If your kitchen looks worn or needs a makeover, replacing the flooring can be one of the most rewarding projects. The typical cost to replace a kitchen floor is $9 to $23 per square foot, including materials and labor.
The costs can vary greatly depending on the flooring material and your kitchen size, but you can expect to pay between $1,530 and $3,910 for a 170-square-foot kitchen. However, that cost could be as low as $680 for vinyl flooring and as high as $10,540 for marble floors.
Our pricing estimates consider a range of common kitchen flooring materials with data gathered from cities across the U.S. Your final cost will also depend on any additional installation needed, like subfloor preparation and removing old flooring.
Cost by Location
The price you pay to have your kitchen floor replaced is significantly impacted by where you live.
The table below shows the typical cost to replace kitchen flooring in a sample with big and small cities across the U.S., considering the most common types of materials.
| City | Cost per square foot (including labor and materials) |
| Northeast U.S. | |
| Pawtucket, RI | $9 – $25.50 |
| New York, NY | $11 – $31.50 |
| Southeast U.S. | |
| Dothan, AL | $8 – $23 |
| Orlando, FL | $8.50 – $23.50 |
| Atlanta, GA | $9.50 – $27 |
| Midwest U.S. | |
| South Bend, IN | $8.50 – $22 |
| Chicago, IL | $10 – $28 |
| Northwest U.S. | |
| Corvallis, OR | $8.50 – $22 |
| Seattle, WA | $9.50 – $27 |
| Southwest U.S. | |
| Roswell, NM | $8.50 – $22 |
| San Diego, CA | $9 – $26 |
| Houston, TX | $10 – $27.50 |
In areas with a higher cost of living, contractor wages tend to be higher, which directly impacts the overall price of your flooring project.
Additionally, if the material you want isn’t widely stocked in your area, the cost of transporting those materials from other regions can also increase your total expenses. Choosing locally sourced or widely available options can help keep costs down.
Cost by Flooring Material
There are a lot of options when it comes to flooring materials, but only a few of them are appropriate for kitchen flooring.
Next, we will offer a quick look at what to expect from the costs of different flooring materials:
| Flooring Material | Average cost per square foot (including labor and materials) |
| Vinyl | $4 – $5.50 |
| Cork | $6 – $8.50 |
| Laminate | $6 – $13 |
| Hardwood | $7.50 – $24.50 |
| Ceramic or porcelain | $11 – $29 |
| Slate or natural stone | $14.50 – $27.50 |
| Travertine or marble | $15.50 – $51 |
For more information on each flooring material, you can check our specific pricing guides:
- Slate Flooring Cost Guide
- Marble Flooring Cost Guide
- Hardwood Flooring Cost Guide
- Vinyl Flooring Cost Guide
- Laminate Flooring Cost Guide
- Cork Flooring Cost Guide
Cost Estimator by Size
Replacing flooring typically costs $9 to $23 per square foot on average, so you can use the table below to estimate your project’s costs based on your kitchen size. High-end materials will be closer to the upper estimate, whereas standard or low-quality materials will cost closer to the lower end.
| Kitchen Size | Average Overall Cost (Materials and Installation) |
| 50 square feet | $450 – $1,150 |
| 100 square feet | $900 – $2,300 |
| 150 square feet | $1,350 – $3,450 |
| 200 square feet | $1,800 – $4,600 |
| 250 square feet | $2,250 – $5,750 |
Pro Cost vs. DIY Cost
It’s entirely possible to install new kitchen flooring yourself, especially with user-friendly materials like vinyl planks that simply click together. However, for other materials like porcelain tile, you’ll likely need to rent a wet saw to cut the tiles, which adds to your costs.
Moreover, mistakes during installation can also lead to uneven floors or improper sealing, which might require professional repairs. In the end, the cost of fixing those errors could easily exceed what you initially hoped to save by doing it yourself.
The table below shows how much money you would spend on materials and supplies:
| Flooring Material | Cost of flooring only (per square foot) | Cost of supplies |
| Laminate | $1 – $5 | $146 – $210 |
| Vinyl | $1 – $11 | $195 – $227 |
| Ceramic or porcelain | $1 – $13 | $182 – $319 |
| Hardwood | $2 – $17 | $91 – $182 |
| Cork | $5 – $6 | $195 – $227 |
| Slate or natural stone | $5 – $12 | $182 – $319 |
| Travertine or marble | $6 – $35 | $182 – $319 |
Cost of Labor
Labor rates can vary a lot depending on the flooring material and complexity of the job, but typically, installation costs range from $1 to $11 per square foot.
Materials like porcelain are more challenging to install, as they’re heavier and need a completely level subfloor, and thus will cost more. On the other hand, vinyl and laminate are easier to install and will cost less.
Note: The prices we’ve given so far already take labor into account.
Cost to Remove Old Flooring
Contractors will also consider the difficulty of removing the old flooring in the costs of installing the new one. For example, vinyl flooring can be easy to install, but it is not as easy to remove, and the same goes for cork.
The more complex one material is to remove, the more it will cost. On average, removing the old flooring costs between $1 and $6 per square foot.
If you have hardwood floors, you can skip the costs to remove old flooring and install a new one by refinishing them. The cost to refinish hardwood floors ranges from $3 to $8 per square foot.
Cost to Replace the Subfloor and Underlayment
While you’re removing your old flooring, you may notice that there are issues with the subfloor. A subfloor is a layer of flooring that lies directly below the finished flooring material. It’s usually made from plywood or other composite materials, and it’s what supports the rest of your floor.
Replacing the subfloors costs between $2.50 and $6 per square foot.
Underlayment is a layer of material that goes between your subfloor and the finished flooring material you put on top. It keeps moisture from getting through to the wooden subfloor, which can cause damage over time.
Underlayments are considered necessary for vinyl, laminate, and carpet flooring. Installing a new underlayment costs $2 to $5 per square foot.
You might also need to get new baseboards installed, which will add a couple of bucks per square foot to your budget.
Tip: If you live in an older home from before the 1970s, you may need to test for asbestos before touching flooring, subflooring, and underlayment. Check out the following articles for more information:
FAQ
Can you replace the kitchen floor without removing the cabinets?
Yes, you can replace your kitchen floor without removing the cabinets. You can install the new flooring as closely as possible to the cabinets and cut the flooring pieces so they fit against the cabinet base. If you’re installing tiles, you will have to use a tile saw or a wet tile saw.
What is the cheapest way to cover a kitchen floor?
The most budget-friendly kitchen flooring option is vinyl. You can install vinyl flooring easily for $4.00 to $5.50 per square foot, and you’ll get a durable and easy-to-maintain surface that also looks very stylish.
What is the best flooring material for the kitchen?
The best flooring material for the kitchen is porcelain or ceramic. These materials are easy to clean, durable, and can withstand high temperatures and moisture without getting damaged.
Renovate Your Kitchen
It may seem like a significant investment, but a new kitchen floor can change the atmosphere of your home. So, if you’re looking for your next home improvement project, this might just be the one for you.
Main Image Credit: Pixnio
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