Engineered Timber Flooring Cost Perth 2026
Engineered timber flooring in Perth costs $94–$210/m² installed in 2026, with a breakdown of labour, extra costs and pricing examples.
Engineered Timber Flooring Cost in Perth: What You'll Pay per m² (2026)
Quick answer: In Perth in 2026, engineered timber flooring typically costs $94–$210 per m² supplied and installed, with most jobs around $145 per m². Entry-level boards with a thin oak layer sit at the bottom of that range. Wide Australian hardwood or European oak with a 4 mm+ wear layer sits at the top. Removal, levelling, skirting and stairs are extra.
"How much per square metre?" is the first thing most people ask us, and it's a fair question. The honest answer is a range, because engineered timber covers everything from a budget board with a veneer thinner than a credit card to premium wide-board oak built to be sanded three times.
This guide breaks the cost of engineered timber flooring into its parts: the boards, the labour, the prep and the finishing. By the end, you'll be able to read any Perth quote and see where the money goes. It's written by Nulook Timber Flooring, based on how engineered floors are priced across Perth.
Engineered Timber Flooring Cost at a Glance
| Low | Typical | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplied and installed, Perth (per m²) | $94 | $145 | $210 |
| Australian species, supply and install (per m², ex GST) | – | around $200–$212 | – |
| European oak, supply and install (per m², ex GST) | – | around $210–$220 | – |
| Designer / wide European oak (per m², ex GST) | – | around $220–$235 | – |
Sources: What's the Damage Perth flooring cost table and Timbex Perth pricing. Always check whether a quote includes GST.
The gap between $94 and $235 isn't padding. It's the difference between very different products.
What You're Paying For: Supply vs Labour
A quote for engineered timber has two main parts: the boards and the labour to lay them. National 2026 pricing from The Flooring Guys' engineered timber price guide splits it like this:
The boards (supply only)
| Tier | Typical board | Supply price per m² |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | About 2 mm oak top layer on HDF or thin ply, narrow planks (165–180 mm) | $80–$110 |
| Mid | About 3 mm European oak on multi-ply, 190–220 mm planks | $120–$170 |
| Premium | 4 mm+ top layer, wide planks (220 mm+), character grades, herringbone or Australian species | $180–$260 |
The labour
| Installation method | Labour per m² |
|---|---|
| Floating over underlay | $35–$55 |
| Glue-down (direct stick) to concrete | $55–$80 |
| Herringbone or chevron pattern | $90–$140 |
Put a mid-tier board together with glue-down labour and you get roughly $175–$250 per m². The typical Perth figure of $145 is lower because many jobs use entry-level boards or floating installs.
Six Things That Change the Price
1. Wear layer thickness
This is the one we'd look at first. The wear layer is the real timber on top. A 2 mm layer might take one light sand in its life. A 4–6 mm layer can be sanded two or three times, so the floor can outlast your kitchen, maybe your mortgage. Thicker wear layers cost more, but the floor can be refreshed with a sand and recoat instead of being replaced.
2. Species
European oak is the most common engineered timber worldwide, so it's competitively priced. Australian species like Blackbutt and Spotted Gum are popular in Perth and usually a little dearer as engineered boards. Our Blackbutt timber flooring guide compares the common Australian species.
3. Grade
Select grade (very clean, few knots or gum veins) costs the most. Character or feature grade (more knots, colour variation and natural marks) costs less. Plenty of Perth homeowners actually prefer the look of feature grade.
4. Board size
Wide, long boards look great in open-plan homes, but they use more premium timber and cost more per m². Standard 130–190 mm boards are the value choice.
5. Pattern
Herringbone and chevron use more cutting, more waste (often 10–15%) and much more labour. Expect to pay roughly 15–25% more for the boards and about double the labour.
6. Installation method
On a Perth concrete slab, glue-down is our usual recommendation for engineered timber. It costs more in adhesive and labour than floating, but it feels solid, sounds quiet and adds little height. Our guide to floating vs glue-down vs nail-down floors explains when each one makes sense.
