You are wooed by the fabulous colors and designs of vinyl flooring. But the final decision about the new flooring depends on how heavily it will fall on your pocket. It is time for an accurate estimation. But the vinyl flooring estimate is a new thing for you. If I am right, continue reading this article. You will love what you get.
You don’t need to be a math genius to do the perfect estimation for vinyl flooring. But there are certain rules for calculating areas of different rooms for flooring. Besides, the special characteristics of vinyl floorings demand some extra caution from you while doing the perfect estimation.
I have been in the real estate business for the last 20 years. Estimating flooring size and cost is my cup of tea. So, be with me till the end of the article to know the professional way of vinyl flooring estimate.
3 Simple Steps Of Vinyl Flooring Estimate For An Area:
First of all, you will need to know the total size of the area you need to be covered with vinyl flooring. For that you can follow these steps:
Step 1- Plan The Flooring:
You have to decide which areas in your house need to be covered with vinyl flooring. Your plan can be a dynamic one, by using multiple types of flooring at the same time. Even a single area can have more than one flooring solution by installing a transition between them.
You can use vinyl flooring in your living room, corridors, and stairs. The gorgeous patterns and colors of vinyl flooring can bring a majestic look to the open spaces of your house. Your bedrooms will become comfier with soft carpet flooring on them.
My suggestion would be to keep your bedrooms and playroom away from vinyl flooring. Because there are certain health risks related to vinyl flooring, especially for children.
Step 2- Choose The Type Of Vinyl Flooring:
With vinyl flooring, you have ample options while planning the flooring strategy for your house. Vinyl sheets, vinyl planks, vinyl stripes – are the main three categories of vinyl flooring that you can choose from.
It is important to choose the type of vinyl to use before making the estimation. Because calculations would be different for the three types of vinyl flooring.
Each type of vinyl flooring has its advantages and disadvantages, which are out of the jurisdiction of this article. Usually, vinyl sheets are used in the living room and corridors and vinyl planks and stripes are more common in dining space and stairs.
Step 3- Measure The Areas To Be Vinyl-Floored:
Measuring a room area can seem tricky if you have never done it. Since the accuracy of this calculation will mean a lot for a successful vinyl flooring, I suggest you follow the steps below meticulously:
- Find The Center Of The Area:
With a professional measurement tape, measure the length and width of the area to be covered with vinyl flooring. Divide the length and width separately with the number- two. Now use the result of the divisions as your coordinates to find the exact middle of the area.
- Measure The Biggest Even Rectangle:
Now, exclude all the uneven turns at the perimeter of the area and mark the biggest possible even rectangle in the middle of the room. Use the center of the area as a reference for your measurement. Mark the rectangle with a piece of chalk.
Measure the length and width of the even rectangle and multiply them with each other to get the total area of the rectangle.
- Measure The Uneven Perimeter:
Now, excluding the biggest open rectangle in the middle of the room, measure the rest of the area around the perimeter of the room. If there is any furniture at any spot close to the wall, include them in the measurement.
You can buy vinyl flooring in square feet in whole numbers. So, If you find any space to be less than a foot, or if there are fractions, count the next even number of feet.
- Get The Final Figures:
Now add the measurements of the central open rectangle and the peripheral areas to get the final measurement of the area. Now you have the exact figure to ask the vinyl flooring showroom dealer.
- Repeat The Steps For Each Area:
Get measurements for all the areas of your house following the above steps. Be careful while measuring the corridors, stairs, and doorsteps. Remember to keep a margin in the measurement of these areas for safety reasons.
You may now add all the measured areas of all the floors in the house, you need to get covered with vinyl floors. This will be the final estimate of the size of your vinyl flooring.
Cost Estimates Of Vinyl Flooring: Things To Consider
Now that you know the exact measurement of the area of your house you need to get under vinyl flooring, let me come to the cost estimation part. You will find many vinyl floor cost calculators available on the internet. Trust me, a simple multiplication does not require such a fuss. Do it yourself with the simple calculator of your laptop or smartphone.
