Laminate Flooring Cost: What Moves the Price Up or Down
What decides the cost of laminate flooring fitted: board grade and thickness, room shape, underlay, subfloor work, trims and removing the old floor.
The cost of a fitted laminate floor comes down to five things: the grade of board, how much of it the room needs once waste is allowed for, the underlay, the condition of the subfloor and the finishing trims. The board price on a sample is only the starting point, and the preparation underneath often matters more to the final figure than the laminate itself.
We do not publish a single per metre figure, because it would mislead more than it helped. Instead, here is what each line on a laminate quote covers, so you can compare quotes fairly and see where money is well spent.
Board grade, thickness and wear rating
Laminate is graded by its AC wear rating. Lighter grades suit bedrooms, while AC4 boards are the ones we recommend for hallways, kitchens and family living rooms. Thicker boards feel more solid underfoot and bridge minor dips better, and they generally cost more.
Brand, surface texture and the realism of the print also affect price. A board with bevelled edges and embossed grain looks closer to real wood than a flat, glossy one.
How much laminate the room actually needs
Planks are sold in packs, and a fitter allows extra for cuts, staggered joins and any damaged boards. Rooms with bays, alcoves, chimney breasts or lots of doorways need more waste than a plain rectangle.
Pattern choice matters too. A straight plank lay is the most economical. Diagonal laying or feature borders use more boards and more fitting time.
Underlay and moisture protection
Every laminate floor needs an underlay. Ours come with acoustic underlay as standard, which reduces the hollow sound and noise transfer. On concrete ground floors a damp proof membrane is also needed so moisture from the slab cannot reach the boards.
Subfloor preparation
This is the line that varies most between properties. A sound, flat floor needs little work. Uneven concrete may need smoothing compound, and old timber floors may need boards screwed down or overboarded before laminate can go on.
Our subfloor preparation cost guide explains those options. It is worth paying for, because laminate fitted over an uneven base flexes at the joints and fails early.
Trims, doorways and finishing
| Item | When it is needed | Effect on cost |
|---|---|---|
| Scotia or beading | Where skirting stays in place | Priced by the metre of wall |
| New skirting | Where old skirting is removed | More labour, cleaner finish |
| Threshold bars | At doorways and floor changes | Priced per doorway |
| Door trimming | Where doors catch on the new height | Priced per door |
| Uplift and disposal | Where an old floor must come up | Depends on what is being removed |
Getting a quote you can compare
Ask every supplier to list board, underlay, preparation, trims, uplift and fitting separately. A low headline figure without preparation often ends up higher once the fitter arrives and finds the floor is uneven.
We also offer supply only if you have your own fitter. Our supply only versus supply and fit guide covers the trade offs.
Frequently asked questions
- What makes laminate flooring more expensive?
- Higher wear ratings, thicker boards, premium brands and realistic textures cost more, as do awkward rooms, subfloor work, new skirting and removing an old floor.
- Is underlay included in the cost of laminate?
- In our fitted quotes, yes. Acoustic underlay comes as standard with our laminate installations.
- Why is my laminate quote higher than the board price?
- The board price covers the planks only. Waste allowance, underlay, preparation, trims and fitting are added on top and should be listed separately.
- Is laminate cheaper than LVT?
- Laminate is often the lower cost of the two for dry rooms, but the preparation and trims apply to both, so compare full quotes rather than board prices.
- Can I buy laminate without fitting?
- Yes. We offer supply only as well as supply and fit, and can advise on underlay and trims for your own fitter.
Keep reading
How laminate flooring is installed, step by step: acclimatising boards, levelling, underlay, expansion gaps, doorways and finishing trims, plus common mistakes.
A plain-English breakdown of what goes into a per-m² flooring price, with guide-only UK cost bands for materials, fitting and extras.
The real cost differences between buying flooring supply-only and using supply-and-fit, including risks, warranties and guide-only price bands.
See how we survey, prepare and fit laminate across Kent.
Talk it through with a fitter, not a call centre
Send us your room sizes or book a free survey for a written laminate quote with every line listed.