A wood look with a hard, scratch-resistant surface, installed all-in from $8 a square foot: furniture moved, trim and transitions done. Parkay and Homelike, with waterproof options for kitchens.
Get a Free Estimate Call 904-262-7304A lot of people search “laminate vinyl plank” because the two look alike in the store. They are different floors, and the difference is water.
Laminate has a wood-fiber core under a hard, printed top layer that stands up to scratches and dents. Standard laminate is water-resistant: everyday spills that get wiped up are fine, standing water is not. Some newer laminates are waterproof, and those are fine in a kitchen.
Vinyl plank is vinyl all the way through, so it is waterproof. It is the easy pick for bathrooms, laundry rooms and rentals. More on the water difference in our guide, Is Vinyl Plank Waterproof?
We sell and install both, at about the same price: Parkay and Homelike laminate, and Shaw, Homelike and Parkay vinyl plank. We will tell you plainly which one fits each room.
Laminate runs $8–$17 per square foot installed, all-in.
| Grade | Installed, per sq ft | Two bedrooms and a hall (500 sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| Good | $8–$10 | $4,000–$5,000 |
| Better | $10–$13 | $5,000–$6,500 |
| Best | $13–$17 | $6,500–$8,500 |
Priced separately, and written on your quote: taking out carpet $0.35/sq ft, old vinyl or laminate $0.75/sq ft, old tile or hardwood $4/sq ft. Laminate stairs are priced on your quote; custom work like pie steps or spiral stairs is additional. $500 job minimum.
Want your own number? Try the 60-second ballpark calculator. Comparing quotes? Here is what a fair flooring quote should include. Financing is available through Synchrony HOME and Affirm.
Taking out the old floor, stairs and any extra leveling are quoted at the measure, before work starts.
The two floors people compare most, with our installed prices.
| Laminate | Vinyl plank (LVP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Installed, all-in | $8–$17 per sq ft | $8–$17 per sq ft |
| Core | Wood fiber | Vinyl |
| Water | Standard: water-resistant. Some newer laminates: waterproof | Waterproof through the plank |
| Scratches and dents | Very hard surface, resists scratches | Good; a thicker wear layer helps |
| Feel underfoot | Firm, like a wood floor | A little softer and warmer |
| Best rooms | Bedrooms, living rooms, halls, offices, stairs; kitchens with a waterproof laminate | Kitchens, baths, laundry, whole house, rentals |
| Bathrooms and laundry | Waterproof laminate only | Yes |
| Brands we install | Parkay, Homelike | Shaw, Homelike, Parkay |
Need waterproof? Ask about waterproof laminate, or see vinyl plank installation in Jacksonville. The full water story is in waterproof vs water-resistant flooring.
We would rather sell you the right floor than the wrong one. Here is how we call it, room by room.
Kitchens. We suggest waterproof materials here, and some laminates are waterproof and fine for kitchens. We will show you which ones.
Homes with pets that have accidents. Laminate stands up to claws; a waterproof one handles the puddles too.
Here we suggest a waterproof laminate, vinyl plank or tile. Standard laminate is not made for water that sits.
“They installed the most gorgeous laminate floors, and a few rooms of carpet, in our home.”
Gator customer review
“I had to have laminate removed and new baseboards installed. They coordinate all the work and everything went smoothly.”
Gator customer review
“Very detailed on what needed to be done from sub flooring to new floors.”
Gator customer review
“Excellent service, high quality results, and was done on time and within my budget.”
Gator customer review
No guessing and no surprise add-ons. Here is how a laminate job runs with Gator Carpet and Tile.
We measure your rooms, check the slab for moisture and flatness, and bring samples. You get a written price at the measure.
Choose the look, color and grade from Parkay or Homelike, standard or waterproof. If a room needs a waterproof floor, we will say so.
We move the furniture, take out the old floor if it is on your quote, do the standard prep and lay the moisture barrier underlayment.
We lay the laminate, add quarter round and transitions, and put your furniture back. Figure about a day per 300 sq ft of open floor; cut-up rooms take longer.
Jacksonville Showroom
Parkay and Homelike laminate next to vinyl plank. Feel the surface and take samples home.
Laminate and vinyl plank are hard to tell apart in a photo. In person you can feel the difference: laminate is firmer and harder, vinyl plank is a little softer underfoot. At our Philips Highway showroom you can compare them side by side and take samples home to see them in your light.
Bring a list of the rooms you want done and we will tell you which floor fits each one. The free in-home measure turns it into a written price.
