The answer to the cost of installing engineered hardwood floors is complicated. The pricing estimate to install hardwood flooring comes from the interplay of different factors. As such, you will be better served by understanding how these different factors work to determine hardwood installation costs.
If you are contemplating changing your house flooring, hardwood floors are an excellent choice. These floors are durable and versatile. Furthermore, they give your home a contemporary feel that’s ideal if you’re particular about decor styles.
Now, when it comes to the cost of installing hardwood flooring, there are several factors to consider. How many materials do you need? Is your space large per square foot?
Are you budgeting for a mid-quality engineered hardwood floor? How much labour will you require? All these and many more will keep you on the edge when trying to determine the overall price.
To make it easier, we’ll provide you with the average cost of installing engineered hardwood floors per square foot. Alongside, we will discuss the cost of materials, labour and finishes. We’ll even discuss the cost of hiring an expert or doing it yourself. Here are the important details.
Average Cost of Installing Engineered Hardwood Floors
The average cost of installing engineered hardwood floors is around $5000 overall. This fee may range from $3000 to $7000 depending on several factors like your location, floor size and installation method. After all, a large project in Toronto will cost more than a small project in Alberta.
Per square foot, hardwood flooring installation will cost you about $4. Again, this may range between $3 and $12. This pricing range is mostly applicable to domestic hardwood types as exotic species will be more expensive. If you want exotic flooring like Brazilian Walnut and White oak, you’ll incur about $1,000 on the total price.
Besides, many hardwood floors come as snap-together flooring. This floor setup makes installation faster and simpler. A typical 500 square foot flooring will cost you nothing less than $5,500.
You’re probably aware that engineered hardwood floors are often produced from plywood and a thin layer of veneer wood. Most times, these woods may come pre-finished. Thus, it’s unlikely you’ll spend anything on finishing except you want to go an extra mile.
To that end, we’ll highlight the standard cost to lay engineered hardwood flooring accompanied by the price of labour required.
- Average overall cost (labour and materials): $5000
- Typical cost per square foot: $4
- A 50 square foot flooring: $5,500
- Price of labour per square foot: $10
Services That Cover Engineered Hardwood Flooring
When budgeting the cost of installing engineered hardwood floors, it may seem like every step of the process requires a pro. However, this isn’t so.
Some services may require DIY while others may need manual skills. Undoubtedly, by performing some tasks yourself, you’ll save money on your floor remodelling. The expenses that need the services of a hardwood installation expert include:
- Hardwood flooring cost: $900 – $1,200
- Engineered hardwood labor (Basic flooring): $1,050 – $1,600
- Engineered wood materials and supplies (320 sq. Ft): $110 – 150
- Project allowance (per day): $40 – $60
Optional duties include:
- Hardwood flooring garbage disposal(300 square feet): $75 – $90
- Engineered floor removal (15 hours): $270 – $1,750
Now, a rough estimate for all these services will be around $4,000. Minus the optional tasks, you can expect to spend about $2,500 on hardwood flooring installation.
Price of Engineered Hardwood Installation by Square Foot
The cost of installing engineered hardwood floors is $4 per square foot. With the inclusion of labour, you may spend $9 on average for a square foot. With cheaper supplies, expect to spend about $6 and expensive ones will cost you $10. To determine your room’s square foot, get a tape and measure the width and length.
Then, multiply it to arrive at the square foot of the room. For instance, if your space is 20 feet wide and 16 feet long, you’ll require enough wood flooring for 320 square feet (20 x 16= 320). The table below shows the general pricing for engineered hardwood floors.
We arrived at these prices by using these three figures:
- Length x Width (overall sq. ft.)
- Overall sq. ft x Amount per square foot
- The total cost of flooring
| Square Feet | Standard Cost ($) | Lowest Price ($) | Highest Price ($) |
| 100 | 310 | 250 | 360 |
| 180(standard) | $615 | $530 | $700 |
| 200 | $920 | $780 | $1,010 |
| 300 | $1,000 | $850 | $1,250 |
| 400 | $1,300 | $1,050 | $1,500 |
| 500 | $1,550 | $1,320 | $1, 700 |
| 600 | $1,850 | $1,555 | $2,060 |
Cost of Labour
The cost of labour for installing engineered hardwood floors is around $900. This may, however, range between $500 and $1,500 depending on the various types of labour you’re employing. Most hardwood flooring is installed by stapling, nailing, and fastening them to a subfloor.
