Vinyl and laminate flooring: a homeowner's guide to a durable finish

Vinyl, laminate and what the job involves

Both are floating or glued plank systems designed to mimic timber. Laminate is a printed layer over a dense fibreboard core — hard-wearing and affordable, but not fond of standing water. Vinyl, especially rigid-core and luxury vinyl planks, is fully waterproof, softer and quieter underfoot, which is why it's popular in kitchens, laundries and bathrooms where laminate struggles.

The install runs subfloor preparation, an underlay where needed, then laying the planks and fitting the trims, skirtings and thresholds. The prep is the part that decides the outcome: the subfloor has to be clean, dry and dead flat, because floating floors telegraph every hump and dip underneath them into bounce, gaps and clicking planks over time.

How the cost works

Vinyl and laminate are priced per square metre installed, so the floor area and the product grade set the band — a budget laminate over a good subfloor lands at the low end, while premium rigid-core vinyl across a large area with prep and trims climbs from there. Waterproof vinyl generally costs more per metre than equivalent laminate, and thicker planks with better wear layers cost more again.

Subfloor preparation is the line item people forget and installers can't skip: levelling compound, removing old flooring, and fixing squeaks or moisture issues all add cost but protect the result. Treat the figures here as indicative — the live prices give a starting range, but area, product grade and how much prep your subfloor needs set the real quote.

Choosing an installer

Floor laying is generally not a licensed trade, so judge the installer on their work: recent jobs you can look at, a quote that separates the product, underlay, prep and labour, and — the telling one — an installer who inspects and talks about your subfloor before quoting. The prep is where corners get cut, so an installer who raises it unprompted is the one who'll do it properly.

Match the product to the room and press on the details. Choose waterproof vinyl for wet areas rather than laminate, ask about expansion gaps and how the planks handle the room's shifts in temperature and humidity, and confirm what happens at doorways and level changes. A quote that's vague about subfloor prep is a quote that's planning to skip it.

Mistakes to avoid

Nearly every failed vinyl or laminate floor traces back to the same thing: it was laid over a subfloor that wasn't flat, dry or properly prepared, so no plank on top of it was ever going to sit right.

• Skipping or skimping on subfloor preparation — an uneven base ruins any floating floor
• Using laminate in a wet area where only waterproof vinyl belongs
• Comparing per-metre prices without matching product grade and wear layer
• Assuming removal of the old floor and trims is included in the quote
• Ignoring expansion gaps, so the floor buckles as it moves with the seasons
• Buying the cheapest plank for a high-traffic room where it'll wear through fast