Tips / Advice for Cost-Effective Hard Flooring

zfind on 09/05/2025 - 20:48

Hi team,

A recent confirmation of dust / dust mite allergy has me teetering on finally replacing the carpet in my apartment with hard flooring. I got some quotes a while back and they were more than I want to spend (lowest $8k for three rooms).

Given I’m pretty handy I’d be keen to do it myself but I haven’t done a lot of home DIY. I’m confident I can get it done, but wanted to ask for tips from anyone who’s done it on how to do it efficiently and be smart on the costs. Particularly on sourcing the flooring - is there any better way than just buying from a retailer?

Thanks in advance.

Home & Garden Flooring

Comments

  • McMaferMur on 09/05/2025 - 21:08
    +1

    there are probably 50 different type of the flooring. so its all about your budget and choose the materials that suits.
    the labour cost probably almost the same. you can always ask for separate quote, material and labour. and then get another or two other quotes, and you can compare.
    but different installer probably cant supply exact same type of floor.
    and some installer probably get access to wholesale price - we dont know that.

    not like just buying iphone where is the cheapest shop then off we go and buy, happy ending. no.
    this is one of the difficult thing to compare. unless you buy your own material and just get them to quote the labour and bargain on that. but then are you happy with $500 in saving but the end result is not good? what would you do.. sue the installer, or refuse to pay and fight them on the court for 6 months spending extra $5,000 for the lawyer?

  • Muppet Detector on 09/05/2025 - 21:25
    +1

    Saw some kind of polished concrete being used indoors in one of those home Reno shows - maybe the block?

    • zfind on 09/05/2025 - 21:27
      +1

      I love polished concrete, or even bare slab. But I’m in an apartment and the downstairs neighbours would die of noise pollution. So has to be some sort of hard floor system with approved underlay.

      • Muppet Detector on 09/05/2025 - 21:30
        +2

        No worries. Just first thing I thought of when you said "hard flooring". Figured that was probably as hard as you could get.

        Don't multi story hotels have cement between their levels? Must have some sort of noise protection?

        • zfind on 09/05/2025 - 22:01

          They’re probably built with that design in mind and yeah likely have some sort of waffling or other noise barrier between floors. The neighbours above me had hard floors with no underlay and I could hear their steps easily, it was terrible (strata had them remove it).

        • freefall101 on 09/05/2025 - 23:34

          Hotels need to worry about their ongoing income. If the hotel has terrible noise protection, it'll hurt their business.

          Developers only need to worry about it looking good enough to flog it off to the first poor sod that comes along. Thus apartment buildings are built nowhere near as well as hotels.

  • dtc on 09/05/2025 - 21:35

    Floating floorboards with a ‘click system’ are the easiest to install, but they can be literally floating above the base if you don’t do it right, uneven and clicky when you walk over them. However much easier than a fixed system (not sure a fixed system works in an apartment anyway). Need to leave the right gaps for expansion

    After that the pricing difference is just the quality - laminate /plastic at one end and full hardwood timber at the other. In the middle is hybrid, engineered and bamboo. No tips on buying cheap, just the usual

    With an apartment you will need to comply with acoustic requirement with an under lay

    • zfind on 09/05/2025 - 21:59

      Thanks for this - I did research the various systems back when I started but have forgotten it all now.

      One unknown variable is levelling - I have no idea if I’ll find a level or wobbly slab when I pull the carpet up, I really don’t want to have to chemically level.

    • ForkSnorter on 10/05/2025 - 05:25

      With an apartment you will need to comply with acoustic requirement with an under lay

      Unfortunately the underlays don’t work. I lived under a guy who put in timber flooring with soundproofing underlay. If he dropped a 5 cent coin on the floor, I could hear it anywhere in my apartment. In addition to his heavy footsteps.

