Installed price by material
Flooring is priced installed, by the square foot, with materials and labor together. In San Diego in 2026, solid hardwood runs about $8 to $18 per square foot installed; oak sits in the lower half and walnut or exotic species push toward $20 and above. Engineered hardwood covers a similar $8 to $18. Luxury vinyl plank installs for about $5 to $12, porcelain or ceramic tile for about $8 to $20, and laminate for roughly $3 to $14.
Labor alone is typically $4 to $8 per square foot in San Diego, higher in coastal neighborhoods with difficult parking and access. These are market ranges from San Diego and Southern California guides; Tidal Flooring confirms your price in a written estimate after measuring the house.
Why the same wood costs more in one house than another
Two houses can choose the same plank and get different numbers. The difference is almost always under the floor.
- ◆Subfloor leveling or repair adds about $2 to $5 per square foot; replacing a damaged subfloor can be $5 to $10.
- ◆Removing and disposing of the old floor runs about $1.50 to $5 per square foot; tile removal is at the top of that range.
- ◆Slab foundations, common in San Diego, usually mean engineered wood or a glue-down system rather than nailed solid planks.
- ◆Thicker 3/4-inch solid stock, wide planks, herringbone or chevron patterns, and borders add labor.
Solid or engineered in San Diego
Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished several times over its life and is the usual choice over a wood subfloor. Engineered hardwood is a real wood wear layer over a stable core; it handles concrete slabs and coastal humidity swings better and can still be refinished once or twice depending on the wear layer. Tidal Flooring recommends by subfloor, moisture readings and how long you plan to keep the house, not by a rule.
Stairs, baseboards and furniture
Stairs are priced per tread, not per square foot, and a staircase can be a meaningful line on a quote. Baseboards are either removed and reinstalled or replaced with new material by the linear foot. Furniture moving is sometimes included and sometimes an hourly or per-room charge; ask so the two quotes you compare include the same things.
How to compare flooring quotes
A complete hardwood estimate names the product (species, grade, width, thickness, finish), the installation method (nail, glue or float), the moisture test and acclimation plan, the subfloor prep, the transitions and baseboards, the stairs, removal and disposal, and the waste factor. California requires the contract to describe the significant materials by name. Tidal Flooring works under CSLB C-15 #1002910 and installs hardwood, engineered wood, luxury vinyl plank and tile across San Diego County.