How much does flooring cost?.
Real 2026 Australian prices per square metre — not vague ranges. We publish our pricing openly, so every low in this guide is a price you can actually buy at today.
Flooring prices per m² at a glance
| Flooring type | Supply /m² | Installed /m² |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid (SPC) | $34 – $50 | $59 – $90 |
| Laminate | $25 – $60 | $50 – $95 |
| Vinyl plank | $23 – $50 | $48 – $85 |
| Engineered timber | $93 – $150 | $128 – $210 |
| Solid hardwood | $109 – $180 | $159 – $260 |
| Herringbone / parquetry | $40 – $114 | $85 – $184 |
| Carpet (incl. underlay) | $30 – $85 | $45 – $110 |
| Tiles | $30 – $120 | $75 – $220 |
Supply lows are live Hippo Floors prices (2026). Install, carpet and tile figures are typical quoted Australian trade ranges — get local quotes for your job.
$34/m².
Hybrid flooring starts here — our cheapest water-resistant floor
$25/m².
Laminate from — the budget timber look
~40%.
Typical share of a flooring quote that's labour — the DIY saving
Flooring cost calculator.
| Materials (incl. 10% wastage) | $2,244 – $3,300 |
| Installation | $1,500 – $2,400 |
| Estimated total | $3,744 – $5,700 |
DIY friendly — click-together floating floor
Estimates only — excludes subfloor prep, trims and delivery. Supply lows reflect live Hippo Floors pricing; install rates are typical quoted 2026 trade ranges.
Cost by flooring type
Hybrid (SPC)
Water resistant, attached underlay, click-together. The all-rounder.
Laminate
The most realistic timber texture per dollar. Budget champion.
Vinyl plank
Glue-down, fully waterproof material. Cheapest entry point.
Engineered timber
Real hardwood surface on an engineered core. The premium feel.
Solid hardwood
Australian species like spotted gum and blackbutt. Specialist install.
Herringbone / parquetry
Pattern floors in hybrid or engineered timber. Slower to lay.
The costs people forget
$10–$25/m².
Old floor removal
Carpet is cheap to pull up; glued vinyl and tiles are not.
varies.
Subfloor prep
Self-levelling compound if your slab is out — check before ordering.
from $8/length.
Trims & scotia
Scotia, transition strips and stair nosing finish the job.
+10%.
Wastage
Order 10% over your floor area to cover cuts.
Delivery costs
Flooring ships on pallets, so budget for freight — or skip it entirely with free pickup in Brisbane. Full details on the delivery & pickup page.
Brisbane
$150.
Local delivery · free pickup within 24h
Melbourne
$300.
Metro delivery
Sydney
$300.
Metro delivery
Everywhere else
from $600.
Or organise your own freight
The biggest saving: install it yourself
Installation is often 40% of a flooring project. Modern hybrid and laminate floors click together and float over the subfloor — no glue, no nails — and a first-timer can lay a room in a day with basic tools. On a 70m² living area at $30/m², that’s about $2,100 back in your pocket.
Price it against real boards.
Order up to 3 large 300mm samples — free, $10 flat delivery — and check the colours in your own light before you spend a cent.
Flooring cost FAQs
How much does it cost to floor an average home?
For a typical 100m² of living space in hybrid flooring: roughly $3,700–$5,500 supply-only, or $6,200–$9,500 professionally installed. Laminate comes in lower, engineered timber and hardwood substantially higher. Use the calculator above with your own measurements.
What is the cheapest flooring per square metre?
Glue-down vinyl plank (from about $23/m²) and laminate (from $25/m²) are the cheapest hard flooring options in 2026. Hybrid starts around $34/m² and is usually the best value once you factor in water resistance and its attached underlay.
How much does flooring installation cost in Australia?
Typical quoted rates in 2026: $25–$40/m² for click-together floors like hybrid and laminate, $35–$60/m² for engineered timber, $50–$80/m² for solid hardwood, and $45–$100/m² for tiling. Herringbone patterns cost more to lay than straight planks.
Is it cheaper to install flooring yourself?
Dramatically — installation is often 40% of the project cost. Hybrid and laminate are click-together floating floors designed for DIY: no glue, no nails. On 70m² at a $30/m² install rate, laying it yourself saves about $2,100.
What extra costs should I budget for?
Removing old flooring ($10–$25/m²), subfloor levelling if needed, scotia or skirting trims, transition strips between rooms, and delivery. Add 10% to your floor area for cutting wastage when ordering.
Does more expensive flooring add more value to a property?
Only up to your property's bracket. New flooring routinely returns more than it costs, but premium hardwood in a modest rental won't return the difference over hybrid. Match the floor to the home.