Visit or Schedule EstimateGator Carpet and Tile installs laminate all over Jacksonville and Northeast Florida: Mandarin, San Marco, Riverside, Avondale and Ortega, Baymeadows, Deerwood and the Southside, Arlington and Fort Caroline, the Northside and Westside, Julington Creek and Nocatee, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Oakleaf, Middleburg and Green Cove Springs, and the beaches from Mayport to Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine. Near the beach, we suggest waterproof floors for entries and baths, and laminate shines in the bedrooms. The measure is free wherever you are.
Laminate runs $8 to $17 per square foot installed at Gator Carpet and Tile. That is all-in: the flooring, installation, standard floor prep, underlayment, quarter round, transitions and moving your furniture. Taking out the old floor and stairs are priced on your quote. $500 job minimum.
No, though they look alike and cost about the same. Laminate has a wood-fiber core with a hard, printed top layer. Vinyl plank is vinyl all the way through, so it is waterproof. Standard laminate is water-resistant, and some newer laminates are made to be waterproof. If you searched "laminate vinyl plank" for a bathroom, laundry room or rental, you probably want vinyl plank.
Standard laminate is water-resistant, not waterproof: spills that get wiped up are fine, but water that sits on it or runs into the seams can make the core swell. Some newer laminates are made to be waterproof, and those are fine in a kitchen. Check the spec before it goes near water, or ask us at the measure and we will show you which ones are waterproof.
It depends on the room. Laminate is a great pick for bedrooms, living rooms, hallways, offices and stairs: it has a crisp wood look and a hard surface that stands up to scratches and dents. Anywhere water shows up, we suggest a waterproof floor: a waterproof laminate, or vinyl plank. Both cost about the same installed, so pick by the room, not the price.
Yes, with a waterproof laminate. We suggest waterproof materials in kitchens, and some laminates are waterproof and fine there. Standard water-resistant laminate is a better fit for dry rooms. We will show you which is which at the measure.
Yes. Laminate floats over a slab on a moisture barrier underlayment. Most Jacksonville homes sit on a slab, so we check it for moisture and flatness at the free measure and quote any extra leveling before work starts.
Plan on about one day for every 300 square feet of open floor, and that includes prep and moving the furniture. Rooms that are cut up take longer: a 300 square foot kitchen with two islands is a two-day job. We give you the number of days at the measure.
For scratches, yes: laminate has one of the hardest surfaces you can buy, so it stands up to claws well. The worry is accidents. Wipe them up quickly, because a puddle left on laminate can get into the seams. If accidents are common in your house, pick a waterproof laminate or vinyl plank.
Yes. Moving the furniture out of the way and back is part of the all-in price, so you do not need to hire movers.
We sell and install Parkay and Homelike laminate, including waterproof options. You can see and take home samples at our Philips Highway showroom.
Yes. Laminate stairs are priced on your quote, step by step. Custom work like pie steps or spiral stairs is additional, and we write it on the quote before work starts.
Taking out carpet is $0.35 per square foot, old vinyl or laminate is $0.75, and old tile or hardwood is $4. It is written on your quote before work starts, so there are no surprises.
Yes. We install laminate all over Jacksonville, including Mandarin, Julington Creek, Nocatee, San Marco, Riverside, Baymeadows and the Southside, the beaches, Ponte Vedra, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Middleburg and Oakleaf. The in-home measure is free.
Our installs are led by James Lowe, our lead installer, who has installed Gator floors for 20+ years, usually working alongside Gary. Customers name them in dozens of our Google reviews, and some tell friends to ask for them by name. When you book with Gator Carpet and Tile, you're not handed off to a stranger.
“James and Gary were the same installers who worked on our condo. We were so happy to hear James and Gary were handling our project.”
— Raymond, Palm Coast, Google review
“Gary and James are masters of efficiency and attention to detail”
— Brock, carpet, Google review
Included at no extra cost, for one year from the day we finish. If our workmanship causes a problem, we come back and fix it at no labor cost.
Before you pay a deposit, you get your install date in writing. If anything moves it, like a late truck or a sick crew, you hear it from us that same day, with a new date in writing. You never have to chase us down to find out what's going on.
Flooring products also carry their own manufacturer warranty. Questions? Call 904-262-7304.
Get a free in-home measure and a written, all-in price, or stop by the Philips Highway showroom.
Get a Free Estimate Get a Ballpark Price Call 904-262-7304