The standard labour price for installing engineered hardwood floors is usually more expensive than the cost of materials. Sometimes, it’s almost up to the overall amount for installation.
Skilled contractor
First, you’ll need the service of a contractor. General contractors usually charge about 25% or more on the overall project cost. Besides, some of them may help you hire other labourers (plumber, carpenter, and architect) at a reduced fee.
Architect
How much to install engineered hardwood floors is also affected by the architect’s fee. If you want to modify the total layout plan of the floor, then you’ll need an architect. For this, you’ll spend about $200 and $250 per hour. If you’re lucky, they may charge about 15% on the overall project price.
Others
The cost of installing engineered hardwood floors alongside the price of manual labour is about $550. This estimate covers the fee for removing, repairing, relocating and cleaning out existing flooring. Certainly, you’ll need extra hands for these services. Hence, it’s ideal for your budget for this cost.
Related Article: How Much Does it Cost to Install Wire Brushed Floors in Ontario?
Cost of Materials for Hardwood Flooring Installation
With materials, hardwood flooring installation will cost about $3 and $9 per square foot. You should know that not all wood floorings cost the same. Generally, domestic species like pine and maple cost less than exotic ones like Bolivian Rosewood and Padauk.
Furthermore, you have to consider the durability of the material. Keep in mind that the transportation fee for the flooring will also be considered. Since engineered hardwood differs in hardness, quality and consequently weight, the price of hardwood installation also varies.
Below are the prices of the common types of engineered hardwood floors alongside their ratings.
Brazilian Koa
The cost to lay engineered hardwood flooring, particularly Brazilian Koa, is $5 to $10 per square foot. This wood has a rating of 2160 on the Janka scale.
Ultimately, this high rating means it’ll last in your home for years. Its warm tones and sharp contrast grain will lend beauty to your home interiors.
Hard Maple
This has a price tag of $3 to $6 per square foot. This hardwood’s Janka rate is 1450. Undoubtedly, its low quality contributes to its affordability. It’s the most popular and widely used floor by homeowners. Aside from its affordability, it’s one of the best choices for remodelling any part of your house.
It’s highly durable and perfect for spaces with high and medium traffic. For the finishing of this wood, you can either opt for reddish-brown or pale cream. Although, most individuals pick the pale cream finishing. This finishing is what’s later referred to as white oak flooring.
White Ash
The cost of installing engineered hardwood floors particularly, this domestic species, ranges between $5 to $7. It has a Janka score of 1320. Just like hard maple, it’s long-lasting under high and medium traffic.
This wood is available in grey-brown and light cream colours. Luckily for you, it doesn’t require staining. By opting for this incredible hardwood, you’ll be saving money.
Heart pine
The heart pine costs between $2 to $4 per square foot. This domestic wood is also long-lasting and dense. It’ll delight you to know that you can easily stain this wood. Moreover, this is your best option if you’re working with a limited budget.
Brazilian Tigerwood
For this, you’ll spend around $6 to $10 per square foot. This is the most expensive pricing for engineered hardwood floors in the market.
This exotic hardwood Janka’s score is 2350. Arguably, it’s among the toughest hardwood you can find anywhere. It holds up expertly in high traffic areas. Its moderate grain and rich red hue make it a good choice for any part of the home.
Acacia
Acacia hardwood will cost you nothing less than $3.50. However, considering other factors like location and manufacturer, it may range between $3 to $9. Its Janka score is 2220. By this, one can tell that it’s a durable and versatile wood.
You can get it in cool dark brown and light cream grains. It comes with a natural wax that resists water. Thus, by opting for this type, your cost of installation will be reduced.
Miscellaneous supplies
The cost of installing engineered hardwood floors also includes the expenses for miscellaneous. For these extra supplies, you’ll spend about $100 or more. With the inclusion of sales tax and permission fees on these materials, the cost of materials may amount to $200.
During the project, the contractor will need materials like adhesives, wax, asbestos, lead and nails. As expected they’ll charge you for this cost separately. The reason is, there’s every tendency they’ll be undercharged if they include this cost in their overall fee.
Here’s a quick per sq. foot breakdown of the cost of materials for hardwood flooring.
- Brazilian Koa: $5
- Acacia: $3.50
- Brazilian Tigerwood: $6
- White Ash:$5
- Hard Maple:$3
- Heart pine: $3
- Miscellaneous (General sizing): $100-$300
Engineered Hardwood Flooring Cost Calculator for Supplies
The average installation prices for hardwood floors come with damage fees. Hence, it’s ideal you buy up to 10% more materials. This percent depends on the grade of wood, variance in grain and colour. No matter how much you try to manage supplies, wastage is inevitable.