The Extras: What Pushes the Total Up
The per-m² price is only part of the bill. These are the items that often get left off cheaper quotes:
| Extra | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Remove carpet or floating floor | $10–$15 per m² |
| Remove glued tiles, vinyl or timber | $35–$75 per m² |
| Concrete grinding | Around $150 per hour |
| Self-levelling compound | $25–$45 per m² where needed |
| Acoustic underlay (floating floors, apartments) | $6–$15 per m² |
| Skirting boards, supplied and installed | $12–$32 per linear metre |
| Enclosed stairs (treads and risers) | Around $280 per step (Perth) |
| Trims and transitions | $8–$20 per piece |
Tile removal and levelling are the two biggest swing factors. Nobody can price them accurately until they've seen your slab, which is why a proper on-site measure matters. See our installing timber flooring over concrete guide for what slab prep involves.
Buying Boards Yourself: Does It Save Money?
Some homeowners buy engineered boards online or from a warehouse sale, then look for someone to lay them. It can save a little on supply. It often costs more overall.
Here's why. Many installers charge more to lay customer-supplied boards, because they can't vouch for the product and they carry the risk if it fails. If the boards arrive with a defect, or the order falls short, the job stops while you sort it out. And if something goes wrong later, the supplier blames the installer and the installer blames the boards. Nobody owns the problem.
Supply-and-install from one business puts the product and the workmanship under one roof. The price you're quoted includes the right quantity, the waste allowance, the right adhesive and a warranty that covers both. If you do want to supply your own boards, ask the installer first which products they're happy to lay, and get the quantities checked on site before you order.
Worked Examples
Here's what engineered timber flooring costs on three typical Perth jobs. These are illustrations using the ranges above, not quotes.
Example 1: Carpet to engineered oak, 45 m² living and dining
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Carpet removal (45 m² × $10–$15) | $450–$675 |
| Mid-range engineered oak, glued (45 m² × $145–$200) | $6,525–$9,000 |
| Skirting (30 lm × $12–$32) | $360–$960 |
| Total | about $7,300–$10,600 |
Example 2: Tiles to Australian hardwood, 80 m² open plan
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Tile removal (80 m² × $35–$75) | $2,800–$6,000 |
| Grinding and levelling (half the area) | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Engineered Blackbutt, glued (80 m² × $200–$212) | $16,000–$16,960 |
| Skirting (55 lm × $12–$32) | $660–$1,760 |
| Total | about $21,000–$27,700 |
Example 3: Whole home, 120 m², plus 14 stairs
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Carpet and tile removal (mixed) | $2,500–$5,000 |
| Slab prep | $2,000–$4,000 |
| Engineered oak, glued (120 m² × $145–$220) | $17,400–$26,400 |
| Stairs (14 × around $280) | about $3,920 |
| Skirting (90 lm × $12–$32) | $1,080–$2,880 |
| Total | about $26,900–$42,200 |
Most of the homeowners we work with land somewhere between examples 1 and 2. A typical job starts from around $10,000.
Engineered vs Solid vs Hybrid: Cost Compared
| Floor type | Perth installed, per m² (typical) | Can it be sanded? | Rough lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid | $58–$125 ($84) | No | 15–25 years |
| Engineered timber | $94–$210 ($145) | Yes, 1–3 times | 25–40+ years |
| Solid hardwood | $125–$295 ($190) | Yes, many times | 50+ years |
Engineered sits in the middle. It gives you real timber and the option to sand it back, at a lower price than solid. That's why it's the most common floor we lay in Perth homes on slabs. If you're torn, our engineered vs hybrid flooring comparison goes deeper, and our hybrid flooring cost guide prices the budget option.
Cost Over Time: Cheap Boards vs Better Boards
Sticker price isn't the whole story. Take two floors for the same 60 m² living area, and look at them over 40 years:
| Budget engineered | Mid-range engineered | |
|---|---|---|
| Installed price | $110 per m² = $6,600 | $165 per m² = $9,900 |
| Wear layer | 2 mm | 4 mm |
| What happens by year 40 | Replaced once, around year 20 (new floor plus removal, roughly $7,500 at today's prices) | Sanded and recoated twice, around years 15 and 30 (roughly $2,800 each at $47 per m²) |
| Rough 40-year total | about $14,100 | about $15,500 |
The totals end up closer than the price tags suggest. The better board costs a little more over four decades, but you get a nicer floor from day one and one full resand instead of a tear-out, with the dust, disruption and week of living around a building site that comes with it.
If you're selling in three years, none of this matters much, and a budget board or hybrid may be the smarter buy. If this is your long-term home, the thicker wear layer is usually worth it.
