How Much Do Floor Repairs Cost?

Cost to Fix a Floor by Problem

As the physical surface that supports our daily activities, floors can see quite a lot of use over time. The repair work necessary to restore your floors varies greatly depending on the underlying problem. Typical issues include fixing a sagging floor, leveling a floor, fixing squeaky floors, or repairing water damage.

Sagging Floor Repair Cost

A sagging floor repair cost can range from $300 to $6,500, depending on the underlying issue. A floor might sag because of a damaged subfloor, rotting joists, or foundational issues. Common culprits for sagging floors include water damage, wood-eating insects, soil settlement, and undersized beams.

Each problem is progressively more expensive to repair:

• Damaged subfloor: $300–$2,500. A damaged subfloor is the easiest to repair. Water damage is typically the source of the sagging.

• Rotting joists: $1,000–$5,000. Because joists are beneath multiple layers of flooring, they are more expensive to repair. They are also structural, so expedient repair is crucial. Joists can rot because of water damage, insects, or dry rot.

• Foundational issues: $1,800–$6,500. Over time, the foundation of your home might shift or crack, which can lead to sagging floors. Another common culprit is poorly installed beams. Depending on the size of your home and the scope of the problem, this cost might climb to $20,000.

Cost to Level a Floor

The cost to level a floor can be as little as $50 if the problem is minimal and you’re confident with a little DIY repair work. However, for larger issues, you’ll likely pay $2 to $30 per square foot for a local flooring repair contractor.

• DIY floor leveling: $0.50–$1.50 per pound of self-leveler. A simple DIY project might only require a few pounds of self-leveler (a type of concrete underlayment that creates flat, smooth surfaces for flooring installation) to fix some floor areas with minor low spots.

• Professional floor leveling: $2–$30 per square foot (or more). Areas with poor structural support might require pros to sister joists, replace subfloors, and even install beams. Expect prices to vary. Sistering a joist (fastening a second joist to a damaged floor joist for reinforcement) can cost $100 to $300 per joist, but replacing subfloors can range from $500 to $700, and installing beams might cost up to $5,000.

Squeaky Floors

Fixing squeaky floors costs $200 to $1,000 or more. Repair costs are on the low end if it’s a single area that squeaks, but if your project requires fixing the underlayment of an entire room, expect to pay more. The price to fix squeaky floors also depends on accessibility; if a contractor can easily access the first floor (like from an unfinished basement), the cost will be lower than accessing the second floor from underneath.

If you attempt a DIY repair of a squeaky floor, you will need to be able to use screws, shims, or shank nails to penetrate the subfloor and hold the squeaking plank in place.

Water Damage

Repairing water-damaged hardwood floors can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500. If you need to replace large portions or the entirety of the floor, the price can double to $5,000 or more.

Watch for these signs of water-damaged wood floors:

• Buckling and crowning: $225–$3,000. While water is a likely culprit, a buckling floor may also happen because the original floor installation didn’t include an extension gap encircling the perimeter. Have a professional investigate and lead repairs. This process generally involves taking up the baseboards and removing flooring until you’ve located the problem area, removing buckled boards and installing replacements, then reinstalling the rest of the flooring. Small fixes might be as low as $225, but larger projects might cost up to $3,000.

• Warping: $225–$3,000. Like buckling floors, warping is a sign of improper installation or, more likely, water damage, either due to standing water or just heavy moisture below the surface of the floor. Repair work will take the same course as with buckled floors: A professional will need to remove the baseboards, pull up the flooring until they can access affected floorboards, replace them, and then reinstall everything. Again, this project can range from $225 to $3,000.

• Fading or discoloration: If water damage has changed the color of your wood (and no other damage was done), you can just buy and apply a stain to recolor the wood. This generally costs $1 to $3 per square foot of flooring.

Water can also damage bamboo, laminate, and vinyl flooring. Water-damaged floor repair costs for these materials can vary. For example, hardwood floor repairs can range from $5 to $25 per square foot, while repairing laminate floors is more affordable at $2 to $8 per square foot. Expect to pay $2 to $7 per square foot for vinyl floor repair, while bamboo floor repair goes from $5 to $25.

Costs to Repair Surface, Subfloor, and Joists

The cost to repair a floor varies by layer. From the top down, your floor consists of the surface, underlayment (sometimes), subfloor, and joists.

Surface

The cost to repair the surface of the floor ranges from $200 to $800 ($5 to $30 per square foot). Common reasons to repair floor surfaces include dents and scratches, water damage, and sagging and squeaking. The price will vary by surface type, including carpet, hardwood, vinyl, stone, and natural tile.