      • dtc on 10/05/2025 - 10:37
        +1

        It can work - I have lived in Asia/the tropics where everyone is in an apartment and no one has carpet and, sure, you can hear people if they are tap dancing (of course in most Asian houses you don’t wear shoes inside so that is a factor), but you don’t hear things dropping or the usual day to day stuff. Cue ‘Australian build quality sucks’ but it really does - even if the actual build is totally fine (the bricks are put together properly and the floor is laid properly etc), the underlying design decisions taken are just way behind many overseas places - floors too thin, walls not properly sound proofed, windows not double glazed. Then again build prices are already way too high so not sure what the solution is.

  • jigy on 09/05/2025 - 21:38
    +2

    I did half of my house (two lounges, 2 rooms) about 2 years ago and it costed just over $3k in materials, including buying a pile of tools that I didn't think about until I watched several YT videos. I put in hybrid flooring. Wood look and hard wearing, easy to install once you practice for a bit and work out the best pattern to minimise wastage. There's plenty of YT videos about this.
    Laying it was easy. Installing the scotia and the transition trims were the hardest part. I opted to glue the scotia onto the edge. That worked ok although most pros will nail gun the sucker into the wall (I don't have a professional nail gun!).
    I live in Perth. There was a LOT of variance between retailers but I found a smallish retailer that provided everything I needed and I bought almost everything through her and saved a packet. I suspect the retailers are a lot like the bedding retailers - lots of markups happening unless you can sniff out a good honest one.

    • zfind on 09/05/2025 - 22:00
      +1

      Quite a good outcome! I’m in Perth too, if you feel alright sharing the name of the seller I’d be keen to know here or in PM.

      I’ll get to YouTube and start rewatching.

    • 2025 on 09/05/2025 - 23:01
      +1

      tips from anyone who’s done it on how to do it efficiently and be smart on the costs. Particularly on sourcing the flooring - is there any better way than just buying from a retailer?

      Patience, and fewer, or ultimately zero trips to Bunnings. And if you do need to go there, walk out with exactly what you came to get and nothing more. Remember, you’re only there to get that heavily discounted circular saw that OzBargain’s awesome subscription & notification feature told you about that morning. That bag of microfibre towels, tempting you from across the checkout isle, wasn’t on your list, so leave it there you’ve got enough at home already.

      including buying a pile of tools that I didn't think about until I watched several YT videos.

      ^ @jigy knows

      At the risk of telling you things you already know, the main thing I’ve learnt about reducing costs with DIY, besides materials, is around tools. You don’t want to rush out to buy a crucial tool you forgot to pre purchase, half way through a job, at full RRP with no alternatives, so that you can finish it in time for dinner. Another part that significantly affects costs are brands, capabilities, features etc. Once you know what type of tools you need, you can decide if you want it to last forever with a Festool or something, last for a good number of jobbies with Bosch Blue, or last for the one project with Ryobi kind of thing. 1

      Once you have a list, if time is on your side and the allergies are being nice to you, you will be able to shop around, check the pricing at a few shops every now and then, setup a few subscriptions in OzBargain and grab things when they’re discounted. Happy times.

      1. Brands mentioned are an example, the information provided is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered personalised purchasing advice. May contain traces of nuts, fish and milk. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. ↩

      • Downvoter on 10/05/2025 - 04:12
        -3

        Yeah Ryobi tools last for one project before they’re binned. What are you on?

        • mskeggs on 10/05/2025 - 09:47
          +2

          So they are substantially worse than ALDI or Ozito?Hard to believe. OP is putting down 3 rooms of floating floor. If any tool wasn't still in brand new condition after a weekend of such light use it should be branded fisher price.
          I suppose if you are banging in nails with the butt of the driver or using the saw blade as a pry bar you could ruin a tool with 2 days of DIY, but that is more about user abuse.

        • Euphemistic on 10/05/2025 - 10:05
          +1

          Yeah. Ryobi isnt brilliant, but ive given mine a real hard time for years and barely had any problems.

        • 2025 on 10/05/2025 - 10:29
          -2

          The disclaimer was there to try to prevent any action from the Ryobi Defence Force. Was the writing too small? Did you miss it? I knew there would be butt hurt ryobi fanbois.

          They last one project because you realise they are shit, underpowered built to a certain price and an ugly colour, and throw them out. They might still look like new.

