How Much is LVT Flooring Installation?
LVT flooring (which stands for "Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring") costs around £15 to £60 per square metre, depending on the style and quality you decide to purchase. To have your new flooring installed professionally, an experienced tradesmen will then charge an additional £150 to £200 per day in labour fees.
What is LVT flooring made from? LVT flooring is made up of several layers, which goes a long way to ensure it has a long lifespan. The layers are a mixture of transparent PVC layers and PVC layers with designs and colours on them.
So, why is LVT flooring so popular?
LVT is an incredibly affordable alternative flooring option to hardwood or stone.
The tiles are comfortable to walk on and have a natural warmth to them as it stays at room temperature.
The most important layer to LVT flooring is the top 'wear' layer, as the thicker and higher quality this layer is, the more life you will get from the LVT flooring.
What does this cost guide cover?
In this article we're going to explore everything you need to know about the cost of LVT flooring. Including the material costs per square metre, the price you're likely to pay for fitting, any additional costs and much more.
LVT Flooring Costs
The following are the vinyl floor prices for LVT flooring, material costs only, excluding any labour fees for installation.
| LVT QUALITY | AVERAGE COST PER 1M² |
|---|---|
| Low-end Quality | £15-£25 |
| Mid-end Quality | £25-£40 |
| High-end Quality | £40-£60 |
Laying an LVT floor can be done either as a DIY project, or for best results, by hiring a professional at around £150 to £200 per day (although in most cases the job should be completed within a day's work).
If you're planning on refurbishing the flooring in your home any time soon, this guide will help you make some important decisions.
Cost of LVT Flooring
As we mentioned in the previous section, the cost of LVT flooring greatly differs depending on the quality of the vinyl tiles. In terms of quality, lower-end tiles will cost around £15 per square metre and for top-end luxury vinyl tiles expect to pay around £60 per square metre.
When it comes to getting LVT flooring installed, you can ask the fitter to purchase the supplies for you, although most people tend to shop for the materials themselves and have them delivered prior to the installation date.
Purchasing the materials yourself allows for much more shopping around to find the best deals. It will also give you a chance to see the differences in price and quality, helping you to decide the best value LVT flooring for your budget.
A fitter is less likely to try and find the best deals, as this will become too time-consuming and takes away from their fitting jobs which they would then have to charge extra for.
LVT Fitting Costs
The price for a flooring fitter is between £150-£200 per day, but this does depend on a few factors other than the basic labour costs to install LVT flooring.
Firstly, you're likely to get a cheaper rate if you're asking the fitter to complete several jobs, therefore providing them with more work. Apart from that, the cost of tradespeople does vary quite a bit depending on the location of the work.
In cities like London and Birmingham, the cost of living is higher and therefore, so are rates for contractors, which is standard across all different types of trade. You'll pay a lower rate in small towns and villages that are far less densely populated.
Additional LVT Flooring Installation Costs
There are a few additional LVT costs to consider when working out a budget for laying your new flooring.
Some costs are essential for the job can't be avoided, while others are jobs that are commonly done at the same time as flooring when refurbishing a room. We've explored these costs a little more here.
Underlay
Underlay is essential to ensure your new flooring is installed correctly and doesn't shift or sink. Underlay is fairly cheap, and while the price range varies based on quality, that doesn't always mean the most expensive is always the best underlay for LVT flooring.
The table below shows how the average cost of underlay may change depending on the size of room.
| LVT QUALITY | SIZE OF AREA | AVERAGE COST |
|---|---|---|
| Underlay | 1m² | £3-£8 |
| Underlay | 14m² | £54-£112 |
| Underlay | 16m² | £60-£128 |
| Underlay | 18m² | £66-£144 |
Waste Removal
Some tradesmen will factor waste removal into their quote, including taking away the old flooring. If this isn't the case, you can often ask to pay them extra to have the flooring removed, at a rate of between £100-£150.
If it's not clear from the quote, always ask for confirmation first before agreeing to any additional costs.
Of course, if you have big enough transport and the time to do so, you can potentially take the old flooring to a tip or recycling centre yourself at a fraction of the price (or for free!).
The other alternative is to hire a skip, which comes at a cost of between £120-£240, depending on what size you need and how long you wish to hire it.
Hiring a skip gives also you the option to dispose of additional rubbish from the new flooring, such as boxes and packaging, and it also gives you the chance to dump anything else you may need to get rid of at the same time.
Skirting Board Fitting
A new set of skirting boards can cost between £150-£200 for a standard 14 square metre room.
