Tiling, floors and decorating
Kitchen flooring
Kitchen flooring is the floor finish laid across the kitchen, and the preparation underneath that makes it last. Common choices are luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or sheet vinyl, porcelain or ceramic tiles, and engineered wood. The job covers checking and levelling the subfloor, testing screeds for moisture, fitting any underlay, laying the floor around or under the units, and finishing doorways with suitable trims.
When do you need kitchen flooring?
A kitchen floor takes more punishment than most: spills, dropped pans, chair legs and appliances pulled out for cleaning. People usually replace it alongside a new kitchen, because the old floor rarely suits the new layout, or on its own when vinyl has lifted, tiles have cracked or boards have swollen near the sink. Many floor problems start with the base underneath, which is why preparation takes as much care as laying the finish.
We start with a free survey visit to see what the floor is made of, check it for level and, on concrete or screed, test for moisture. We then agree whether the floor goes down before or after the units, following the flooring maker's instructions, and price any levelling or plywood overlay as a separate line. On site, the base is prepared, the floor laid and trimmed at doorways, and skirting or plinths refitted.
What is included?
- Free survey visit to check the subfloor, measure up and give an itemised quote
- Old coverings lifted and removed, with pre-2000 floor tiles checked for asbestos first
- Moisture checks on concrete floors and screeds before any floor finish is laid
- Levelling compound or a plywood overlay to give a flat, firm base
- LVT, sheet vinyl, porcelain or ceramic tiles, or engineered wood laid to suit the room
- Flooring run under appliance spaces so machines can be pulled out for servicing
- Underlay suited to the floor finish, the subfloor and any underfloor heating
- Threshold trims at doorways, with skirting, plinths and kickboards refitted
How much does kitchen flooring cost?
These are national guide prices including VAT at 20%. Prices are higher in London and the South East and lower in much of the North, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose your area below for a local range.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| LVT or vinyl, kitchen floorPreparation, underlay where needed and trims | £500–£1,500 |
| Porcelain or ceramic tiles, kitchen floorPreparation, adhesive, grout and trims | £900–£2,000 |
| Floor levelling or new plywood baseSo the floor finish and units sit flat | £300–£900 |
Guide prices are for a typical-sized kitchen floor, including preparation, adhesive or underlay and trims; the material you choose, open-plan floor areas and any levelling or plywood base are confirmed at the survey. Your price is confirmed after a free survey visit.
How long does it take?
Typical timescale: 1 to 2 days, plus curing time for any levelling. The programme for your kitchen is set out in the quote, and depends on the size of the room, what is moving, lead times for units and worktops and, after plastering, drying time.
Do you need permission or building regulations approval?
The rules differ across the UK. Choose your nation:
A new kitchen floor in England needs no planning permission or building regulations approval. In a flat, check the lease first: leases often require a sound-reducing underlay, or forbid hard floors without the freeholder's consent. If electric underfloor heating goes under the new floor on a new circuit, that circuit is notifiable under Part P. In a listed building, removing historic floors may need listed building consent.
In Wales, laying a kitchen floor needs no planning permission or building regulations approval. Leases on flats often require a sound-reducing underlay or forbid hard floors without the freeholder's consent, so check yours. If electric underfloor heating is being wired in, remember that Part P in Wales makes extending a circuit within a kitchen notifiable, as well as adding a new one. Listed buildings may need consent before historic floors are lifted.
In Scotland, replacing a kitchen floor finish does not need a building warrant or planning permission. If you own a flat, check your title deeds and any deed of conditions, which may set rules on floor coverings or sound insulation; tenants should check their tenancy agreement. Electric underfloor heating must meet the building standards and BS 7671, so ask the electrician for a certificate. Listed buildings may need consent before original floors are removed.
In Northern Ireland, a new kitchen floor needs no planning permission or building control application. Leasehold flats often have lease terms on hard floors or sound-reducing underlay, so check before choosing tiles or wood. Domestic electrical work, such as electric underfloor heating, does not have to be notified but should be installed and tested to BS 7671 and certified. In a listed building, ask the council before lifting historic floors.
What should you think about before starting?
