Flooring labour calculator
Floating LVP or laminate over prepared subfloor, including underlayment.
Flooring
Floating LVP or laminate over prepared subfloor, including underlayment.
Default 45 sq ft an hour, or $1.75 a foot installed. Add prep hours separately. Price excludes sales tax.
$2,014
$2.52 / sq ftPrice excludes sales tax.
How this calculator prices a job
Floating LVP or laminate over a prepared subfloor. Nearly every flooring job that loses money loses it on prep that was never in the quote.
The formula
hours = quantity ÷ production rate base = hours × labour rate (or quantity × per-unit rate) burden = base × burden % cost = base + burden price = cost ÷ (1 − margin)
Assumptions and defaults
| Production | 45 sq ft/hr |
| Per-unit rate | $1.75 per sq ft |
| Labour rate | $65/hr default |
| Payroll burden | 22% of base labour |
| Crew | 3 people, eight-hour days |
| Target margin | 30% |
Pro tips
Quote prep separately and inspect before you commit. Levelling compound, subfloor screws and old adhesive are hours you cannot see from the doorway.
Small rooms, doorways and stairs pull production down hard. The 45 sq ft an hour default assumes open floor.
Burden is not optional. Payroll taxes, workers' comp, liability and paid time run 20 to 35 per cent on top of the wage you quote — a crew at $65 an hour costs you nearer $80 before a single overhead dollar.
Margin divides, it does not multiply. A 30 per cent margin on $1,000 of cost is $1,429, not $1,300 — the second number is a 30 per cent markup and only a 23 per cent margin.
Common questions
What should I charge to install LVP?
Labour alone is commonly $1.50 to $2.50 a square foot. At 45 sq ft an hour and $65 with burden, this calculator lands in that band.
Should tear-out be included?
Only if you have seen what is under there. Price it as a separate line — glued-down carpet or old tile can double the demolition hours.
How do I price labour to hit a target margin?
Divide, never multiply: price = cost ÷ (1 − margin). An all-in labour cost of $2,000 at a 30 per cent margin is $2,857. Multiplying by 1.30 gives $2,600, which is only a 23 per cent margin.
What is payroll burden?
Everything you pay on top of the wage: payroll taxes, workers' comp, liability insurance, holiday and any benefits. Twenty-two per cent is a reasonable starting point for a small crew — check yours against last year's numbers and change the field.
Does this include materials?
No. This tool prices labour only, so the number stays honest when material prices move. Work the quantities out in the material calculator and add them as their own line.