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Reality Check-Install cost for sheet vinyl?

cj47
13 years ago

We are in the final stages of an addition and remodel, and are going to install a good quality sheet vinyl in the kitchen/dining area, powder room, laundry room and mud room. All of the rooms being done open off the kitchen/dining area. The total amount of flooring needed was measured to be 95 sq. yds. We were shocked when the installation quote came in at $1970--more than $20 per yard! This includes: labor, sub floor and "appliance". There is already a chip board sub floor in place, and I know that there will be a thin covering applied over that to prevent stains and nail holes from showing. We are going to get other quotes, but I'm just wondering--is this a normal and reasonable cost for installing sheet vinyl? We were under the impression that sheet vinyl was one of the less expensive materials to install. This seems rather high. We live in Wisconsin. Opinions, please?

Thanks much,

Cj

Comments (13)

  • echoflooring
    13 years ago

    It sound extremely fair for a new sub floor and installation of vinyl.if they are using a quality installer, which is critical with a job like yours as that is a lot of vinyl. It is the least expensive of resilient floors normally. Real Ceramic tile would be costing you closer to 10,000 dollars...laminate would be closer to 5200 //this is material and labor.laminate would not require a sub floor normally. Sounds like a good deal to me.

  • cj47
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you, echoflooring. I appreciate the insight. The figure I quoted was ONLY for installation and the underlayment (I guess this is referred to as the 'subfloor' that goes between the chipboard and vinyl), and does not include the vinyl. The installer is reputable and was highly recommended by our builder.

    Again, thank you.
    Cj

  • glennsfc
    13 years ago

    Your thin covering needs to be an accepted flooring 'underlayment' panel. Not all thin underlayment panels are suitable for flooring use. Knowing what panel the flooring company proposes to use will then help you determine if this is a good price or not.

  • cj47
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I believe he said it was birch.

  • glennsfc
    13 years ago

    Arctic birch underlayment panel is good.

  • wi-sailorgirl
    13 years ago

    That seems crazy high to me too, but then again, I really know nothing about vinyl installation at all. I'm in Wisconsin too and I'm starting to think we have pretty high prices on labor for the Midwest. I just got a quote to install 380 square feet of pre-finished hardwood floor for $1500 ($3.53/sq. foot) which is unbelievable to me. And this was an installer our general contractor said was "very reasonably priced."

  • echoflooring
    13 years ago

    It is not high for that much vinyl and sub floor. Your hardwood install is cake compared to that so you know...3.53 a sq ft is normal for installation of hardwood. now that doesent include the hardwood. Your hardwood install will be one day. That vinyl install is probably 3 days just for the record....I like to keep things straight here...Now how does it sound...and if your 1500 hundred dollar figure would happen to include the hardwood..run like hell from it as it has to be junk J U N K all capital letters....just for the record...

  • wi-sailorgirl
    13 years ago

    Echo,

    I appreciate your thoughts on this and I know you have a fair amount of expertise in this area, so I value your opinion, but I find it hard to believe that paying someone $1,500 for ONE DAY's work, is a reasonable price. That quote included no materials whatsoever, just labor. Assuming it would take eight hours to do the floor (and I highly doubt that since we're talking about two small rectangular rooms and one closet), that's $187/hour. OK, subtract a bit of money for his tools and the nails. That's like $150/hour.

    While it might be the going rate, I don't think it's a reasonable rate, at all.

  • echoflooring
    13 years ago

    I agree with you 100%..Divide by two though as it will be a two man team to do that quantity...As a retailer we pay about 2.50 to the installer and the 1.00 per ft goes to us. But moonlighting installers sometimes think they can charge what the retailer will charge, which is ridiculous....but any who ...welcome to the world of flooring...Installers do make that kind of money...We have crews that make 100 k per yr and average 6 hours a day...but I cant live without them and can hardly live with them...

  • southerncanuck
    11 years ago

    I think echo would agree as well as anyone else here that have had many, many sleepless nights wondering everything from how am I going to make payroll Friday to why in hell did I do this to my family and myself. How many years before one paid themselves, vacation, what's a vacation. Big or small, everyone has ridiculous overheads that one has that no customer ever thought about. I could write a book. Have been on both sides of the fence and have enjoyed both. My day job afforded me a very good pension, my business ventures have all been worth it good and bad.

    I digressed again, $2.30 per square foot is very reasonable, including materials, very reasonable. $150.00 per day sure sounds like the guy must be a millionaire, he might be loosing money on this job at the end of the day believe it or not. Subtract all the hourly wages he is paying for labour and services from receptionist to the taxman and one would be amazed how easy it is to get that $150.00 an hour to minus $10.00 an hour.

    It's a fair price.

  • glennsfc
    11 years ago

    Unfortunately most property owners have little idea what it takes to do a quality sheet vinyl installation or what expenses a business owner must meet simply to stay in the business of installing flooring. Selling 'widgets' is easy...providing installation services and making enough to justify providing that service is the hard part.

  • Jean Doherty
    6 years ago
    Window boxes in the North mean you will have to change your plants at least twice a year. Put colourful annuals with some trailing greenery in for the summer season, probably in May. You can change these out in the fall for mums over Thanksgiving then Pine and spruce boughs through until they turn brown around March, at which time, you can put in some forced spring flowers like tulips etc., or icicle pansies. The biggest thing is to make sure you can easily reach the boxes to water and fertilize regularly during the summer. I am in southern Ontario, so I am talking Ohio type climate, for comparison.