Enter your room size and flooring type. The calculator adds the right waste allowance, tells you how many boxes to buy, and compares installed cost across six types of flooring.
How to measure for flooring
Measure each room at its longest and widest points and multiply. For L-shaped rooms, split them into rectangles and add the areas together. Add closets and hallways that get the same floor in the “extra area” field.
Area to buy = floor area × (1 + waste %)
Boxes = area to buy ÷ square feet per box, rounded up
Worked example: a 12 × 12 bedroom in vinyl plank
The floor is 144 square feet. Adding 10% waste gives 158.4 square feet. With 20 square feet per box, you need 7.9 boxes, so you buy 8 boxes. At $3.50 per square foot, that is $560 in material.
Why you need a waste allowance
Every row ends with a cut, and some pieces break or have defects. A straight layout usually needs 10% extra. Tile, diagonal layouts and herringbone patterns need 15–20% because more pieces get cut. Rooms with lots of corners need more than open rectangles.
Installed flooring cost per square foot in 2026
These are typical planning ranges for professional installation (material plus labor), drawn from 2026 cost guides by Angi, HomeGuide and Homewyse. Local quotes vary with region and subfloor condition.
| Flooring | Installed cost per sq ft | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Carpet | $3–$7 | Bedrooms, basements, low budgets |
| Laminate | $3–$8 | Wood look on a budget, dry rooms |
| Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) | $4–$10 | Kitchens, baths, basements, pets |
| Porcelain / ceramic tile | $6–$18 | Bathrooms, entries, kitchens |
| Engineered hardwood | $7–$15 | Real wood look over concrete or radiant heat |
| Solid hardwood | $9–$20 | Living areas, long-term resale value |
Costs people forget
- Removing the old floor: about $0.70–$1.60 per square foot for carpet and $2–$7 for tile (HomeGuide).
- Underlayment: about $0.50–$3.50 per square foot installed, needed under most laminate, vinyl and wood.
- Trim and transitions: baseboards, quarter-round and doorway strips add up in homes with many rooms.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra flooring should I buy?
10% for straight layouts, 15% for tile or rooms with many corners, and up to 20% for diagonal or herringbone patterns.
How many square feet are in a box of flooring?
It varies by product: often 18–24 square feet for vinyl plank and laminate. Always use the number printed on the box.
What is the cheapest flooring to install?
Carpet and laminate usually have the lowest installed cost, followed by vinyl plank. Vinyl plank is often the best value where water is a concern.
Can I install flooring over my old floor?
Floating floors such as vinyl plank and laminate can sometimes go over flat, solid hard floors. Carpet always comes out. Check the manufacturer’s instructions, because an improper install can void the warranty.
Sources: 2026 flooring cost guides from Angi, HomeGuide and Homewyse.