Here are some points that I think you should keep in mind while doing the cost estimation of vinyl flooring:
- Add 10% More To The Area:
Before calculating the price add another 10% to the total area to be vinyl-floored. Whether you install the vinyl flooring yourself or hire some professional, there will be some miscalculations, misjudgments, and wrong cuts.
So it is always safe to buy 10% more vinyl flooring materials than your requirement. Besides, it will not be a waste at all. You may need the remaining floor materials while doing a partial repair in the future.
- Size Of The Vinyl Plank Or Stripe:
Usually, vinyl planks and stripes come in some standard sizes. Commonly vinyl flooring planks or stripes lengths are either 36 inches or 48 inches. The width of the plank or stripe can vary from 4 to 12 inches. Sometimes the price of them differs by the availability of different sizes.
- Consider The Installation Cost:
While doing the cost estimation, do not forget to add the installation cost. You will have to bear some extra cost for installation even when you are installing them yourself. Because some vinyl flooring requires adhesives too.
If you are hiring professionals for the job, apprise yourself of the current market rate of your region and get prepared for a rigorous bargain.
The average installation cost of vinyl flooring in the USA is $1 – $5 per sq. ft. Remember that installation costs vary by the scale of the job and the area you live in. If your vinyl flooring uses patterns involving multiple planks or tiles, they will consume more time for installation and thus will be more costly to install.
- Estimate Cost Of Tools:
Installing vinyl flooring does not involve heavy machines. But you will still need some accessories like chalk, utility Knife, power saw, etc. Depending on the size of the area to be floored, these costs also fluctuate. Keep them in your consideration for detailed cost estimation.
- Consider The Average Cost:
The cost of vinyl planks, sheets, or stripes will vary depending on your state or locality. Because there is transportation cost, state tax policy, and many other factors involved in the pricing process.
For a gross estimation of the cost to install vinyl flooring you can consider the average price of vinyl flooring. The following chart shows the average price of vinyl flooring in the USA for every 200 sq. ft area.
| Quality | Price |
| Low | $400 |
| Average | $1,400 |
| High | $2,800 |
The national average rate of vinyl flooring in the USA varies between $600 to $2,000. After multiplying the above rate with your total installation area, you should add the installation cost with the result.
- Price Of Different Vinyl Materials:
Different types of vinyl flooring have their prices. The table below shows their average price in the USA.
| Type Of Vinyl Flooring | Price Range (Per Sq. Ft.) |
| Vinyl Sheet | $1 – $2 |
| Vinyl Composite Tile (VCT) | $3 – $5 |
| Vinyl Plank | $3 – $7 |
| Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) | $5 – $10 |
| Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) | $5 – $12 |
- Price Of Vinyl Floors With Different Effects:
Vinyl flooring has an astonishing ability to mimic any traditional type of flooring. If properly installed, it is very hard to tell the difference. The following table shows different rates of installing vinyl floors of different effects:
| Effects Of Vinyl Flooring | Cost Range (Per Sq. Ft.) |
| Marble Effect | $2 – $4 |
| Stone Effect | $2 – $8 |
| Slate Effect | $3 – $5 |
| Metallic Look | $3 – $9 |
| Wood Look | $3 – $12 |
| Herringbone Pattern | $4 – $6.5 |
| Geometric Pattern | $5 – $8 |
| Plank Pattern | $5 – $8 |
- Backing-Wise Cost Comparison:
While asking for the price of a particular kind of vinyl flooring, do not forget to know what its backing is made of. There are two types of backings for vinyl floorings. One is made of felt and the other is made of fiberglass.
Felt-made backings are more traditional for vinyl floors. You have to use adhesive to install this type of flooring. Whereas, fiberglass-backed vinyl floors need adhesive in the border areas only.
The average cost of vinyl flooring with felt-made backing is from $1 to $1.5 per sq. ft. The average cost of vinyl flooring with fiberglass-made backing is from $1 to $2 per sq. ft.
- Printed Or Inlaid Vinyl Flooring?
Another factor to consider while estimating vinyl flooring is how the design is put on its top. It can be either printed or inlaid in the coating of the tile. The Price of vinyl flooring also varies for the two ways of imprinting the patterns.
