1,500 Sq Ft Laminate Floor Installation Cost in 2026
Installing 1,500 sq ft of laminate costs $6,119 to $9,434 with mid-range 12mm planks, professionally installed: about $3,119 to $4,934 in planks and $3,000 to $4,500 in labour. Budget planks start at $5,084; premium AC5 planks reach $11,084. Home Depot and Floor & Decor shelf prices and Home Depot's last published labour rate, checked 13 October 2026. 1,500 sq ft is the main living space of a mid-size house; the median new single-family home completed in 2025 had 2,142 sq ft of floor area (US Census Bureau).
Updated 15 November 2026. How we priced this.
Installed Cost by Plank Grade on 1,500 Sq Ft
Each line is the same sum: planks for 1,500 sq ft plus 10% waste, underlayment where the plank has no attached pad, and Home Depot's last published $2.00 to $3.00 per sq ft labour.
| Grade | Planks (1,650 sq ft) | Underlayment | Labour | Installed total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget FairOaks, Hampstead (Floor & Decor) | $1,634 to $2,294 | $450 to $600 | $3,000 to $4,500 | $5,084 to $7,394 |
| Mid-Range Home Decorators Collection, Pergo Outlast+ XL (Home Depot); HydroShield Plus (Floor & Decor) | $3,119 to $4,934 | Pad attached | $3,000 to $4,500 | $6,119 to $9,434 |
| Premium AquaGuard Performance (Floor & Decor), Bruce (Home Depot) | $4,934 to $6,584 | Pad attached | $3,000 to $4,500 | $7,934 to $11,084 |
No volume discount is applied: we found no retailer or installer that publishes one. If a quote for 1,500 sq ft comes in under the labour line above, ask what it leaves out.
Which Grade to Choose
| Choice | What the shelf sells | 1,500 sq ft installed | Pick it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | 7mm, AC3, no attached pad, so underlayment goes down first | $5,084 to $7,394 | Bedrooms, offices and rentals where price matters more than feel underfoot |
| Mid-range | 10 to 12mm, AC4, pad attached | $6,119 to $9,434 | Living areas and hallways; the pad saves a separate underlayment line |
| Premium | 12mm, AC5, attached IXPE pad, sold as waterproof | $7,934 to $11,084 | Kitchens, entries and homes with pets, where spills and wear are the risk |
| DIY, mid-range | Same planks, no labour | $3,119 to $4,934 | A straight click-lock layout and the time to do it; see DIY vs professional |
Costs Outside the Installed Price
| Line | Rate | On 1,500 sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remove the old floor | $1.95/sq ft average | $2,925 | Home Depot cost guide; varies by floor type (removal cost) |
| Move furniture | $35 up to six pieces | $35+ | Home Depot cost guide |
| Moisture film over concrete | $0.23/sq ft | $345 | Floor & Decor 120 sq ft roll; needed under a floating floor on a slab |
| Subfloor repair, stairs, trim | Quoted per job | Not priced | No retailer publishes a rate; see stairs and cost factors |
1,500 Sq Ft by Region
Labour is scaled by the BLS May 2025 mean wage for floor layers in each region against the national mean; plank prices are national. Mid-range planks throughout.
| Region | Labour per sq ft | Labour on 1,500 sq ft | Mid-range installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| US national average | $2.00 to $3.00 | $3,000 to $4,500 | $6,119 to $9,434 |
| Northeast (CT, ME, MA, NJ, NY, PA, VT) | $2.41 to $3.61 | $3,615 to $5,415 | $6,734 to $10,349 |
| Midwest (IL, IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, OH, SD, WI) | $1.95 to $2.93 | $2,925 to $4,395 | $6,044 to $9,329 |
| South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV) | $1.66 to $2.48 | $2,490 to $3,720 | $5,609 to $8,654 |
| West (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA) | $2.11 to $3.17 | $3,165 to $4,755 | $6,284 to $9,689 |
Highest state wage: Massachusetts ($41.97/hr, $7,364 to $11,294). Lowest: Arkansas ($19.60/hr, $5,099 to $7,904). Your state, with removal and stairs: laminate flooring cost calculator.
Whole-House Floors Cross Different Subfloors
Across 1,500 sq ft the floor often changes underneath: a concrete slab in one part, a wood subfloor over a crawl space in another. Over concrete, the Home Decorators Collection instructions call for 6 mil polyethylene film under a floating floor, which the moisture-film line above prices.
Large open floating floors also need expansion gaps at walls and, past a maximum run length set by each manufacturer, a break with a T-molding. Check the plank's instructions for its limit before planning one continuous floor.
Common Questions on a 1,500 Sq Ft Job
How much does it cost to install 1,500 square feet of laminate flooring?
$6,119 to $9,434 for mid-range 12mm planks with an attached pad, professionally installed at national labour rates. Budget 7mm planks bring it down to $5,084 to $7,394 including underlayment; premium AC5 planks run $7,934 to $11,084. Prices are Home Depot and Floor & Decor shelf prices and Home Depot's last published labour rate, checked 13 October 2026.
What is the labor cost to install 1,500 square feet of laminate?
$3,000 to $4,500. Home Depot last published installation at $2.00 to $3.00 per sq ft, and $2.49 per sq ft for basic click-lock installation ($3,735 on 1,500 sq ft). Removing the old floor, moving furniture and subfloor repair are extra.
How many boxes of laminate do I need for 1,500 square feet?
About 83 boxes: 1,500 sq ft plus 10% for waste is 1,650 sq ft, and the six planks we priced come in cartons of 15.9 to 26.8 sq ft. Divide by the carton size printed on the box you buy.
How much do I save installing 1,500 sq ft of laminate myself?
The labour: about $3,000 to $4,500 on mid-range planks. Doing it yourself, the planks and any underlayment cost $3,119 to $4,934 for mid-range or $2,084 to $2,894 for budget planks with foam underlayment, before tools.
How much does it cost to remove the old floor first?
Home Depot puts old-floor removal at $1.95 per sq ft on average, about $2,925 on 1,500 sq ft, and says the rate depends on the floor type. Furniture moving is $35 for up to six large pieces.
Does 1,500 sq ft of laminate cost more in some states?
Yes, through labour. If installation prices follow the BLS mean wage for floor layers (our assumption), the same mid-range job costs about $7,364 to $11,294 in Massachusetts and $5,099 to $7,904 in Arkansas, against $6,119 to $9,434 at national rates.