Oak Hardwood Flooring

tony863

Hi All,

Looking at getting some oak hardwood flooring (Engineered wood). Got a price from a local fitter for £989 fitted. That breaks down as £27 per sq metre for the wood +VAT. 18 sqm coverage.

I know you can get cheaper wood but we like this one. The total per sq m for the wood is £32.40. That leaves £406 for the underlay, sealing layer and fitting costs.

Can anyone say whether this is a good price or should I look elsewhere?

thanks

Aylesbury_Duck

For comparison, I've just bought 20 sq m of some really nice solid oak flooring for £560 - £28 per sq m. Add £60 for good quality fibreboard underlay and £30 for scotia. Engineered flooring is preferred by some and as I understand it, is better in some environments but personally I like solid wood. I'm sure you could get cheaper wood but if you've found something fit for purpose that you really like, stick with it. You'll be walking on it for years?

As for fitting, I am a competent DIYer with the necessary tools but it takes me a long time to carefully and neatly lay the wood. I reckon each 10 sq m room has taken me about 12 hours work. That's working out a sensible pattern, minimising waste, maximising overlay and using the planks in the right proportions so I'm not left with lots of split packs. Then there's another couple of hours to cut, fit, fill, sand and paint the scotia - longer if you're removing and replacing the skirting. You may have to remove and trim doors, undercut doorframes and make a threshold join to adjoining rooms. It all takes tools, skill and time.

I enjoy it and am able to work in an empty room and without time constraints. A professional will do a better job than I can and faster too. £406 for the underlay, sealing layer and fitting sounds like money well spent if you don't have the time, inclination, tools or skills to do it yourself.

tony863

Thanks for the great advice. I think we are kind of happy with the quote but it helps to know whether you are getting bang for your buck!!

Aylesbury_Duck

No problem. It looks a good deal to me. Ask about the finishing touches and whether they're included: skirting, scotia, thresholds, door frame, etc. Removing and refitting the skirting gives the most professional finish but can make a mess of the walls which then need remedial work. Where the absolute best finish isn't essential, my preference is for scotia pinned to the skirting over the expansion gaps, the hairline join then filled and sanded, then skirting and scotia painted as one.

jimi_man

Hi

I fitted oak flooring when I had my extension done. It was one room, about 25 sq ms and including the underlay and damp membrane (and glue) and enough suitable floor varnish for 8 coats, as well as a few discs to put round radiator pipes and I seem to recall it was about £1100. Took a few days to do, plus a few days to varnish. It was solid oak, not engineered, 18mm planks I think. I looked at Junckers stuff but it seemed v. expensive and they weren't single planks but 3 joined together as I recall which I didn't like.

I had to look up what Scotia is as I didn't use that. Personally. I too would just take off the skirting board and refit it over the expansion gap, or in your case, ask the fitters to do that. Though I'm not so sure you need an expansion gap with engineered floor? I didn't like the look of 'Scotia' or quadrant as well as skirting, but everyone's different, it can look fine.

I managed to arrange the builders to come in and fit the skirting after I had fitted the floor but before I varnished it. It was slightly thicker skirting to make sure the gap was covered. I was happy with the result. It wasn't cheap but should outlast me, with the odd revarnish every 5 years or so.

Your's sounds like a good deal though, fitting seems good value.

keystone

tony863 wrote: »

Hi All,

Looking at getting some oak hardwood flooring (Engineered wood). Got a price from a local fitter for £989 fitted. That breaks down as £27 per sq metre for the wood +VAT. 18 sqm coverage.

I know you can get cheaper wood but we like this one. The total per sq m for the wood is £32.40. That leaves £406 for the underlay, sealing layer and fitting costs.

Can anyone say whether this is a good price or should I look elsewhere?

thanks

Seems good to me. If they haven't quoted to remove skirtings then don't expect them to. Its adds considerably to the job timescale and also results in redecorating costs. If they are a professional outfit then undercutting architrave etc, mouldings, thresholds and door trimming will be included.

Cheers

keystone

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

.................... the hairline join then filled and sanded, then skirting and scotia painted as one.

That will be down to the OP not the fitter.

Cheers

Aylesbury_Duck

I've tended to use scotia in smaller bedrooms where internal walls would get chewed up removing the skirting. For larger rooms and rooms where the walls are solid, removing the skirting and fitting new skirting gives by far the more professional look.

keystone

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

I've tended to use scotia in smaller bedrooms where internal walls would get chewed up removing the skirting. For larger rooms and rooms where the walls are solid, removing the skirting and fitting new skirting gives by far the more professional look.

You are absolutely correct but it would be misleading the OP to expect it to be done within the price quoted if it hasn't been included. There is a danger that this is where this thread is headed.

Cheers

tony863

Thanks for the info guys. The price quoted doesn't include the skirts. I took them off myself because we are redecorating the living room. The whole room is now complete apart from the floor. I saved all the skirts so I'm just gonna clean them up, repaint and stick back on the wall. There is a 10mm expansion gap needed for engineered wood so the skirts will sit directly on top of that.

keystone

tony863 wrote: »

Thanks for the info guys. The price quoted doesn't include the skirts. I took them off myself because we are redecorating the living room. The whole room is now complete apart from the floor. I saved all the skirts so I'm just gonna clean them up, repaint and stick back on the wall. There is a 10mm expansion gap needed for engineered wood so the skirts will sit directly on top of that.

Good plan. Factor in the flooring with the redecoration and the job's a good 'un.

Cheers