply by material: 5–7% for vinyl plank and laminate, 10–15% for hardwood (longer runs need cutoff), 15–20% for tile (cuts and breakage), and up to 25% for diagonal or herringbone layouts in any material. Under-ordering is the most expensive mistake in flooring — running back to the supply house mid-install for a few extra boxes from a different dye lot is how callbacks happen. Subfloor prep is the hidden cost: an out-of-flat slab can need 1–2 yards of self-leveling compound at $50–$80/bag plus labor; a squeaky wood subfloor needs screw-down before any new flooring goes over it. On a slab job, prep can run 30–50% of the install line. Removal of existing flooring is a separate line and is often more disruptive than the install — old tile demo creates dust, glued-down VCT requires scraping that can take a day, carpet pad pulls fast but disposal volume is huge. The trade differs from tile setters (who often work only with tile and stone, not LVP/wood) and finish carpenters (transitions and trim, sometimes overlapping). Quarter-round, T-moldings, and reducers are real cost; pricing them as freebies is a common loss leader. Material costs are volatile: hardwood prices can swing 15–30% on a bad timber market, and 2026 LVP prices have been creeping up on tariff exposure.
Vinyl plank installs at 200–300 sq ft/day; hardwood at 300–500; tile at 100–200 depending on size and pattern. Each has its own waste %.
Out-of-flat slabs need self-leveling. Squeaky wood subfloors need screws. Glued residue from old flooring needs scraping. Walk it before quoting.
Straight-lay is the baseline. Diagonal adds 10–15% material and 20% labor. Herringbone or chevron adds 25%+ in both. Confirm the pattern in writing.
Carpet pulls fast. Tile demo creates dust and takes hours per room. Glued VCT is the worst case. Price removal by the hour or by the room, not bundled.
Wood needs 10–15% waste minimum. A short order means a return trip and a dye-lot risk. Always order long, return overage.
Quarter-round, T-moldings, and reducers are real material and real install time. Price them per linear foot.
On slab jobs you don't know how out-of-flat it is until you tear up the old flooring. Quote leveling as a per-bag allowance, not a fixed price.