You've seen the ads from the big national chains: 50% off, 60% off, free installation, this week only. It's fair to wonder how anyone can knock more than half off the price and then put the floor in for nothing.
Mostly, they don't. The discount comes off a "list price" that was set high to begin with, and the cost of installing is built into the price of the flooring. You still pay for the install. It just isn't on its own line.
That isn't illegal, and some people end up with a decent floor this way. But it makes it very hard to know what you're really paying. Here's how it works, and what to ask.
A percent-off deal only means something if the starting price is real. In flooring ads, the starting price is often a number almost nobody pays. If the list price was set at about twice what the floor is worth, then "half off" just brings you back to a normal price. It feels like a win, but you didn't save anything.
A common story from shoppers goes like this. The salesperson measures, writes up a big number, then "checks with the manager," and a huge discount appears if you sign tonight. When a price drops that much in one visit, the first number wasn't real. The second one might not be the best one either.
The easy test: ignore the percent. Look at the final price and divide it by the square feet. That's the only number you can compare.
Putting in a floor takes a trained crew, a truck, tools, and a day or more of work. Somebody pays for that. With "free installation," it's rolled into the material, so the carpet or vinyl plank costs more per foot than it otherwise would.
The fine print is where the rest of the cost hides. "Free installation" often means basic installation only. Things that commonly show up as extra:
Add those back in and a "free install" job can end up costing more than a plain installed price from a local shop.
Ask for the final installed price, with everything included, after the discount. Then do the math yourself: total divided by square feet.
Ask what could be added after install day. Ask who is actually installing the floor. And ask if the price holds for a week while you get another quote. If the answer is no, that tells you something about the price.
Then line it up against one or two other quotes. Our guide on how to compare flooring quotes has a checklist of what to look for, line by line.
Instead of a percent-off number, we publish what our floors cost installed:
A printed price is easier to trust because you can check it before anyone comes to your house. Get a 60-second ballpark online, then book a free in-home measure. It takes about 20 minutes and you get a written price. You don't have to decide that day.
We're family-owned and have been doing floors in Jacksonville for 30+ years, with 4.7 stars from 184 Google reviews. Owner Shane Webb is in the showroom at 9452 Philips Hwy, Suite 1, and our installers James and Gary are named in a lot of those reviews.
“Owner Shane made the process easy—straightforward pricing, no pressure, and genuinely focused on getting the best result for my home.”
— Adam, carpet in 4 bedrooms and stairs, Google review
“Pricing was fair and clearly explained upfront, no surprise charges.”
— Zach, vinyl plank and bathroom tile, Google review
“No hidden fees, what they quote is what you pay.”
— Scott, homeowner and landlord, Google review
Usually not in the way it sounds. The percent comes off a list price that is often set well above what the floor sells for, so the sale price can end up close to a normal installed price. The only number worth comparing is the final installed total divided by the square feet.
Rarely. Installation labor is typically built into the price of the material, and extras such as pad, tear out and haul away, stairs, the strips between rooms, and furniture moving are often charged separately. Ask for the final installed price with everything included.
Ask what the discount is taken off of, what the final installed price per square foot is, whether pad, tear out, stairs, trim, and furniture moving are included, what could be added after install day, who does the installing, and whether the price is still good next week.
At Gator Carpet and Tile, carpet runs $1.50–$10+ per sq ft installed with pad, vinyl plank runs $8–$17 per sq ft all-in (including floor prep, quarter round, vapor barrier, furniture moving, and transitions), and tile runs $8–$25 per sq ft installed.
A same-day-only price keeps you from getting another quote to compare. If a price is fair, it should still be fair next week. A big drop in price during one visit is a sign the first number was set high on purpose.
Free in-home measure in about 20 minutes with a written price. Or check the ballpark online in 60 seconds first.
Get a Free Estimate Call 904-262-7304