Flooring Calculator

Flooring Calculator Guide

Flooring Types and Price Ranges

Laminate: £8–25 per m² for materials, durable and low maintenance, not suitable for bathrooms or areas with standing water. Engineered wood: £20–80 per m², real wood surface with ply core, more stable than solid wood in humid conditions, can be sanded once or twice. LVT/luxury vinyl: £15–50 per m², completely waterproof, excellent for kitchens and bathrooms, realistic wood or tile appearance. Carpet: £8–40 per m², warmest and quietest, requires underlay, not suitable for wet rooms. Natural stone

Why You Need 10% Extra

Cutting waste accounts for most of the extra. Diagonal or herringbone patterns require 15–20% extra because more cuts are needed. Complex room shapes with alcoves or bay windows also need extra allowance. Always buy from the same batch (dye lot) — colours can vary between production runs, meaning you cannot match perfectly if you run short later. Keep leftover pieces for future repairs.

Underlay Matters

Underlay is not optional for laminate and wood floors — it provides sound insulation (important for flats), thermal insulation, and slight cushioning that protects the floor's locking joints. For laminate: minimum 3mm foam, ideally 5mm foam with vapour barrier in ground floor or concrete subfloor installations. For carpet: PU foam underlay (density 130+ kg/m³) significantly extends carpet life. Vinyl and LVT are often self-underlaying but may need a self-levelling compound on uneven subfloors.

Fitting Costs

Professional fitting in the UK: laminate and LVT £8–15 per m², carpet £4–8 per m², tiles £20–45 per m² (more for natural stone or complex patterns). Fitting typically takes 1–2 days for an average living room. Factor in furniture removal (often an extra charge), floor preparation (levelling, removing old floor), and disposal of old flooring material. DIY is straightforward for laminate and LVT but tiling and carpet fitting are more skilled.