The reason is, there’s every possibility you’ll find defective materials when buying in bulk. Moreover, natural materials are more prone to damage compared to synthetics. In the same manner, engineered hardwood has a reduced deficit rate than natural wood.
Again, most flooring materials supplies do not fit the floor spaces. You’ll frequently have to trim some materials to suit irregular places in your space. By hiring a professional contractor, you’ll reduce waste.
When drawing up a budget, the general policy is to include 10% for installation for materials less than 1,000 feet. Also, add 7% for installation when it’s more. With allowance, the waste can be up to 15% for products used. For example, in a 180 sq. Ft room, you can figure your allowance for 10% waste by multiplying 180 x 10% to arrive at 18.
To install engineered hardwood floors, you’ll need to buy 198 square feet of hardwood. If the product you choose is 20 sq. ft per carton, just divide 198 by 20. This will give you 9.9. Simply round it up and purchase 10 cartons.
Cost of Installation: According to the Quality
The cost of installing engineered hardwood floors varies with grades. Higher quality wood will cost more than low-quality wood. This is because they’ll have more resistance to daily wear. Plus, they’ll be thicker and more versatile.
Low quality engineered hardwood floor
This option is also known as basic engineered hardwood. It often costs around $4 to $10 per square foot. It comes with three main layers with a flat veneer that’s usually between 1/16” and 1/12” in depth.
We’re aware that many people may ascribe its low quality to bad wood flooring. However, it does come with its own benefits.
Mid quality engineered hardwood floor
The mid-level engineered hardwood floor has a thick core and veneer. The price falls between $6.50 and $13 per square foot. No doubt, it’s an excellent choice for places in your home that are susceptible to a reasonable amount of traffic.
High quality engineered hardwood floor
Top-grade engineered hardwood flooring has over eight-core layers. Besides, it has a veneer that’s about ⅙” thick. For this quality, you’ll spend between $10 and $17 per square foot.
This flooring is the most long-lasting type of hardwood you can choose. Not to mention, it’ll leave your home with a contemporary and beautiful look.
| Engineered Hardwood Floor by Quality | Average Price ($) | Lowest Price ($) | Highest Price ($) |
| Low quality | $7 | $4 | $10 |
| Mid quality | $10 | $7 | $13 |
| Top-quality | $13 | $10 | $17 |
Price of DIY and Hiring an Expert
If you’ll be installing it yourself, the cost of installing hardwood flooring will be extremely cheap. However, with the services of a professional, it’ll be on the high side. For DIY you may spend around $1000 overall. While an expert may charge you about $500.
Now, installing engineered hardwood floors DIY is a great idea. Although, if you have little or no knowledge of floor installation, you may end up wasting resources or even spending more. Areas in your home with odd angles and obstructions will need an expert touch.
For instance, the flooring on your stairs and bathroom will require professional trimming. This is something a professional will carry out with ease. An expert will also finish the project faster than a DIYer. Aside from this, they are capable of reducing waste. In doing so, they will help you spend less on your hardwood flooring installation.
How to Cut Cost on the Price of Installing Engineered Hardwood Floors
No doubt, the cost of installing engineered hardwood floors is quite an investment. Hence, we’ll provide you with tips on how to save money while carrying out the installation.
- Replace your floors yourself (DIY).
- Perform the menial tasks yourself (removing furniture, disposing of waste materials, removing old floors, etc.)
- Opt for click-together hardwood floorings.
- Employ a local flooring professional.
- Buy materials from local retailers.
Can Engineered Hardwood Floors Increase Your Home Value?
Yes, they can. If you’re remodelling your floors to sell your house, then you’re on the right track. Hardwood floors can boost the resale significance of your place by 30% or more. By installing any type of hardwood floor, you can expect to get up to 75% or 80% on your returns.
Related Article: What is the Cost of Installing White Oak Flooring in Vaughan?
The Bottom Line
No matter what you choose, the cost of installing engineered hardwood floors can get adjustments to fit your budget. Before starting your floor project, you should consult an expert. Yes, we’ve given you an estimate to work with. However, a professional will give you a detailed cost for the installation of hardwood floors.
Are you ready to reinstall your floors and give your home value? Don’t hesitate to discuss your needs with LV Flooring today. After all, professional service is the best option for your hardwood installation project.
