Laminate Flooring Prices at a Glance
Laminate flooring is one of the most cost-effective flooring options for UK homes. It offers the look of real wood at a fraction of the price and is straightforward enough for confident DIYers to install themselves. Here is a quick summary of UK laminate costs in 2026:
| Quality | Thickness | AC Rating | Price/m² | Pack Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | 6–7mm | AC2–AC3 | £8–£12 | £15–£22 |
| Mid-range | 8mm | AC3 | £14–£20 | £25–£38 |
| Premium | 10–12mm | AC4 | £22–£30 | £40–£55 |
| Herringbone | 8–12mm | AC3–AC4 | £18–£35 | £30–£60 |
Prices by UK Retailer
Laminate prices vary between retailers. Here is what you can expect at the major UK flooring shops in 2026:
B&Q
B&Q offers its own GoodHome laminate brand alongside Quick-Step and other premium brands. The GoodHome range starts at approximately £9/m² for basic 7mm laminate and goes up to £22/m² for thicker options. Quick-Step ranges at B&Q typically cost £20–30/m². B&Q frequently runs 3-for-2 or percentage-off promotions on flooring, so check the website before visiting.
Wickes
Wickes stocks its own-brand laminate from around £10/m² and premium ranges up to £28/m². Their mid-range 8mm AC3 laminate at £14–18/m² offers excellent value. Wickes also sells all the accessories (underlay, beading, threshold strips) in one place, which is convenient for a complete project shop.
Carpetright
Carpetright is primarily known for carpet but carries a solid laminate range including Kaindl, Elka, and Quick-Step. Prices start at £12/m² and go up to £35/m² for premium ranges. Carpetright offers professional fitting, which is charged at £5–10/m² depending on the region.
Flooring Superstore
A specialist flooring retailer with stores across the UK. Competitive pricing on premium brands like Quick-Step and Balterio. Good for mid-range to premium purchases with experienced staff who can advise on the best product for your needs.
Online Retailers
Online-only retailers such as Flooring Hut, Flooring Village, and Direct Wood Flooring often offer 10–20% savings on the same products available in physical stores. However, you cannot see or walk on samples before buying, and delivery charges (typically £30–50) can eat into the savings on smaller orders.
Fitting Costs
Laminate flooring can be fitted professionally or installed as a DIY project. Here are the costs for each option:
Professional Fitting
| Service | Cost/m² | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic laminate fitting | £5–£8 | Straight lay on level subfloor |
| Complex fitting | £8–£12 | Multiple rooms, alcoves, angled cuts |
| Herringbone fitting | £10–£15 | Angled cuts on every piece |
| Old flooring removal | £2–£4 | Per m², includes disposal |
| Subfloor levelling | £5–£10 | Per m², self-levelling compound |
| Skirting board removal/refit | £2–£4 | Per linear metre |
| Door trimming | £10–£20 | Per door |
DIY Installation
Laminate flooring is one of the most DIY-friendly flooring options. Modern click-lock systems require no glue and no special tools beyond a tape measure, pencil, spacers, pull bar, tapping block, and a saw. If you do it yourself, the total cost is just materials:
- Laminate: your chosen price per m²
- Underlay: £1–£3/m²
- Scotia beading: £1–£2 per linear metre (room perimeter)
- Threshold strips: £5–£15 each
- Installation kit: £10–£20 (spacers, pull bar, tapping block)
For a 15 m² room, DIY saves approximately £75–£180 compared to professional fitting. However, poorly installed laminate can creak, gap, or peak, so only attempt DIY if you are comfortable with basic home improvement work. For guidance, see our flooring installation guide.
Underlay Costs for Laminate
Every laminate floor needs underlay unless it has pre-attached backing. The right underlay improves comfort, reduces sound, and provides a moisture barrier. Here are the options:
| Underlay Type | Price/m² | Thickness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic foam | £1–£2 | 2–3mm | Budget laminate, bedrooms |
| Standard foam with DPM | £2–£3 | 3mm | Concrete subfloors (most common choice) |
| Fibreboard | £2–£4 | 5mm | Sound insulation, uneven subfloors |
| Acoustic foam | £3–£5 | 3–5mm | Flats, upper floors, noise reduction |
| Premium (Duralay, Timbermate) | £4–£7 | 3–5mm | Maximum comfort and sound reduction |
Additional Costs to Budget For
The laminate and underlay are the main costs, but several other items are needed to complete the project:
Scotia Beading or Skirting Boards
Laminate flooring needs an expansion gap around the perimeter, covered by either new skirting boards or scotia beading (also called D-bar or quadrant). Scotia beading is pinned to the existing skirting board and costs £1–£2 per linear metre. Replacing skirting boards entirely costs £3–£8 per linear metre plus fitting. Most rooms have 12–18 linear metres of perimeter.
Door Threshold Strips
Every doorway needs a threshold (transition) strip where the laminate meets another floor surface. These cost £5–£15 each, depending on the finish (wood-effect, chrome, brass). A typical house needs 5–8 threshold strips.
Door Trimming
Laminate and underlay add 10–15mm to the floor height. Internal doors may need to be trimmed at the bottom to clear the new floor. A fitter typically charges £10–£20 per door. If doing it yourself, use a handsaw or circular saw with a fine-tooth blade.
Pipe Covers
Radiator pipes that come through the floor need pipe collars (rosettes) to cover the expansion gap around them. These cost £1–£3 per pair and match common laminate finishes.
