Laminate flooring installation looks simple, and in a flat, square room it is. The trouble starts with an uneven slab, a door that will not clear the new height or a floor with no room to expand. A good installer prepares the surface, lays the underlay, leaves the gaps and finishes the doorways cleanly. Send one request with your room sizes and local laminate flooring installers quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation, so you can compare fitting prices before you buy a single box.
How a laminate floor is installed
Laminate floats: the boards click together and are never glued or nailed to the slab. The usual order of work is:
- Remove skirting or beading where needed, and clear the room.
- Check the subfloor with a straightedge and fix high or low spots.
- Lay the underlay, taping seams and adding a damp barrier over concrete.
- Click the boards row by row, staggering the end joints by at least a third of a board.
- Leave an expansion gap of about 8 to 10 mm at every wall and pipe, then refit skirting and fit trims.
Subfloor, moisture and doors
Laminate tolerates only small dips, often a few millimetres over a couple of metres, so grinding and levelling comes first. Over a new screed the installer takes a moisture reading, because trapped damp swells the fibreboard edges. Over tiles, the grout lines may need skim filling. Doors usually need trimming at the bottom once board and underlay are down. Our guide to flooring underlay explains the choices for noise and moisture.
What fitting costs
Fitting is about R80 to R150 per m², with the underlay laid. Price climbs with extras: lifting an old carpet or tiles, levelling compound, stairs, diagonal layouts, cutting round fireplaces and cupboards, and new skirting. Buying the boards is separate and depends on the grade, covered under laminate flooring. Waste of 5 to 10 percent is normal, so quotes should say who orders the extra boxes.
Choosing between installers
Ask each one whether they supply boards or only fit them, how they treat the subfloor, what gap they leave, and who fixes a joint that lifts. Check that the quote lists doorway strips, stair noses and skirting. Many installers will visit, measure and price in one go. A clear written quote with the days on site is worth more than a low figure given over the phone.
What to include in your request
- Room sizes in square metres
- Tiles, carpet or screed under the floor
- Boards bought, or installer to supply
- Flat or townhouse noise rules
- The suburb and a start date
Laminate Flooring Installation for different clients
- Homeowners: click floors fitted in a lounge, bedrooms or whole house over a prepared subfloor
- Flats and townhouses: laminate on acoustic underlay laid to meet body corporate noise limits
- Builders, developers and renovators: floors fitted room by room as painters finish, over dry and level screed
- Landlords and letting agents: fast fitting between tenants so the unit is back on the market quickly
- Offices, practices and showrooms: AC4 laminate laid in meeting rooms and open plan areas over a weekend
- Guesthouses, lodges and restaurants: durable click floors in staff rooms, guest cottages and back of house areas
- Shops, salons and cafés: wood look laminate fitted after hours in small shops and salons
- Schools, halls, gyms and studios: hard-wearing floors for classrooms and offices, fitted in the holidays
Frequently asked questions
How much does laminate flooring installation cost?
Can laminate be laid over existing tiles?
How long does it take to install laminate?
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Laminate Flooring Installation by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg