Kathy Reese

In this quick guide, we explain how much you can expect to pay for LVT flooring, which factors are likely to push costs up and the cheaper alternatives you might like to consider if you are trying to save a few pennies. We also look into how much LVT fitting costs.

As with any type of flooring, there is huge variety between LVT flooring products in terms of their quality so do bear in mind, that while no-one wants to end up paying more than is necessary for their new floor, you do want to check that the flooring you end up with is well made and durable.

The cost of LVT flooring largely depends on three main factors:

"There are different wear layer thicknesses suited for different environments, so consumers can choose the right specification for their home, as well as their budgetary requirements — the thicker the wear layer, the more expensive the price," explains Inga Morris-Blincoe, general manager at Lifestyle Floors.

LVT flooring is usually available as either click-fit or glue down.

"LVT is available in three formats: Dryback , 5G Clic and PEC," continues Inga. "The latter two are forms of click LVT, where the click mechanism means the tiles and planks can be clicked together on installation, forming a floating floor. The other type is called a Dryback or stick-down floor, which means the planks and tiles are glued to your subfloor during installation. Both click and Dryback LVT have their merits and it’s important to understand the features and benefits of both, so you can choose the best floor for your home."

Of these three types, 5G Clic is the most expensive, with Dryback from Lifestyle Floors starting at approximately £41/m2.

You can expect to pay from as little as £15/m2 for glue-down LVT and from around £20/m2 for click LVT. However, these prices lay right at the bottom of the price scale and you would be best off budgeting between £30 - £65/m2.

If laying LVT as a floating floor, don't forget to factor in the cost of underlay. A good underlay will result in improved sound insulation, reduced creaking noise, and increased dimensional stability. A product such as Xtrafloor® Power Underlay from Tile Mountain costs £54.99 for a 10m roll.

LVT flooring is also known as luxury vinyl tile and is basically a much-improved version of sheet vinyl.

"LVT are tiles that look like real wood or natural stone but are made from a hardwearing vinyl instead," explains Colin Lincoln-Evans, buyer at Tile Mountain. "LVT is constructed from PVC and its build comprises multiple layers. It’s made in this way to increase durability and make it dimensionally stable too."

Thanks to the wear layer and finishing PU layer that sit at the top of the tiles, LVT is really durable and easy to clean — plus it is comfortable underfoot and compatible with underfloor heating too.

LVP (luxury vinyl plank) flooring is a product very similar to LVT, but is a name usually given specifically to wood-effect vinyl.

Most LVT flooring is actually really simple to install leading to many people fitting it on a DIY basis. LVT flooring is often either designed to be clicked together and laid as a floating floor over an underlay, or can come as 'stick-down' tiles that either have self-adhesive backing or can be used with vinyl floor adhesive.

LVT 'click' systems tend to be the easiest to lay on a DIY basis as they have handy tongue-and-groove edges, much like some types of wood flooring or laminate — however they are also a little more expensive than 'peel-and-stick' and glue-down products to buy. Glue-down LVT can be quite tricky to install and most manufacturers advise calling in the professionals to carry out the task.

Obviously taking the DIY route will be the cheapest option.

Professional floor fitters tend to charge between £150-£250 per day on average. The amount of time it will take them to fit the floor will depend on the size of the space and how much sub-floor preparation is required. Certain types of LVT will take longer to fit than others — for example those designed to be laid in a herringbone pattern.

But nine others remain on the VA’s list of underperforming facilities after getting the lowest possible rating. They include the embattled Washington VA Medical Center, which sits just a few miles from the White House and has seen a series of leadership shake-ups in recent years.

The VA ratings — made public in 2016 after a USA Today report on the internal scorecards — grade each of the locations on metrics like patient mortality, patient length of stay, reported accidents and patient satisfaction. Officials have said the system is used to collect best practices from high-performing facilities to use in underperforming ones.

In a statement, VA Secretary Robert Wilkie touted improvements across the 146 medical centers.

“With closer monitoring and increased medical center leadership and support, we have seen solid improvements at most of our facilities,” he said. “Even our highest performing facilities are getting better, and that is driving up our quality standards across the country.”

The number of one-star facilities dropped by six from the start of fiscal 2018 to the end. Of the nine medical centers still at that level, four were cited for significant improvements: El Paso and Big Spring in Texas, Memphis in Tennessee, and Loma Linda in California.

The five others — Washington, Phoenix and Tucson in Arizona, Montgomery in Alabama, and Atlanta in Georgia — saw no overall change.

Earlier this year, VA placed 12 medical centers on a high-risk list for “aggressive” management intervention. Of those, eight were removed from the program after showing sufficient improvement by the end of last month.

Wilkie said while he is pleased with the results thus far “there’s no doubt that there’s still plenty of work to do.”

The full ratings list is available on the VA web site or in the chart below:

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