Hardwood floor installation cost per square foot
| Hardwood type | Installed price | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Engineered hardwood | $7–$21 | Layered boards; usually lower-priced than solid |
| Solid hardwood | $10–$25 | Wider range by species and grade |
These are installed prices per square foot, covering the wood and the labor, with the labor share adjusted for your state. Removing old flooring, finishing on site and repairing the subfloor are separate lines in the calculator. Enter your floor area to get the project total.
What changes the price
Species and grade set the material cost, and the guides we read disagree on the top end, so our ranges are wide. Prefinished boards cost a little more than unfinished ones but save the sanding and finishing labor. Patterns such as herringbone take longer to lay and cost more, but only one of the guides we read prices them in a form that fits a per-square-foot estimate, so ask the installer for it as a separate line.
Extra costs to expect
| Item | Typical cost | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Remove old hardwood | $1–$4 per sq ft | Replacing an existing wood floor |
| Remove old carpet | $0.25–$0.75 per sq ft | Replacing carpet |
| Sand and finish on site | $2–$7 per sq ft | Unfinished wood |
| Subfloor repair | $900–$3,000 | Only where the subfloor is damaged |
Moving furniture, stairs, transitions and joist repair can add to the quote, and the guides we read price them in different ways. Ask which are included.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Is the price per square foot for wood and labor together?
- Is the wood prefinished, or is sanding and finishing extra?
- Does it include removing the old floor and checking the subfloor?
- How much extra wood is ordered for cuts and waste?
- Does the quote cover transitions, trim and moving furniture?
Methodology and sources
We price each wood type as an installed price per square foot, adjust the labor share for your state's carpenter wages, and price removal, finishing and subfloor repair separately. Read how we estimate costs.
- HomeAdvisor: hardwood floor installation — installed price, labor, removal, subfloor
- Angi: hardwood flooring cost — installed price, finishing, subfloor
- Fixr: hardwood floor installation — solid and engineered installed prices, removal
- Forbes Home: cost of hardwood flooring — solid and engineered totals
- BLS OEWS May 2025, State (SOC 47-2031, Carpenters) — state labor index, a building-trades proxy
What each source reports
Our estimate does not rely on any single page. This table lists each page we used and the figures it reports, so you can see where the ranges come from.
| Source | What it reports |
|---|---|
| Forbes Home |
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| Fixr |
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| HomeAdvisor |
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| Angi |
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Common questions about hardwood floor installation costs
How much does hardwood floor installation cost?
A typical job (200 sq ft of solid hardwood) comes to about $3,200 nationally, within a range of $2,000 to $5,000. Use the calculator above to adjust for your state, the options you choose and any extras.
What is the hardwood floor installation cost per square foot?
Installed, engineered hardwood runs about $7–$21 per square foot and solid hardwood about $10–$25. For 200 sq ft, that is about $1,400–$4,200 and $2,000–$5,000.
Where do these prices come from?
They come from 4 published cost pages from 4 publishers, last checked Oct 8, 2026. We report what those pages say and do not invent figures; the table above shows each source.
How does my state change the estimate?
The labor part of the price is scaled by the average wage for the relevant trade in your state, using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Materials and equipment are not adjusted.
Why might a contractor's quote differ from this estimate?
A quote reflects your specific scope, access, local demand and what the contractor includes. Ask for line items rather than a single total so you can compare bids on the same basis.
All 4 sources behind these prices
Every figure in the calculator comes from one or more of these pages, with the number each one supports in the link text.
- Forbes Home: engineered hardwood $6 to $21 per sq ft total, material plus installation (audited Nov 2024)
- Fixr: engineered hardwood $8 to $14 per sq ft installed overall, up to $25 for high grades (updated Jan 2025)
- HomeAdvisor: engineered materials $4.50 to $16 per sq ft plus labor of $3 to $6 (updated Jun 2026)
- Angi: professionals typically charge $6 to $12 per sq ft installed (updated Sep 2026)