Chipboard flooring is a very common type of floorboard in modern properties. This is mainly due to its low cost and ease of fitting, compared with traditional timber floorboards. However, chipboard is lower quality compared to wood floorboards, which often means they may need replacing sooner.
This can be due to wear and tear, as well as issues with moisture causing the boards to swell and deteriorate.
The cost of replacing chipboard flooring, will depend on whether you hire a professional, or do the work yourself.
If you do the work yourself, your only expense will be the boards, the screws, and some wood glue. Prices will vary from one supplier to another, so you should shop around at larger DIY chains, as well as local builders’ merchants.
On average you will be paying around £15/m2.
Based on data collected by LABC (Local Authority Building Control). The average UK house size for homes built between 1930 and 2018, was 73.6 m2. This doesn’t include hallways, landings, or stairwells.
Therefore, if you were replacing chipboard flooring for an entire house, your cost for materials alone would be approximately £1,104.00.
This price could be lower if you shop around. £15 is a rough average per meter square. However, the lowest costs we found locally were:
- £10.83 m2 for 18mm chipboard flooring
- £13.33 m2 for 22mm chipboard flooring.
The full cost at these prices, would be £797.09 for 18mm chipboard, and £981.09 for 22mm. So as you can see, shopping around will make a big difference.
Also, don’t forget, you may need to add extra if you intend to board hallways and landings.
Cost of a professional replacing chipboard flooring
When you have a professional fit your chipboard flooring, you will have the cost of labour on top. This would usually be around 4 days’ work for the entire house and would include removing existing flooring and fitting new flooring.
The average day rate for this type of work, would generally be around £250. Therefore, labour would be somewhere in the region of £1000 providing the work is straight forward.
The work may be quoted on a day rate, or alternatively, it could be quoted as an entire job.
Based on average house size and the expected cost for labour, you can expect the labour rate per square meter to be around £13.59.
All in all, if we round everything up, a reasonable price would be somewhere around £28.59 m2, or just over £2100 for an average size house (minus hallways and landings).
However, it is important to point out, that these estimates are based purely on numbers and maths. This does not consider any issues that may be encountered. Or any unique circumstances that may be present.
It also assumes an average sized house. If the house is larger the cost will obviously be higher. Although, the cost per m2, should be a reasonably accurate guide.
If the job is for an individual room, such as a living room or a bedroom, you should expect to pay between £500-£600 for materials and labour.
Some other areas may be priced differently, such as lofts. This is due to several reasons, including:
- Access
- Working height (under eves etc)
- Insulation
- Additional support
Any of the above could add extra expense to the work being carried out.
Finally, removing chipboard flooring can be a headache. If it lifting the chipboard is particularly awkward, this could require more time and expense.
Ways to save money when replacing chipboard flooring
As we have already mentioned, you should definitely shop around for materials. Also, you can opt for 18mm boards as opposed to 22mm. This could be a good idea in areas that are just being used for storage, such as a loft for example.
Looking back to our local quote, the difference between 18 and 22mm was around 19% cheaper for the thinner board.
Another way to save money, is to shop around for quotes. You can even mention that you’re considering other offers when someone comes to quote on the job.
An even better way to get more competitive quotes, is taking the job online. There are several trade comparison sites that can often get you a really good price on this type of work.
There are several advantages to these types of website. The main benefits can be seen below:
- All the contractors are verified by the comparison site. This protects you from rogue traders and cowboys.
- Not only are they verified by the website, but they are also reviewed by customers. This means you can learn about their previous work and read what past customers had to say.
- Finally, it is a competitive marketplace. This means the companies quoting for jobs are competing on price, and they know it. Because of this, prices are often very competitive.
We have seen savings as big as 40% off labour costs. This could be the difference between paying £250/day and £150/day.
Obviously, we can’t guarantee the discounts will be that good. However, it costs you nothing to enquire and often a rough quote can be given online.
To compare local quotes and see how much you could save Click here
Conclusion
Hopefully this has given you an idea of how much replacing chipboard flooring is likely to cost. The numbers here are estimates, and they should be used as a guide.
Basically, if quotes are coming in much higher, you can ask for a breakdown of the costs, to see what you are being charged for.
Alternatively, if the quotes come in lower, you know your getting a pretty good deal.
Either way, the best way of lowering the cost is to simply shop around. This includes materials and labour. If you can get discounts on both, this can drastically reduce the overall cost you pay.
