LVT flooring cost guide

No matter the type of floor you plan on installing in your home, it goes without saying that you’ll need a suitable budget in place to cover the cost of such a project. And if that budget is relatively tight, then you might be considering fitting LVT flooring rather than traditional wooden planks.

But even though investing in an LVT floor is a relatively cost-effective flooring solution, that’s not to say it won’t require sound financial planning and research to ensure that you stay within your assigned floor renovation budget.

So, for those planning on laying LVT in one or more rooms of their home, we’ve broken down what you need to know about LVT installation costs, including the average cost per square metre and some of the additional floor-laying expenses you’ll need to account for should you choose to install your new LVT flooring yourself.

How much is LVT flooring on average?

Starting with the most important question when buying an LVT floor: How much is LVT flooring per square metre?

And to this, we say, it depends.

For one thing, there are a variety of factors at play that can contribute to the overall cost of your new LVT flooring, such as the size of the area you intend to tile, the style of LVT you choose, and any additional installation products you may need to purchase. Not only that, but you’ll also need to bear in mind the manufacturing quality of your chosen LVT.

However, generally speaking, most LVT flooring will cost anywhere between £15-£60 per square metre, which averages out to about £30-£35 per m². Of course, this is only accounting for a small area, and the larger the room or space you intend to tile, the more expensive your LVT installation costs will be.

What are the main factors that impact LVT fitting costs?

As we’ve already mentioned, there are several factors to account for when calculating the cost of LVT flooring, but the most important of these are the quality of your tiles and the size of the area you want to floor.

For example, although the average LVT cost per m² might only be around £30-£35, if you were to tile the entirety of a typical 1-bedroom apartment (which averages around 40m²), this would equate to a total LVT floor fitting cost of £1,200-£1,400.

Alternatively, were you to floor a standard 3-bed home (which tend to have a floor space of 90m²), this would set you back between £2,700-£3,150!

Naturally, you’re not likely to be flooring the entirety of your home with LVT, and the LVT cost per m² is still substantially less than both wood and stone flooring. However, it’s still worth bearing in mind the wider cost of LVT flooring should you be tiling a large area, especially if you want to use a higher quality, more expensive LVT.

What other LVT fitting costs do I need to consider?

Alongside the general LVT flooring fitting costs of tile price per square metre and tile quality, if you plan on installing your new LVT floor yourself, then you’ll also need to account for the following in your final budget:

• LVT underlay – an essential part of any LVT installation, a good LVT underlay is necessary to provide support to your new tiles and insulation for your floor. As such, you’ll need to buy a suitable amount of underlay for the area you plan to tile.
• Additional installation materials – alongside your tiles and underlay, part of the LVT installation process includes checking your floor is level, and if necessary, smoothing it flat. This will require you to purchase a floor smoothing compound to complete. Then, once you come to glue your LVT tiles in place, you’ll need the required LVT adhesive to adhere your tiles to your old floor.
• Tools costs – unless you regularly carry out DIY flooring projects, you likely won’t own some of the required tools needed to properly complete an LVT floor installation, meaning you’ll either have to buy them outright or rent them before you can start work.
• Removing your old floor – in most cases when laying a new LVT floor, you’ll need to remove and dispose of your old floor. This has two costs associated with it; the time needed to carry out the removal, and the cost of having it disposed of properly, which can often average out at least £100-£150.
• Fixing mistakes – although installing LVT tiles is a relatively simple task, should you make any mistakes during the installation process, you may very well have to redo that section of your floor with new tiles, adding additional tile costs on top of your original calculations.

What is the LVT fitting cost for hiring a professional floorer?

Given that the cost of fitting an LVT floor yourself has the potential to be more expensive than the tile costs alone, especially if you accidentally make a mistake, you may prefer to hire an independent contractor to carry out the installation for you.

As you’d expect, this will increase the cost of your LVT installation. However, if you’re tiling a reasonably big area, it may be the more cost-effective option. Typically, the average day rate for a professional floorer sits between £150-£300 per day, though it may be more or less expensive depending on where you live.

However, in return for this higher price point, you should get a far more professional installation and fit. And as an added bonus, many tradespeople will often include the cost of removing your old floor, levelling it, and purchasing any essential installation materials within the full price.

Browse our range to find the right LVT for you

Hopefully, you should now have a much better understanding of the general costs associated with LVT floor installation. And while we can’t provide an exact cost for your own personal project, we can certainly advise on what the total price may be for your installation if you get in touch with our experts.

Naturally, if you’ve already settled on the installation method for your LVT tiles, then you start browsing our collection today to find the perfect style to match your home décor! Don’t forget to visit our flooring blog as well for more useful articles on what LVT flooring is and how to remove scratches from your LVT if it gets damaged.