Luxury Vinyl Plank Installation, Done in a Day
Wood-look plank on a waterproof SPC core, installed by licensed, insured pros from Tampa Bay to Orlando. Most homes are finished in a single day once the materials arrive.
About $5 to $12 per square foot installed, before your discount. The exact number comes after a free measurement.
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What floor are you replacing?
Why Florida homeowners are pulling up carpet and tile for vinyl plank
Most of the homes we measure have one of three floors: carpet that holds on to pet accidents, tile that’s cold and hard on the knees, or laminate that swelled the first time something leaked. Luxury vinyl plank fixes all three.
- It’s waterproof all the way through. The SPC core is stone plastic composite. It doesn’t soak up water, so a knocked-over bowl or a leaking dishwasher stays on top where you can wipe it.
- It’s easier on your joints than tile. The attached pad gives a little underfoot, and the floor is quieter and warmer than ceramic.
- It handles pets and kids. With a 20-mil wear layer, dog claws and dropped toys don’t cut through to the wood look.
- It goes in fast. Click-lock planks float over the slab. There’s no mortar to cure and no grout to seal.
50% off your flooring installation
$1,200 Off + 5% Senior & Military Savings. Seniors 60+ and active or retired military get an additional 5%. The 50% applies to installation labor.
See rep for details! Mention offer during your design consultation.
6, 12 or 20 Mil: Which One You Need
The wear layer is the clear top coat that takes the scratches. It’s measured in mil, thousandths of an inch. Thicker lasts longer.
Light use
Guest rooms, closets and rooms that don’t see much foot traffic.
Everyday rooms
Most rooms in a home without big dogs. A solid middle choice.
Kids, pets, heavy traffic
Holds up to dog claws. Over an SPC core, a 20-mil floor lasts 20 years or more.
Not sure? Read: Is a 20-mil wear layer worth the extra money
How We Install Vinyl Plank
What happens from the measurement to the last piece of trim.
Measure and pick
An installer measures every room, checks the floor underneath and brings samples to hold up against your walls and cabinets.
Old floor out
Carpet, pad and tack strip, or tile and thinset, come up and get hauled away. Tile removal is done with dust control.
Before the first plank
We check the slab for moisture and high or low spots. Low spots get filled so the floor sits flat and the click joints stay tight.
Planks down
Planks click together and float over the slab, with an expansion gap at the walls. Doorways get matching transitions.
Trim and clean up
Baseboards or quarter round go back on, the debris goes out with us, and you can walk on the floor the same day.
Most installs are completed in a single day once your materials arrive. Tile removal or floor leveling can add time. Read: How long vinyl plank installation takes, day by day
What Luxury Vinyl Plank Installation Costs
Most jobs run about $5 to $12 per square foot installed. A 200 sq ft room is roughly $1,200 to $1,900 before your discount. Slide to your square footage.
A 12 × 16 bedroom is about 200 sq ft.
Wear layer, room shape and the floor underneath all move the number inside this range.
Estimates only, not a quote. Your price depends on your rooms, the product you pick and the floor underneath, and is set after the in-home measurement.
What moves the price up
- Tearing out tile and thinset
- Filling low spots in the slab
- Stairs, which are priced by the step
- Lots of small rooms, closets and angles
What keeps it down
- Open rooms with long straight runs
- Carpet, which comes up fast
- A flat, dry slab
- The 50% off installation labor offer
Read: What luxury vinyl plank costs installed in Central Florida
Four Layers, One Click-Lock Plank
Luxury vinyl plank looks like wood from the top. The cut edge shows why it doesn’t act like wood when it gets wet.
Floating click-lock
The planks lock edge to edge and float over the slab. If one ever gets damaged, it can be replaced.
Glue-down when it’s needed
Some rooms and some condo rules call for glue-down. The installer will tell you which one your floor needs. Floating vs glue-down
Baseboards and trim
New baseboards, quarter round and transitions can be added to any job so the edges look finished.
What’s Inside a Plank
SPC means stone plastic composite. It’s rigid, and it doesn’t swell.
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- Wear layer. Clear top coat, 6 to 20 mil. It takes the scratches.
- Printed wood look. The grain and color you see.
- SPC core. Stone plastic composite. Waterproof and rigid.
- Attached pad. Quieter underfoot, no separate underlayment.
Drag to Compare
Carpet replaced with 20-mil waterproof LVP.
↔ Drag the slider. Product demonstration: the same empty room with carpet, then with 20-mil waterproof vinyl plank.
What a Florida House Asks of a Vinyl Plank Floor
Most homes here sit on a concrete slab, the air is wet half the year, and the sun comes through the glass hard. That changes how the floor goes down.
Moisture in the slab
Concrete holds water and gives it off slowly, even years after the house was built. One maker’s installation guide says the slab has to test under 90% relative humidity with in-place probes (ASTM F2170), or under 8 pounds on a moisture emission test. The slab gets checked before the floor is ordered, not after it’s down.
Flat matters more than level
A click-lock floor needs a flat base, not a perfectly level one. Makers commonly allow about 3/16 of an inch of dip or hump over 10 feet. Past that, the dips can show through the planks. High spots get ground down and low spots get filled.
Heat and sun
SPC is stable, but every vinyl grows a little when it gets hot. One maker calls for a 1/4-inch gap at the walls, and a 5/8-inch gap in areas that get hotter than 85°F. Another warns that long, direct sun can discolor the surface and suggests blinds or drapes at peak hours.