Total Project Cost Examples
Here are fully worked examples showing the total cost of laminate flooring projects for common UK room sizes:
Double Bedroom (3.0m × 3.6m = 10.8 m²)
| Item | Budget | Mid-Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate (12 m² inc. wastage) | £96–£144 | £168–£240 | £264–£360 |
| Underlay | £12–£24 | £24–£36 | £36–£60 |
| Beading (13m perimeter) | £13–£26 | £13–£26 | £13–£26 |
| Threshold strip | £8 | £10 | £12 |
| Professional fitting | £54–£86 | £54–£86 | £86–£130 |
| Total (fitted) | £183–£288 | £269–£398 | £411–£588 |
| Total (DIY) | £129–£202 | £215–£312 | £325–£458 |
Living Room (4.0m × 5.0m = 20.0 m²)
| Item | Budget | Mid-Range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate (22 m² inc. wastage) | £176–£264 | £308–£440 | £484–£660 |
| Underlay | £22–£44 | £44–£66 | £66–£110 |
| Beading (18m perimeter) | £18–£36 | £18–£36 | £18–£36 |
| Threshold strips (2) | £16 | £20 | £24 |
| Professional fitting | £100–£160 | £100–£160 | £160–£240 |
| Total (fitted) | £332–£520 | £490–£722 | £752–£1,070 |
| Total (DIY) | £232–£360 | £390–£562 | £592–£830 |
Whole House (3-Bed Semi, ~55 m² laminated areas)
Typical laminated areas: living room (20 m²), hallway (6 m²), kitchen-diner (15 m²), 2 bedrooms (14 m²) = approximately 55 m².
| Quality | Fitted Total | DIY Total |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | £900–£1,400 | £640–£990 |
| Mid-range | £1,350–£2,000 | £1,050–£1,550 |
| Premium | £2,050–£2,950 | £1,600–£2,300 |
Laminate vs Other Flooring: Cost Comparison
How does laminate compare to other popular flooring options in terms of cost and value?
| Flooring Type | Material/m² | Fitting/m² | Total/m² | Lifespan | Cost Per Year/m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget laminate | £8–£12 | £5–£8 | £13–£20 | 8–12 yrs | £1.30–£2.00 |
| Mid-range laminate | £14–£20 | £5–£8 | £19–£28 | 15–20 yrs | £1.00–£1.80 |
| Premium laminate | £22–£30 | £8–£12 | £30–£42 | 20–30 yrs | £1.10–£1.75 |
| Vinyl LVT | £15–£35 | £5–£10 | £20–£45 | 15–25 yrs | £1.00–£2.25 |
| Budget carpet | £5–£10 | £4–£6 | £9–£16 | 5–8 yrs | £1.40–£2.70 |
| Engineered wood | £20–£55 | £8–£15 | £28–£70 | 25–40 yrs | £0.90–£2.10 |
| Solid hardwood | £35–£90 | £10–£20 | £45–£110 | 30–50+ yrs | £1.00–£2.75 |
The “cost per year” column reveals that mid-range laminate is actually one of the best-value flooring options when you consider its lifespan. Budget carpet may look cheap upfront, but replacing it every 5–8 years makes it more expensive over 20 years than a one-off laminate installation.
Money-Saving Tips
- DIY installation: Saves £5–£12/m². Laminate is the easiest flooring to fit yourself with modern click-lock systems.
- Clearance and end-of-line: B&Q, Wickes, and Carpetright regularly discount discontinued ranges by 30–50%. Same quality, just being replaced by newer styles.
- Buy all at once: Retailers often offer bulk discounts on 10+ packs. Ask at the trade counter even as a retail customer.
- Compare total costs: A cheaper per-m² price at one shop may be offset by higher delivery or fitting charges at another. Always compare the total project cost.
- Reuse underlay: If your existing underlay is in good condition (firm, not crumbly, no moisture damage), you may be able to reuse it under new laminate. This saves £1–£3/m².
- Use our calculator: Know your exact quantity before visiting the shop. Buying the right number of packs avoids wasteful over-ordering. Use our laminate flooring calculator.
Related Calculators & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
UK laminate costs £8–12/m² for budget (6–7mm), £14–20/m² for mid-range (8mm AC3), and £22–30/m² for premium (10–12mm AC4). Add £1–3/m² for underlay and £5–12/m² for professional fitting.
B&Q’s GoodHome range starts at £9–12/m² for basic 7mm options, £14–18/m² for 8mm mid-range, and £20–28/m² for premium ranges like Quick-Step.
Professional fitting costs £5–12 per square metre in 2026. This includes laying underlay and fitting the laminate. Old flooring removal and subfloor preparation are usually charged extra at £2–5/m².
Budget laminate costs similar to budget carpet upfront, but lasts 15–25 years compared to 5–10 years for budget carpet, making it cheaper long-term. Mid-range laminate fully fitted costs about the same as mid-range carpet fully fitted.
Measure length × width, add 10% for wastage, then divide by the pack coverage (commonly 1.99 m²) and round up. For example, a 4m × 3m room = 12 m² + 10% = 13.2 m² ÷ 1.99 = 7 packs.
Beyond the laminate: underlay (£1–3/m²), scotia beading (£1–2/linear metre), threshold strips (£5–15 each), door trimming (£10–20 per door), and possibly subfloor levelling (£5–10/m²).