          What’s the point of keeping cheap tools in an apartment where space is already limited? Ryobi circular saw is $79 dollars, and not everyone is privileged with a shed and plenty of storage.

          What’s so bad with the idea of buying cheap tools specifically for a job then getting rid of them? They’re not an heirloom.

          • Downvoter on 10/05/2025 - 12:26
            -1

            @2025: Why would you get rid of a tool if it’s fit for purpose and still functioning. Is this standard sized text too difficult to comprehend?

            • 2025 on 10/05/2025 - 12:37
              -1

              @Downvoter: Because not everyone has space? There’s often no point in hoarding a cheap thing that you’re not going to use again for the foreseeable future.

              If you’re happy hoarding everything you’ve ever purchased so be it, all I’m saying is at the price point of cheaper tools, for some people, they truly are one hit wonders. Why would I want to keep a hydraulic jack when my car is under warranty etc.

              Some people clean and keep paint rollers when they’re done. Other people bin them at the end of the job.

              Is it really that hard to understand that if you’re going to use a tool once in your life for a specific project, perhaps the “value” end of the market is the way to go?

              Would you keep a lawnmower if you had no grass? I wouldn’t.

              While I’m sure Ryobi appreciate your defending their honour and name, I made no representations about their quality on my original comment. Surely there are better things to get defensive about, DV, human rights, education all deserve more champions for their cause than Ryobi.

              • Downvoter on 10/05/2025 - 13:31
                -1

                @2025: Your ridiculous examples and straw man argument isn’t worth more than a paragraph response.

                • 2025 on 10/05/2025 - 13:34
                  -2

                  @Downvoter: But it was worth that, eh?

                  It’s ok if you don’t understand, maybe you grew up in a privileged household with 10000 m2 of shed space and keep every happy meal toy your mum bought you. Not everyone has that luxury.

                  I realised you might have difficulty understanding when your opening argument was sarcasm mixed with a question about drug use, not a particularly strong foundation, but it was yours nonetheless.

                  Do you wash and keep plastic cutlery after a BBQ? After all, they are a cheap tool, and usually purchased for a specific event, but I get that vibe from you.

                  Perhaps an example or two with other tools might help you understand?

                  I needed spring compressors once, a long time ago. I didn’t go and buy Snap-On, because I knew I’d use them once in my life. I didn’t want to store them forever and make my family eventually have to bin them when dealing with my estate. So I got cheapies and gave them away when I was done. Being cheap to purchase meant that they were not valuable to me.

                  Using a more direct example to OPs situation, let’s assume it already has some tired looking floorboards, I would not buy a top of the line floor sander and keep it in my shed for next time, there simply won’t be a next time. On the other hand, if it turns out I’m sanding floors forever, then it’s worth the investment.

                  You haven’t presented any points to counter my argument about buying cheap tools for a once off job. I was expecting maybe the environmental impact would be brought up, and I would’ve suggested donation or marketplace. Instead, you asked a question that I’d already answered in the reply before it, and resorted to commenting on the quality of the post instead of addressing my points. So I’m genuinely curious and would like to hear about your point of view.

  • hawthornandrew on 10/05/2025 - 07:39

    I have just looked at hard flooring for my property and found it cannot be done because of levelling.

    Before you consider any flooring to replace carpet check that it can be done. It depends on what is underneath the carpet. A lot of floors are not level and it is too expensive to level the floor.

    • zfind on 10/05/2025 - 09:06

      Can you check it without lifting up the carpet?

      Many apartments in my complex have had it done, one even in a day start to finish so I’m pretty sure they didn’t level. It’s poured slab.

      • mskeggs on 10/05/2025 - 09:49

        Pull up the corner of the carpet for a couple of metres in an unobtrusive place and you will get a handle on what you are dealing with and you can put it back down almost invisibly till you are ready to work.

      • hawthornandrew on 11/05/2025 - 16:40

        No, I had to lift the carpet.
        After getting several opinions I had it relayed.
        It cost me a bit of money but I am glad I now know the options available to me.