Subfloor

Subfloor repair costs can run from $500 to $700 ($2 to $10 per square foot). Repairing the subfloor for an entire room costs an average of $2,500. The subfloor typically consists of plywood or OSB (oriented strand board) and separates the flooring surface from the joists.

Note: Some floors may have an underlayment between the surface and subfloor. Underlayment repair costs $0.50 to $5 per square foot to install.

Joists

Floor joist repair costs can range from $300 to $5,000; sistering a single floor joist costs roughly $100 to $300.

However, if you have to replace floor joists for an entire level, the project can go as high as $30,000.

*Does not include the costs of opening the floor or ceiling and repairing them afterward.

Flooring Repair Costs by Floor Type

The type of flooring you are repairing or replacing has a tremendous impact on cost, with repair costs ranging from $130 to $2,300 and replacement costs going from $800 to $10,000 or more.

The table below breaks down repair and replacement costs based on five common flooring types: carpet, laminate, tile, vinyl, and hardwood. Costs will vary depending on the square footage of the room(s).

Carpet

Carpet repair costs $130 to $300 to address minor problems. If your carpet has undergone extensive damage from burns or flooding, you will likely need to have a contractor tear out and dispose of the old carpet and replace it. Installing new carpet costs $800 to $2,800.

Laminate

Repairing laminate flooring costs $340 to $1,600, but more often, especially when water damage is involved, you’ll need to replace damaged boards. If the damage is extensive, the entire room might need new laminate. Installing laminate floors costs $1,500 to $4,600.

Tile

Simple tile and grout repair costs $275 to $600. In rare cases of extreme damage (or if you need to rip out tile to repair the subfloor), you’ll need to budget for new tile floor installation costs, which start at $1,000 but can go as high as $3,000.

Vinyl

The cost to repair vinyl flooring runs from $300 to $1,850. If the vinyl has suffered serious burns or tears, you might need to pay a contractor for a complete replacement. Installing new vinyl floors costs $950 to $3,650.

Hardwood

Repairing hardwood floors costs $450 to $1,500, but after repairing, you will likely want to refinish the floors as well. Refinishing wood floors costs $1,100 to $2,500 for a project total of $1,550 to $4,000.

Alternatively, installing a new hardwood floor costs from $2,500 to $6,800; on the low end, a complete replacement may be more affordable.

Floor Repair vs. Replacement Costs

The average floor repair costs from $200 to $575, while new floor installation ranges from $1,500 to $4,650. Although floor repair costs are generally lower than replacement costs, this can vary depending on how much of the floor needs to be repaired or replaced and the type of flooring.

A good rule of thumb: If the estimated floor repair cost is more than half of the replacement cost, move forward with a replacement, as it will add more value to your home.

If you need to work on the subfloor or joists, you should factor in the cost of replacement flooring, as you may need to rip up the surface level to access the subfloor and joists.

Floor Repair Cost Factors

While the type of floor, the underlying problem, and floor level are the largest floor repair cost factors, you should also consider floor location and local labor costs.

Floor Repair Costs by Location

The room in your house can affect the overall price of floor repair. Rooms that are subject to more moisture (bathrooms and kitchens) may require more extensive repairs for water damage, while rooms like foyers and mudrooms will see more traffic with shoes on, which can necessitate more frequent (but minimal) repairs.

Labor Costs for Floor Installation

Flooring installers cost from $60 to $120 per hour. These labor costs can vary greatly depending on where your house is located. Find a few flooring repair contractors near you and compare quotes.

FAQs

Are sagging floors dangerous?

While sagging floors aren’t inherently dangerous, they do indicate a larger underlying problem that could become a danger to you and your family. Get your floors inspected if you notice sagging.

What causes a floor to sag?

Floors might sag for a few reasons, including:

• Foundation problems like the settling of the house.

• Improper framing of the house.

• Uneven or damaged subflooring due to water damage.

• Rot or insect damage causing joists to decay.

Should I repair my floor on my own or hire a professional?

Basic floor repair DIYs are doable if you have a basic grasp of home repairs. The easiest DIY repair to tackle is leveling a floor with a basic self-leveler. However, more complicated floor repair work, especially where joists are involved, should be left to the professionals. Many stores that sell flooring run deals that include free or discounted installation.

How much do basement floor crack repairs cost?

Repairing cracks in your basement costs $250 to $800. Larger problems in your foundation can bring the total cost up to $7,500.

How much does it cost to replace floor joists in a crawl space?

Replacing floor joists in a crawl space costs $100 to $300 per joist if the professional can easily access the joists. Individual joist repair costs can jump sharply (to $1,000 or more) if the joists are covered, insulated, or generally difficult to access.

How much do garage floor repairs cost?

Garage floor repair costs range from $300 to $500, on average.