Pricing Laminate/Hardwood floors

[mwrjoinery]

Hi All,

I've been in joinery for the last 20 years but have always worked as a sub-contractor for companies. I have always taken on all kinds of work but i am now wanting to specialise in the fitting of laminate and real wood flooring, but i don't know what to price per Sq/m. In early '09 i bought the BCIS wessex pricing guide but there's nothing about pricing for the flooring i want to fit.

I can easily make up a spreadsheet to account for all the variables involved.

So any advice on the prices (labour only) from those in the know would be gratefully appreciated.

Martin.

 

[skyhi2]

Work on a day rate Martin,easiest way.

Skyhi2.

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

I am having an oak floor put down in a house I have just bought.
The going rate from flooring shops seems to be £10sqm but having posted the job on mybuilder.co.uk I have had numerous (17) quotes for £5sqm, so I would guess that is the going rate for an independent.

 

[Tw Installations]

Laminate flooring approx £5 -£8 a sq mtr labour only, an average living room would be giving you £100 -£150 at £5 psm

A small kitchen Approx 8 sq mtrs would give you £40, but your not going to do this are you?, it can a knightmare If your putting flooring under free standing appliances, plinths etc and it will take you longer to do this than the living room, so you would price this as you see it ( time wise ) id say about £80 - £100, but explain to the customer exactly what your going to do - ie run the flooring under the units, plane the doors, plinths etc

Real wood flooring approx £20-£25 a sq mtr, if you are doing a full house then you could go in around £18 psm just to get the job.

Never price per day as the above post said, you'll probably be busy but not as profititable as you should be and people will take advantage of you this way too.

Pricing will always vary but if your doing a good job and you sell it to them the right way then you should have no problems getting work with these prices, if you want to go really cheap then its up to you, it has to be based on volume though and the work suffers because of it.

My advice would be to let the other joners / handymen compete on "my builder", this type of quote is driven by price and not by who is going to do the best job.

If your going to remain in business then you need to do a good job, build up a customer base and from experience customers dont mind paying a little extra for peace of mind

Hope this helps and Best of luck
Tommy

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

You wont be very busy charging £20-£25sqm for wooden flooring.
I am having a 40sqm room done for £200 and was only quoted £400 from each of 3 shops that sell the flooring.
The room has had all the carpets etc removed so you could add a little for prep work but not that much!

 

[dal]

A small kitchen Approx 8 sq mtrs would give you £40, but your not going to do this are you?
explain to the customer exactly what your going to do - ie run the flooring under the units, plane the doors, plinths etc

Real wood flooring approx £20-£25 a sq mtr, if you are doing a full house then you could go in around £18 psm just to get the job.
Never price per day as the above post said, you'll probably be busy but not as profititable as you should be and people will take advantage of you this way too.
Pricing will always vary but if your doing a good job and you sell it to them the right way then you should have no problems getting work with these prices, if you want to go really cheap then its up to you, it has to be based on volume though and the work suffers because of it.
My advice would be to let the other joners / handymen compete on "my builder", this type of quote is driven by price and not by who is going to do the best job.
If your going to remain in business then you need to do a good job, build up a customer base and from experience customers dont mind paying a
Tommy

I completely agree with this advice. You get what you pay for most times (Pay peanuts; get monkeys), personally I don't think £20 psm is not bad at all. I think most of the time there are those that want the job done as cheap as possible. And there are the elite; money is not too much of a problem; they just want a good job done. (Obviously everyone wants to crack into the elite).
I'm in Formwork, and it's a bit different but I think there's a little small bit of theory that they just want a good job done.
I agree with that price competition website what Tommy has said, they just want the cheapest. But often (Nearly always) they walk on the job and suddenly almost everything is an extra they have not allowed for and they end up being dearer .

 

[estwig]

I am having an oak floor put down in a house I have just bought.
The going rate from flooring shops seems to be £10sqm but having posted the job on mybuilder.co.uk I have had numerous (17) quotes for £5sqm, so I would guess that is the going rate for an independent.

I guess that's labour only, for that sorta money your oak floor will be bowed, warped and useless within 6 months.