  • Masher84 on 10/05/2025 - 07:55

    We laid Karndean vinyl tiles over both old mosaic tiles and old floorboards about 10 years ago. Still look great today. No adhesive, just plonk them down. Cut with a Stanley knife though an angle grinder is easier. Exy, but well worth it.

    • zfind on 10/05/2025 - 09:07

      Did you get any offgassing from them being vinyl?

  • tenpercent on 10/05/2025 - 09:02

    A recent confirmation of dust / dust mite allergy has me teetering on finally replacing the carpet in my apartment with hard flooring.

    Have you got air purifiers with HEPA filters in your place? At least one dedicated air purifier in your bedroom and another for living spaces? Does your vacuum have a HEPA filter and do vacuum frequently (you will still need to with hard flooring)? Do you take shoes off at the front door and ask guests to do the same?

    • zfind on 10/05/2025 - 09:09

      No to all but the shoes one (I’m not a savage!). I only got told I’m allergic a few days again and I’m pretty surprised being I’ve never been allergic to anything at all before this.

      My doctor did suggest the same and it is possible to go that route, I concede. But I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I do like a project.

      Edit: I vacuum the whole place maybe once a week with spot vacuuming in between, but it’s just a stick vac so not that effective.

      • tenpercent on 10/05/2025 - 09:18

        I only got told I’m allergic a few days again and I’m pretty surprised being I’ve never been allergic to anything at all before this.

        I know a guy who only found out he is allergic to cats when he was 20 something and he had a cat when he was a kid. It doesn't affect him though because he doesn't have cats.

        Point being if its not affecting you very much and you don't experience many symptoms you may not have to go to that extent to improve your quality of life. Even if you get hard flooring you would still probably need to go for an air purifier and HEPA filter vacuum because you'll still get dust. The hard flooring will just make the vacuuming more efficient and provide less habitat for dust mites.

  • Masher84 on 10/05/2025 - 09:18

    No offgassing that we noticed but both of us have been pretty lucky in the allergy dept.

  • Cluster on 10/05/2025 - 09:22

    My entire house was tiled when I built it, and I have no regrets. Over a decade later the tiles look brand new. Superior wear and tear handling to any wooden floor. However tiles are heavy, so you need to be aware of any floor load requirements in an apartment.

    • dtc on 10/05/2025 - 10:40

      Although tiles look terrible in living space and ridiculous in a bedroom, so there is that trade off

  • Euphemistic on 10/05/2025 - 10:18

    I put bamboo floating flooring through the living areas in our last house. Straight over horrid tiles - with underlay. Fairly straight forward. Clicked together. I took the skirting boards off and replaced them higher so the expansion gap could be under the skirting rather than adding extra beading. Cutting the bottom off the door jams wasn't essential, but it wasn't difficult so I did that too.

    DIY is certainly feasible. Ryobi power tools and a sharp hand saw and other various hand tools.

    If you aren't sure about DIY, check out some videos online to see what is needed. Will give you a better idea whether you think you can do it or not.

  • GOCAT9 on 10/05/2025 - 16:13

    I went through the same thought process about 2 years ago. I did my entire bottom floor of a two storey house. House was built on a concrete slab, so quite flat. It does not have to be level, just flat!

    I'd definitely go for HYBRID planks as they are waterproof and you can install in ALL rooms, including kitchen and bathroom to get a great continuous look throughout the house.

    I had never done it before, so I watched a sh*t load of YouTube videos oh now to do it. Took me maybe 10 times longer than a 'pro', but got a better result than a 'pro'. It is absolutely perfect! cheers

  • lainey13 on 12/05/2025 - 13:58

    Aren't dust mites worse in the mattress? Have you thought about what you're going to do with your bed situation? I also have severe dust mite allergy so I take an antihistamine every few days or I get itchy skin. I do have carpets in the upstairs but I do NOT want to get rid of them.

    • zfind on 12/05/2025 - 14:52

      I’m not sure on that one, though I’ve (by chance) got a brand new mattress so hopefully that limits it somewhat. I’m also on Dymista to call my nose down and it’s worked very well.

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