What's a reasonable quote for installing wood floor?

[radhak]

My brother's in Phoenix, AZ, and wants to replace carpet with 'wood' and is willing to consider all three : laminate, engineered wood and regular hard wood.

He's had two people come over to inspect and provide a quote. The 1st chap only offered him 'Real HW' (with glue): a material+labor cost of $8000 for an area of 800 sq.ft. He's not aware which species of wood was quoted, I have asked him to confirm.

The other was only interested in Floating installation : he quoted around $9000 for laminate and $13000 for engineered bamboo for the same 800 sq.ft. I immediately said this guy was so expensive that they better drop him like a hot brick.

That said, I am not sure what exactly is a reasonable cost of installing any such flooring (ie, just the labor cost). I had always thought that the installation matching the material cost per sq.ft is nearabouts decent - does anybody agree?

And while at that - what is a good place to buy wood flooring in Phx?

[Al R.]

Some yrs ago while going to university I worked by myself remodeling homes, mostly minor jobs like replacing doors, windows, building a small porch, etc. One of them was adding floors (it cost me even a surgery on one knee), usually at that time the labor was not equal to the cost of the material, even there where you live probable is not even that price ( I used to live in Miami yrs ago). Usually I recall if for instance 1 sq ft was let say $1.00 dollar, the labor then was like $1.25.

I mostly did floating installation, but what they are asking to your brother just for the labor seems too much. If his floor is concrete he can also put sheets of plywood over it and then it will hold there for yrs. I do not know because it is been long time since I did it but Floating Installation should be cheaper than permanent.

[radhak]

Actually all those figures are for material+labor (to cover 800 sq ft).

It seems the 2nd guy promised some ultra-superior material (both in the laminate and in the eng wood) that "nobody else could get", and similarly divine underlayment. But any which I look at it, $11 per sq ft of laminate is too pricey : at the most honest, it would seem like he's quoting around $5/sq.ft for the laminate flooring + $6 for labor, and both are exhorbitant.

[Al R.]

Tell him to go to HD or Lowes and ask for an estimate and from there he will have a better idea; or you can do that yourself and see what price they will give you. At least a starting point.

[jking]

If someone gave me any of those quotes, I would laugh them out of the house. I know that material & labor costs vary depending on what area you live, but, even $8000 for 800 sq.ft. seems very high. I would second visiting the big box stores & checking on pricing there. I would also suggest that your brother talk to some of his friends/co-workers. He may know someone who's had similar work done. He might get a lead on a good installer, or, someone to stay away from. Both are helpful.

FWIW, in my area, the BORG charges $2/sq.ft. for installation of laminate/engineered floors. For hardwood, most installers will charge around $3/sq.ft for material (oak) & $3/sq.ft. for install & finish.

[BadeMillsap]

I had 3/4" OAK Select grade installed

about 3000 sq feet and it included material + cost of carpet removal and was done very very very well ... about $9/sq ft ... two years ago. South Central Texas ... the stair treads cost $100/step

[sscherin]

We got ours from Lumber Liquidators. There should be one in Phoenix.
Got 575 sq ft of 12mm laminate on clearance.
Where they get ya is the trim and transitions.. That stuff is a couple bucks a foot.
With all the trim, transitions, vapor barrier and pad it came to about $1000.
I did the install. 12mm is HEAVY! 55lbs pr box but it's solid.. That floor didn't flex.