Typical installed ranges, by county
Including labor and a mid-grade product with normal underlayment on a reasonably flat subfloor. Planning numbers; the written quote after a measure is the real one.
| Floor | King County | Snohomish | Pierce | Kitsap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate, AC4, installed per sq ft | $5 to $9 | $4.75 to $8.75 | $4.50 to $8.50 | $4.75 to $9 |
| Vinyl plank, 20 mil, installed per sq ft | $6 to $12 | $5.75 to $11.50 | $5.50 to $11 | $5.75 to $12 |
| Removal, carpet and pad, per sq ft | $1 to $2 | $1 to $2 | $1 to $2 | $1 to $2 |
| Removal, tile or glued vinyl, per sq ft | $2 to $4 | $2 to $4 | $2 to $4 | $2 to $4 |
| Stairs, per step | $80 to $200 | $75 to $200 | $75 to $190 | $75 to $200 |
Whole-house projects typically land toward the lower end of each range per square foot.
What moves the number
Product, above all. What is on the floor now. Subfloor condition, especially plank subfloors in pre-1950 houses and slabs. Layout: many small rooms cost more per foot than open space. Stairs. Moisture in crawl spaces and slabs that needs a step before the floor can be warrantied. Furniture and appliance handling.
Example budgets
A 450-square-foot living room and hall in laminate, carpet out, typically lands in the low-to-mid thousands anywhere in the region. A 1,450-square-foot main floor in vinyl plank with a flight of stairs typically lands in the low-to-mid five figures. Budgeting numbers; the installer's quote is the price.
Reading a flooring quote
Room-by-room square footage with waste; product by name and price; underlayment; removal by type; disposal; subfloor prep as identified and a note on unforeseen conditions; transitions and trim by piece or linear foot; stairs by step; appliance and furniture handling; labor; tax; deposit and payment terms; schedule and staging. A lump sum is not a quote.
Not worth saving on
Underlayment, subfloor prep and acclimation time. Small lines, and the reason floors fail when skipped.
