Flooring Installation in KwaDukuza

Click-lock laminate and vinyl are realistic DIY projects if the subfloor is flat and rooms are simple rectangles. Glue-down vinyl, nail-down hardwood and tile are much less forgiving and usually worth paying for. Note that some manufacturers only honour warranties when a professional installs the product, and mistakes in prep are expensive to undo.

Waterproof materials: vinyl plank/tile, ceramic or porcelain tile, or specifically water-rated laminate. Standard laminate and solid wood swell when water gets into joints, so most installers will advise against them in wet rooms even if you like the look.

A single room in click-lock laminate or vinyl is typically done in a day. A whole apartment or house takes 2-5 days depending on area, furniture moving, and how much old flooring must come out. Add a day or more if the subfloor needs levelling compound, and 2-3 days of acclimatisation before wood products are laid.

Some do for a per-room fee, some expect empty rooms. Clarify before booking: who moves beds, wardrobes and appliances, and who disconnects things like washing machines. Emptying rooms yourself is one of the easiest ways to cut the labour bill.

Solid hardwood can usually be sanded and refinished 2-3 times over its life, at a fraction of replacement cost. Engineered wood can typically take one light sanding if the top layer is thick enough. Replace when boards are cupped or rotten from water damage, or the wear layer is too thin to sand.

It depends mostly on the material. Laminate and vinyl (LVP/LVT) are the cheapest to buy and fastest to fit; engineered wood costs roughly double; solid hardwood and premium tile cost the most. As a rule of thumb labour is 30-50% of the total, with materials, underlay, trims and subfloor prep making up the rest. Get quotes priced per square metre or square foot so you can compare like for like.

Installed laminate typically runs R250-R650 per m², vinyl plank R250-R700, and engineered wood R600-R1,500. Labour alone is commonly R80-R150 per m² for floating floors.

Vinyl plank handles moisture better and suits coastal humidity (Durban, Cape winter rain); laminate offers a harder surface at similar cost inland. Either way insist on a moisture barrier over slab floors — most local failures trace back to damp screed.