How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Subfloor?

The structural integrity of your home is dependent on numerous elements working together. For instance, the finished flooring you see all the time is just one element of a complete system. That system is also typically made up of joists, underlayment, and your subflooring.

The subflooring is the layer often positioned over the joists and it is tasked with supporting and distributing the weight from above. You need it to be structurally sound or else it won’t provide the type of support you need. Over time, the subfloor you currently have may also need to be replaced and that will necessitate a significant investment on your part.

On average, the cost of replacing a subfloor is $4.25 per square foot. Commonly used materials for subfloors include concrete, plywood, and OSB and they cost approximately $6, $2, and $3 per square foot respectively. The cost of labor for subfloor replacement is right around $35 per hour. Expect to pay $28-$30 an hour if you need the old subfloor removed too.

Replacing an old and damaged subfloor is a necessity instead of an option. If that part of your home is damaged, you must get it replaced as soon as possible. Read on to gain more insight into the cost of replacing a subfloor.

When you approach a contractor about replacing your subfloor, make sure to ask about their square footage rate. That’s the number you need to gauge how much the project will ultimately cost. The average cost of subfloor replacement comes out to about $4.25 per square foot.

Do not be surprised if you receive a higher rate from the contractor you’re speaking to. Some will present a rate closer to $7 per square foot.

Try to shop around if you don’t like the numbers you’re getting. They are rare, but some contractors will offer a rate of around $1.50. That will likely be the cheapest rate you’ll be able to find for subfloor replacement.

Replacing your entire subfloor is an option, but you don’t have to do that. You can focus on just some segments of your subfloor that are badly damaged.

Note that the numbers we’ve mentioned so far only account for the cost of materials. We’re not including the cost of labor and the impact of other important factors just yet. We will get to those a bit later in the article.

First off, let’s discuss concrete as a potential material option for your subflooring. It’s one of the most expensive materials you can use for this particular application. You will have to pay around $6 per square foot if you want to use concrete.

The beauty of concrete, when used for subflooring, is its durability. Concrete is among the strongest materials you can use and you can expect it to last for a long time.

Using concrete is also a good idea because it’s a smooth material. It’s easier to keep your finished flooring even with concrete providing support underneath.

If you want to use something affordable for your subflooring, you should consider plywood. At around $2 per square foot, plywood is probably the cheapest material you will be able to use for subflooring.

Plywood won’t wow you with its durability, but it’s strong enough to last for a while. Just make sure that the plywood is installed properly so you can maximize its durability.

Ask the contractor how much they’ll charge if you want to use plywood. They may offer you a lower rate since plywood is easier to install compared to other subflooring materials.

OSB stands for oriented strand-board and it’s the next material option you can use as subflooring. OSB is another cheap subflooring material as it only costs about $3 per square foot.

For those who may be unaware, OSB is made by pressing and gluing pieces of wood together. That process produces a solid slate that can work well for subflooring purposes.

OSB functions similarly to plywood. If you used plywood as subflooring before and liked it, chances are you will be okay with OSB too.

To round out our list of subflooring options, let’s take a closer look at Warmboard. Warmboard is also the most expensive option we’re highlighting in this article as it costs close to $7 per square foot.

Notably, Warmboard is pretty limited in terms of application. Optimizing Warmboard means it must be used with radiant heat hydronic systems. It may not be an option you can use in your household.

Still, there are real reasons to like Warmboard. The durability and radiant heating provided by Warmboard are highly coveted qualities that people want to see in their subflooring.

Related Questions

How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Subfloor?

Labor costs for subfloor repair often end up around $28 per hour. It’s common for homeowners to spend around $400 on subfloor repairs especially if the problem is related to water damage or pests.

Is Replacing the Subfloor in the Basement Expensive?

Yes, replacing the subfloor in your basement is very expensive. It’s the part of your home where subfloor replacement costs the most. Homeowners routinely spend around $4,000 to replace basement subfloors.

How Much Does Replacing the Subfloor of a Mobile Home Cost?

Replacing the subfloor for a mobile home costs approximately $2.50 per square foot. The cost of subfloor replacement for mobile homes is cheaper because less expensive materials are typically used for those projects.