Flooring Costs Overview

During the life of a building, the total cost of flooring can cost 35 times the initial installed cost. To help decision makers evaluate the performance and life cycle costs of various types of flooring, a survey was made of floor finish materials across the United States. From this survey and from a study of other data available, a model was developed illustrating the actual cost of flooring during the life span of a building.

Through analytical study on a number of buildings, costs varied greatly due to traffic volume, proximity to a street entrance and standards of excellence set by the building owners / managers.

However, the costs used below are typical for a corridor in a commercial building. Lobby areas, shopping centers, airports, or any area with heavier traffic will obviously require more maintenance and more frequent replacement of carpet or tile.

Developers investing in buildings for short-term resale, soon discover that inexpensive flooring on the front end of an investment may cost them much more than their initial savings. Depreciation of value and compromised building image typically occurs with bargain flooring. High quality flooring enhances a building’s image, appreciates with the value of the investment and often allows for higher income generation by the building’s owners.