- Decide early whether the floor runs under the units or stops at the plinths; it affects ordering quantities, plinth heights and how the kitchen is fitted.
- Floating floors such as click LVT or engineered boards should not be trapped under heavy fixed units or an island; follow the flooring maker's instructions.
- Engineered wood can suffer near sinks and dishwashers, where leaks and standing water are most likely, so it may be less suited than LVT or tiles.
- New screeds hold a lot of water and must be dry enough before most floors go down, so allow time and ask for a moisture reading.
- Check the finished floor height at doorways, especially with tiles over a plywood overlay, so doors still swing and thresholds do not create a trip.
- With underfloor heating, choose a floor finish, adhesive and underlay rated for it, and follow the makers' guidance on bringing the heating up to temperature.
How does the project run?
- Guide price. Use the online guide-price tool or call us for a realistic range for your area
- Free survey visit. We measure the room, check walls, floors and service positions, and look at the plan or delivery
- Itemised written quote. Broken down by stage and trade, with any worktop templating, engineer or approval costs listed
- Fitting in the right order. Strip-out, first fix, units, worktops, second fix and finishing, with the trades booked in sequence
- Final check and handover. A walk-round together, certificates for electrics and gas, and the manufacturers' documents
Questions about kitchen flooring
How much does kitchen flooring cost?
LVT or vinyl for a typical kitchen floor usually costs £500 to £1,500 including VAT, before regional adjustment, with preparation, underlay where needed and trims. Porcelain or ceramic tiles are around £900 to £2,000. If the subfloor needs levelling compound or a new plywood base, allow £300 to £900 on top. Your price is confirmed after a survey visit.
Should kitchen flooring go down before or after the units?
It depends on the floor. Tiles are often laid first, or at least run under the appliance spaces, so a dishwasher or fridge can be pulled out without catching on the edge. Floating floors such as click LVT or engineered boards usually go down after the units, up to the plinth line, so they are not trapped under heavy fixed cabinets. We follow the flooring maker's instructions.
Is engineered wood a good choice for a kitchen floor?
It can be, but it needs more care than LVT or tiles. Engineered wood can swell or stain if water sits on it, so it is less suited to the areas around a sink or dishwasher, where leaks are most likely. If you choose it, pick a board the maker approves for kitchens, wipe spills promptly and keep the finish maintained.
Does my kitchen floor need levelling before new flooring?
Often, yes. Thin floors such as LVT and sheet vinyl show every dip and ridge underneath, and tiles can crack if the base flexes or is uneven. Concrete floors are usually smoothed with a levelling compound, while timber floorboards are normally overlaid with plywood screwed down at close centres. We check the floor at the survey and price any preparation as its own line.
Can I have a hard floor in my flat's kitchen?
Usually, but check your lease first. Leases often require a sound-reducing underlay under hard floors, or say that tiles, wood or LVT can only be laid with the freeholder's written consent, to protect neighbours below from impact noise. In Scotland, check your title deeds and any deed of conditions. If the wording is unclear, ask your managing agent before you order flooring.
How long does it take to lay a kitchen floor?
Most kitchen floors take one to two days to lay once the base is ready. Add curing time if a levelling compound is used, which depends on the product and its thickness, and allow much longer for a new screed, which must be dry enough before most floors go down. Tiled floors also need the adhesive and grout to set before heavy use.
Related guides
Related kitchen services
Where do we carry out kitchen flooring?
We take on kitchen flooring across England, Wales, mainland Scotland and Northern Ireland. Choose your area for local guide prices and the rules that apply there.
England
- Bedfordshire
- Berkshire
- Bristol
- Buckinghamshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Cheshire
- Cornwall
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Devon
- Dorset
- County Durham
- the East Riding of Yorkshire
- East Sussex
- Essex
- Gloucestershire
- Greater London
- Greater Manchester
- Hampshire
- Herefordshire
- Hertfordshire
- the Isle of Wight
- Kent
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northamptonshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Oxfordshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- Somerset
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Surrey
- Tyne and Wear
- Warwickshire
- the West Midlands
- West Sussex
- West Yorkshire
- Wiltshire
- Worcestershire