The job usually take less than a day to complete, depending on how large your room is, and can complement your new flooring as well as any other renovations that you may be carrying out.
How Long Does It Take to Install LVT Flooring?
LVT flooring comes in two application methods, and each method comes with its own benefits. However, one method is quicker than the other, with GlueDown taking the best part of 2 days and interlocking between 1-2 days, depending on the room's size and complexity.
The first application method is GlueDown, which is when the LVT is glued directly to the floor by an expert fitter. This is better for use with underfloor heating as the direct contact helps the thermal properties, and it's also less likely to slip underfoot over time.
The other method is interlocking, in which the luxury vinyl tiles come in plank form with lips on the sides to allow them to be clicked together. There are base planks in various places which are nailed and screwed down, and the rest of the planks are attached from there.
This is an easier and quicker option, but it may not be the most secure installation LVT flooring method. There is an alternative to both of these methods, called looselay. This is quite literally laid on top of the old flooring and has a special material on the bottom that uses friction to stick down to the floor, preventing movement.
Choosing LVT Flooring
Luxury vinyl tiles come in two types of design – wood effect and stone effect. The purpose of LVT is to act as an alternative to hardwood and stone flooring, so in turn, LVT comes in a number of variations within these two categories.
In order to help you choose which best suits you, below are some bullet points to consider for each.
Stone Effect LVT Flooring
Although LVT won't be able to fully replicate the luxury of a stone flooring, it does come with many benefits and is a much cheaper alternative:
- Ideal for settings such as kitchens and bathrooms
- Wide variety of styles, colours and finishes are available
- Choose between light tones to brighten a room or dramatic dark tones
- LVT is softer and warmer underfoot compared to real stone
Wood Effect LVT Flooring
Wood-effect LVT is available in a range of styles, and does well to match the visual qualities of the equivalent hardwoods. Whether that be capturing the light and natural shades of pine or the rich depth of cherry.
- Popular choice in living rooms and bedrooms
- High-quality LVT can give the impression of real wood
- Initial cost is much cheaper, along with little maintenance required
- For an authentic look, have a professional lay to create an authentic look
Benefits of LVT Flooring
- Cost - LVT is significantly cheaper than real wood or stone—offering savings of 20–30%—making it a budget-friendly flooring option with a realistic look.
- Durability - Highly durable with wear layers that resist fading and damage, LVT is low-maintenance and waterproof, ideal for everyday spills and easy cleaning.
- Warm - Unlike stone or wood, LVT retains room temperature well, making it a warm and comfortable flooring choice—especially in colder months and bathrooms.
- Versatility - LVT suits any room thanks to its waterproof nature, warmth, and vast range of colours and styles, offering design flexibility at any price point.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove LVT Flooring?
Flooring removal is pretty standard across all flooring materials and types. You can remove flooring yourself, but there is always the chance you could damage the base floor if it's done incorrectly, so it's best to leave to a professional fitter.
Flooring removal will cost around £100, but that may not include waste disposal. In that case, you'll need to either take the flooring to a refuse centre yourself, pay for a waste collection service or pay for a skip.
The waste removal services vary greatly in price, so you'll need to shop around for some quotes by giving them a call. A skip can cost anything between £120-£300, depending on the size of the skip you need, and how long you need it for.
FAQs
Q: What does LVT stand for?
A: LVT stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile, and it's a product that imitates stone or hardwood flooring by matching the patterns, shades and colours, but with more practical benefits.
Q: Can you cut LVT flooring?
A: All types of LVT flooring can be cut, but different types will need cutting with different tools. GlueDown LVT can be cut with strong scissors, whereas stiffer panels need to be cut accurately with a fitting and cutting tool, similar to stone tile cutter.
Q: Can I install LVT flooring myself?
A: DIY LVT flooring will be a tough ask, particularly for GlueDown LVT where so much can go wrong very easily. Interlocking flooring is a little easier to install, but it's still quite complex to correctly lay and secure the base panels.
Q: What is Karndean LVT flooring?
A: Karndean is one of the biggest and most popular brands for the production and sale of LVT flooring. They are considered a premium brand of LVT, and their bespoke styles are incredibly popular. They have a huge selection, and you can find them on a lot of online flooring stores.
Q: Can I install LVT flooring anywhere?
A: LVT flooring is suitable for any room in your home. Even for spaces like kitchens and bathrooms, the waterproofing, durability and ease of cleaning makes LVT perfect for these types of areas.
