How much does it cost?
It depends on the flooring. Laminate and vinyl flooring have always been a cheaper option and easier installation of these products make them cheaper to install. However, with recent marketing these products have climbed above the cost of actual hardwoods. They have a bonus of being waterproof, but some are only water resistant. I would say for my area in Montana, laminates and vinyl flooring should cost around $2.50-3.50 a square foot (sqft) for medium to sightly higher quality. Installs should not exceed $2.00 a sqft unless there is subfloor repairs or leveling issues. Some people may charge more because it took longer than expected or had hard cuts like cutting around log posts. Hardwoods can be difficult to gage the price because of all the different species. I like red oak the most. Red oak is generally more available, and cheaper. They are the floors I sand and refinish the most and last a long time. Buying raw wood #1 RED OAK costs $3.50-3.95 currently (2024) a sqft. Buying pre-finished red oak costs $4.50-5.00 a sqft, so it seems like a great deal to buy the pre-finished flooring and get a good life out of it, before you need to sand and refinish. Installation charges vary wildly based on the installer and materials for the job. I currently charge $2.75 a square foot to cover costs for my labor, staples and glue. Tile is crazy for pricing right now but the tiles themselves are relatively cheap. The underlayment plus cement plus grout can change the price quite a bit for installs. Because of all the steps involved, labor can range from $10-30 a sqft. It's difficult to navigate the remodel world with such variation in costs and construction materials changing with inflation. I try to be upfront about the cost, but there are also unknowns on every job like peeling up old carpet, having to level the floor with cement, mold discovery or repairs that need to be done
Whats the best flooring?
Hardwoods are by far the best. They look great and hold up better than other floors because they are fastened to the subfloor with flooring cleats, staples and glue compared to carpet and laminates. Areas sometimes need replacing on hardwood, but it is cheaper to replace a section rather than an entire new floor. Most of the floors I sand and finish are over 30 years old. Some are even relics that are over a 100 years old and they look amazing. Tile is great but I have never seen them hold up as well mostly due to poor installation with tiles not flush or cracking tiles. Hardwoods have the advantage of being stained, so the sky is the limit on looks you can achieve. Hardwoods also have the advantage of being sown into new add ons if you choose so you can add more rooms to your house or alter the structure and match the old flooring with the new.
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