Storm season
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. The planks shrug off water, but a slab that got wet in a storm has to dry before any new floor goes over it. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas within 24 to 48 hours to head off mold. See water-damaged floors
Vinyl Plank, Tile, Laminate or Carpet
The four floors we see most at measurements, side by side on the things that matter in a Florida house.
| SPC vinyl plank | Ceramic or porcelain tile | Laminate | Carpet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Waterproof core. Spills sit on top. | The tile is waterproof. Grout stains unless it’s kept sealed. | Wood-fiber core. Swells if water reaches the edges. | The pad soaks it up and holds it. |
| Underfoot | Firm, with a little give from the attached pad. | Hard and cool. No give on a slab. | Firm. Can sound hollow when you walk. | Soft and warm. |
| Pets | 20-mil wear layer holds up to claws. Accidents wipe up. | Hard to scratch. Slick when wet. | Scratches show. Accidents at the seams cause swelling. | Odor settles into the pad. |
| Going in | Floats over the slab. Most installs take one day once materials arrive. | Set in mortar, then grouted. Takes longer to lay. | Floats over the slab, like plank. | Stretched over pad and tack strip. |
| Fixing a bad spot | A damaged plank can be replaced. | A cracked tile has to be chipped out and matched. | Swollen boards have to be replaced. | Worn paths can’t be brought back. |
| How long it lasts | 20-mil over SPC: 20 years or more | 75 to 100 years for the tile itself | 15 to 25 years | 8 to 10 years |
Life ranges for tile, laminate and carpet come from a Florida life-expectancy chart published by a home inspectors’ association. Tile lasts longest; people replace it for comfort and looks.
How to pick a plank you’ll still like in ten years
Every sample looks good in the box. These are the things that decide how the floor looks and wears once it’s in your house.
- Color. Mid-tone browns and greige hide dust, beach sand and pet hair better than very dark or very pale floors.
- Width and length. Longer, wider planks mean fewer seams and suit open great rooms. Running one plank through connected rooms avoids a line at every doorway.
- Texture. An embossed grain reads more like real wood than a smooth, shiny top. It also gives bare feet and paws a little more grip.
- Wear layer. Pick it for the busiest room, not the average one. If the dog runs the hallway, the hallway sets the number.
- Mixed cartons. One maker’s guide says to lay from several cartons at once so color and pattern repeats spread out across the room. It’s a fair thing to ask about.
Getting ready for install day
A little prep the week before is what keeps a one-day job to one day.
- Clear the small stuff. Rugs, plants, floor lamps, shoes, pet beds and anything sitting on closet floors.
- Empty what sits on the floor. Take breakables out of cabinets, bookshelves and dressers in the rooms being done.
- Unhook the electronics. Take a phone picture of how the TV and computer are wired, then unplug them.
- Keep the AC on. One maker asks for the room to stay between 55 and 85°F for 48 hours before install and 24 hours after, with the cartons sitting in the room.
- Mention past trouble. Tell the installer about old leaks, soft spots or a room that always smells musty.
Before You Decide
Straight answers to the questions we hear at almost every measurement.
What luxury vinyl plank costs installed in Central Florida
Read → Wear layerIs a 20-mil wear layer worth the extra money
Read → InstallFloating vs glue-down vinyl plank on concrete
Read → Florida slabsDo you need a moisture barrier under vinyl plank on a slab
Read → TimelineHow long vinyl plank installation takes, day by day
Read → LifespanHow long vinyl plank flooring lasts
Read → LooksChoosing vinyl plank that doesn’t look cheap
Read →Luxury Vinyl Plank Questions
How much does luxury vinyl plank installation cost?
Most jobs run about $5 to $12 per square foot installed, before your discount. A 200 sq ft room is roughly $1,200 to $1,900. Tile removal, slab leveling and stairs add to it. You get the exact number after the free measurement.
How long does it take to install?
Most installs are completed in a single day once your materials arrive, and next-day installation is available. Removing tile or leveling low spots can add a day.
Can you put vinyl plank over my tile?
Sometimes. If the tile is flat and well bonded, planks can go over it, but the floor gets taller and doors may need trimming. Cracked or loose tile has to come up first. The installer checks this at the measurement.
Do I need to move my furniture?
Ask about it when you book. Most crews can move normal furniture. Pianos, safes, full china cabinets and electronics are best handled before install day.
Will it hold up to my dog?
Choose the 20-mil wear layer. It holds up to claws in everyday use. Keep nails trimmed and wipe up accidents; the planks are waterproof, but liquid left in a seam for days is never good for any floor.
What’s the warranty?
Installations come with our Limited Lifetime Warranty. It isn’t transferable to a later owner of the home. The flooring itself also carries the manufacturer’s warranty.
Can I mop it?
Yes, with a damp microfiber mop and a pH-neutral cleaner. Skip steam mops; most vinyl plank warranties don’t cover steam damage.
Does vinyl plank need to sit in the house before it’s installed?
Follow the maker of the floor you pick. One maker’s guide calls for the cartons to sit flat in the room at 55 to 85°F for at least 48 hours, and for that range to hold during the install and for 24 hours after. Keeping the AC running covers it.
Is vinyl plank okay in a room that gets a lot of sun?
Yes, with some care. Long, direct sun can discolor vinyl, and heat makes it expand. Blinds or drapes during the hottest hours help, and a hot room may get a wider gap at the walls. The installer plans for this at the measurement.
How flat does my slab need to be?
Makers commonly allow about 3/16 of an inch over 10 feet. Dips and humps past that get ground or filled before the planks go down, because they can show through the finished floor.
Can one floor run through the whole house?
Usually, yes. One maker’s guide says no extra gap is needed between rooms as long as the gap at the walls is kept. Some layouts still call for a transition in a doorway, and the installer marks those at the measurement.
Vinyl Plank Installation Near You
533 ZIP codes across Tampa Bay, the Gulf Coast and Greater Orlando.
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