Start with the areas, not the rate
Most people over-estimate their floor area. A typical three-bedroom semi has around 45–55m² downstairs and 40–50m² upstairs, and a fair chunk of that is under fitted units and wardrobes where no flooring goes. Measure room by room, deduct built-in furniture, then add 7% waste for plank and 12% for herringbone.
Three worked budgets
These use our from-prices — engineered oak £59/m², LVT £42/m², herringbone £89/m², solid £72/m² — with a realistic subfloor allowance included. They are budget-setting figures, not quotes; a survey moves them either way depending on what is under the existing floor.
- Two-bed flat, ~60m² in engineered oak throughout: roughly £4,000–£5,000 including acoustic underlay
- Three-bed semi, ~95m² with LVT downstairs and engineered upstairs: roughly £5,000–£6,500
- Four-bed detached, ~150m² with herringbone in reception rooms and engineered elsewhere: roughly £11,000–£14,000
The line people forget: the subfloor
Latex levelling, ply overlay, damp-proofing and screed repairs regularly add £8–£20/m² across the areas that need them. On a renovation where old floor coverings are coming up for the first time in thirty years, assume some of this will be needed and hold a contingency. On a new build with a fresh, flat screed, it is often nil.
Other real costs to budget
Uplift and disposal of existing coverings, door trimming, thresholds between rooms, scotia or new skirting, and moving furniture. None of these are large individually and all of them are on the quote; together they typically add 5–10% to a whole-house project.
Where to spend and where to save
Spend on the ground floor, hallway and stairs — that is what everyone sees and what takes the traffic. Save in bedrooms, where a narrower engineered board or a quality carpet costs materially less and nobody feels short-changed. Mixing specifications room by room is normal and we quote it that way as standard.
Phasing a project
You do not have to do it all at once, but if you want a continuous look, buy the material for the whole ground floor in one batch. Timber is a natural product and batches vary in tone; ordering the hallway six months later almost guarantees a visible difference at the threshold.