Laying oak floors is very specialised, moisture meters alone cost over £200.00, then you need to know how to use one. I have seen oak floors badly fitted, swell so much they can push walls over.

You are making a serious mistake if you think an oak floor can be laid for £5.00sqm, even £10sqm is a joke.

This is of course assuming you mean oak flooring and not laminate, or engineered and even engineered flooring requires skill and knowledge.

 

[dal]

I guess that's labour only, for that sorta money your oak floor will be bowed, warped and useless within 6 months.

Laying oak floors is very specialised, moisture meters alone cost over £200.00, then you need to know how to use one. I have seen oak floors badly fitted, swell so much they can push walls over.

You are making a serious mistake if you think an oak floor can be laid for £5.00sqm, even £10sqm is a joke.

This is of course assuming you mean oak flooring and not laminate, or engineered and even engineered flooring requires skill and knowledge.

Thank-you estwig, there are some out there that know what they're on about .

 

[Tw Installations]

You wont be very busy charging £20-£25sqm for wooden flooring.
I am having a 40sqm room done for £200 and was only quoted £400 from each of 3 shops that sell the flooring.
The room has had all the carpets etc removed so you could add a little for prep work but not that much!

If this is harwood flooring ( real wood ) then this is not an industry price, It must be laminate, and therfore £5 a sq mtr is what I said, so what your saying is £200 divided by 40 = £5 = same thing as I said

If 3 shops have quoted then its not harwood flooring

Tommy

 

[estwig]

Thank-you estwig, there are some out there that know what they're on about .

Good for you!

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

If this is harwood flooring ( real wood ) then this is not an industry price, It must be laminate, and therfore £5 a sq mtr is what I said, so what your saying is £200 divided by 40 = £5 = same thing as I said

If 3 shops have quoted then its not harwood flooring

Tommy

Nope, 25mm grey oiled oak.

 

[estwig]

Nope, 25mm grey oiled oak.

Seriously mate, 1" thick oak will not last 2 minutes and what is grey oiled oak anyway??

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

Its the finish.
How thick would you recommend? The vast majority that I have seen is actually 18mm.
25mm seems to be a fairly common size?

 

[skyhi2]

Is it layered or solid oak again TTP ?

Layered would be OK,which will give you about 15mm of top finish,but humidity/heat will not affect it much.

20/25mm solid would be fine,but you will have to follow the manufacturers instructions to the letter or your guarantee would be void.

Skyhi2.

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

It's solid oak in random lengths, 140mm wide strips.
I haven't seen any thicker than 25mm, although I haven't been looking either as that's what I was advised to get by a friend of mine who has the same in his place.

 

[mwrjoinery]

Many thanks to all, especially TW Installations, the figures you have given were along the lines of what i was thinking, so nice to see you've confirmed them.

Again, thanks all.

Martin.

 

[Lee Jones Jnr]

Seriously mate, 1" thick oak will not last 2 minutes and what is grey oiled oak anyway??

How thick do you recommend?

 

[MASSEY]

I think it depends on clients, i have known property developers pay people £350 to lay 7 meters sq laminate,

For real wood flooring you will want to charge far more.

 

[Tw Installations]

Many thanks to all, especially TW Installations, the figures you have given were along the lines of what i was thinking, so nice to see you've confirmed them.

Again, thanks all.

Martin.

Your Very Welcome and best of luck

Tommy

 

[estwig]

How thick do you recommend?

I dunn know, maybe you are right, we have used 11/2" in the past. I've just seen so many awful oak floors, all warped and twisted (bit like me, ha, ha! No? ok!)

Just make sure you are getting a proper job.

 

[Matt1959]

never used one these floors meself but as woodman I'd think the engineered strips ie solid on manmade would be more stable than anything totally solid. Right or wrong:|

 

[estwig]

never used one these floors meself but as woodman I'd think the engineered strips ie solid on manmade would be more stable than anything totally solid. Right or wrong:|

Yes you are spot on, also some of the better quality laminates look so real, it is very hard to tell the difference and they are very tough and hardwaring.

This one from Pergo looks stunning and the price of it makes you realise what real oak should cost.