Printed vinyl flooring materials are less expensive than their inlaid versions. The average cost of printed vinyl flooring material to cover a square foot area is between $1 and $5. The same vinyl material will cost from $5 to $12 if the pattern is inlaid in the top coating of the tile.
- Count The Underlayment Cost:
Sometimes you need to use underlayment under your vinyl flooring. Check out if your favorite vinyl flooring needs underlayment or not. On average it will cost you $0.5 for each sq. ft. if you have to set an underlayment beneath the vinyl flooring.
- Count The Cost For Transitions:
At the edges of your walls, you will need baseboards for vinyl flooring. At the joining area of a room and the doorway or the corridors, you will need to create transitions. Do not forget to keep the cost in your estimation.
You may have to pay from $10 to $60 for each transition, depending on their type. For the difference in heights between floors, you will need to use reducer strips. They may cost you from $20 to $30 each.
- Cost Of Floor Heating System:
If you are installing vinyl flooring in a cold climate zone, consider installing a heating system along with the floor. It will make your movement in the house comfortable even in winter.
There are two types of radiant floor heating systems that can be installed with vinyl flooring. One is electric and the other is hydronic. You have to spend around $28,000 extra on the floor heating system.
- Cost For Vapor Barrier:
If you are installing your vinyl flooring over a concrete subfloor, you may need to set a vapor barrier beneath it. Because later on, the concrete subfloor may release moisture and cause damage to the vinyl floor. You have to spend from $0.15 to $.0.40 per sq. ft. to set the vapor barrier.
- Vinyl Flooring Removal Estimation:
Maybe you are already using vinyl flooring and trying to estimate the cost for its removal. Keep $1 to $2 in your budget to remove every sq. ft. of your flooring. That is the average rate of the USA. It may cost more if the flooring is older than 10 years and stronger to remove.
The following points should be taken into consideration when estimating vinyl flooring costs. However, you can read these ‘Vinyl Flooring Vs Engineered Hardwood Flooring, Vinyl Flooring VS Carpet and Vinyl Flooring VS Wooden Flooring’, comparison base articles will also help you in your decision making.
Commonly Asked Questions About Vinyl Flooring Estimate:
How Much Does Vinyl Flooring Cost?
The price of vinyl floors varies according to their type and quality. In the USA, the average price for vinyl sheets ranges from $1 to $2. For vinyl composite tile (VCT) you need to pay $3 to $5. Vinyl planks cost from $3 to $7. A Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) costs between $5 to $10 and the price of a luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is from $5 to $12.
What Is The Installation Cost Of Vinyl Flooring?
The average installation cost of vinyl flooring in the USA is $1 – $5 per sq. ft. Though it may vary from state to state. State-of-the-art vinyl flooring installations are costlier. It depends on the details of the design.
How Much Does It Cost To Set A Vapor Barrier Under Vinyl Flooring?
To set a vapor barrier under vinyl flooring, it cost extra 15 cents to 40 cents on average for each sq. ft. of vinyl floor. Vapor barriers help to extend the life of the vinyl flooring by protecting it from probable moisture to be released by the concrete subfloor.
How Much Extra Vinyl Material Should You buy?
To be on the safe side, you should buy extra vinyl sheets, planks, or stripes. You should buy 10% extra vinyl materials compared to the total area of flooring. Because it is likely to have some miscalculations, and wrong cuts in the installation process of the vinyl flooring.
Between Printed & Inlaid Vinyl Planks Which Is Costlier?
Printed vinyl flooring materials are less expensive than inlaid vinyl flooring. The average cost of printed vinyl flooring material to cover a square foot area is between $1 and $5. The cost for the same quantity of inlaid vinyl material will cost from $5 to $12.
Is It Costly To Install Radiant Floor Heater Under Vinyl Flooring?
It takes around $28,000 to install radiant floor heating under vinyl flooring solutions. They can be both electric or hydronic. Installing a radiant heater under vinyl flooring is very wise if you are living in a cold climate zone.
Last Remark:
Proper estimation is a crucial part of perfect planning. If your planning is not perfect, you will never succeed in installing vinyl floorings. So, I suggest you invest some time in the estimation part to avoid any untoward situations while and after the installation of vinyl flooring.
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