Where Your Money Goes on a Typical Job
People are often surprised by how the bill splits. On a typical Perth job where tiles come up and the slab needs some work, it looks roughly like this:
- Boards: about 45–55% of the total
- Laying labour and adhesive: about 20–25%
- Strip-out and disposal: about 10–20%
- Slab grinding and levelling: about 5–15%
- Skirting, trims and stairs: about 5–10%
So when two quotes are $4,000 apart, the difference is often in the prep and strip-out lines, not the boards. That's where cheaper quotes cut corners, and where the "subject to site conditions" surprises tend to come from. Ask every installer to show those lines separately.
GST, Deposits and Payment
Check whether each quote includes GST. A $145 per m² price ex GST is $159.50 inc GST, which adds up on 100 m².
For many home building contracts between $7,500 and $500,000, WA's Home Building Contracts Act requires a written contract and caps the deposit at 6.5%. Check with Consumer Protection WA whether it applies to your job, and be wary of anyone asking for a large deposit up front. Our guide on how to choose a timber flooring installer in Perth lists the other questions worth asking.
Does Engineered Timber Add Value to a Home?
It's hard to put an exact dollar figure on it, and anyone who does is guessing. But "timber floors" is one of the features Perth agents list near the top of an ad, and buyers notice real timber when they walk through. Tired carpet or dated tiles often end up on a buyer's list of things to replace, which pushes offers down. So even if a new floor doesn't add its full cost to the sale price, it usually makes the home easier to sell.
How to Keep the Cost Down Without Cutting Corners
- Choose feature or character grade. Same timber, lower price, more natural look.
- Stick to standard board widths. Wide boards are lovely but add cost fast.
- Do all the rooms at once. Setup, grinding and delivery costs spread over more area.
- Remove carpet yourself if you're handy. Leave tiles to professionals.
- Don't skip slab prep. It's the one saving that costs more later.
Get a Fixed Quote
Price guides get you in the ballpark. Your actual cost depends on your slab, your layout and the board you choose. Nulook Timber Flooring provides a free on-site measure with a moisture check, then a fixed written quote itemising materials, prep and labour. See our engineered timber flooring service, then request your free quote or call 0405 821 884.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does engineered timber flooring cost per square metre in Perth?
In 2026, engineered timber flooring in Perth typically costs $94 to $210 per square metre supplied and installed, with most jobs around $145. Premium European oak and Australian species can reach about $235 per square metre.
How much does it cost to install engineered timber flooring?
Installation labour alone typically runs $35 to $55 per square metre for floating floors and $55 to $80 for glue-down on concrete. Herringbone patterns cost about $90 to $140 per square metre to lay.
Why is engineered timber flooring so expensive?
Engineered timber has a real hardwood top layer bonded to a multi-ply core, which takes more material and manufacturing than laminate or hybrid. Price rises with wear layer thickness, species, grade and board width.
Is engineered timber cheaper than solid timber?
Usually, yes. Installed engineered timber in Perth typically costs around $145 per square metre, while solid hardwood typically costs around $190. Engineered also needs less on-site finishing.
Is engineered timber worth the extra cost over hybrid?
For homes you plan to keep, often yes. Engineered timber is real timber, can be sanded back and adds resale appeal. Hybrid is cheaper and waterproof but can't be refinished and usually needs replacing sooner.
What extra costs should I expect with engineered timber flooring?
Common extras include removing old flooring ($10 to $75 per square metre), slab grinding and levelling, skirting ($12 to $32 per linear metre), stairs (around $280 per step) and trims.
Does the wear layer affect engineered timber flooring price?
Yes. A thicker wear layer costs more but allows the floor to be sanded more times. A 4 to 6 mm layer can often be sanded two or three times, extending the life of the floor.
How much does engineered timber flooring cost for a 3 bedroom house?
For about 100 square metres, expect roughly $14,500 to $21,000 for supply and installation at typical Perth prices, before removal, slab preparation, skirting and stairs.
Is herringbone engineered flooring more expensive?
Yes. Herringbone boards usually cost 15 to 25 percent more than straight planks, and labour is roughly double because every piece is cut and fitted in a pattern.
How do I get an accurate engineered timber flooring quote in Perth?
Book an on-site measure. Accurate pricing needs exact room sizes, a check of the existing floor and a slab moisture test. Nulook Timber Flooring provides this free, with a fixed written quote.