Flooring bids with waste, prep, and trim done right
Flooring estimators forget two things: waste factor and subfloor prep. Miss either and a 'profitable' job becomes free labor. Bid Buddy prompts both, every time.
Bid Buddy AI
BetaYour hands-free estimating buddy.
Hi! I'm Bid Buddy, your AI bidding assistant. I'll guide you step by step through your bid. You don't need bidding experience. Just answer a few questions and together we'll build a professional bid.
Your bid
Your bid is calculated as total cost ÷ (1 − margin) for a true margin.
Total job cost
$23,000.00
Recommended bid
$28,750.00
Profit
$5,750.00
Margin
20%
Turn this estimate into a signed job.
Go Pro to save unlimited estimates to the cloud, reuse templates, and let AI write a client-ready proposal & bid with scope, timeline, and payment schedule — in seconds.
- AI proposal & bid writer
- Unlimited cloud saves
- Branded PDF bids
- Reusable job templates
Cancel anytime. No charge during trial.
Waste factor
10% for straight lay, 15% for diagonal, up to 20% for herringbone or complex rooms.
Subfloor prep
Leveling compound, patching, moisture barrier — often 10–15% of the job on older homes.
Trim & transitions
Shoe molding, T-molding, reducers, stair nosing. Price each linear foot.
Demo & haul-off
Ripping carpet or tile is billable time. So is disposal.
Markup & margin for flooring
Flooring installers commonly mark material up 30–50% and price labor per square foot. Aim for a 20–25% net margin after subfloor and trim.
Line items to include in every flooring bid
- Demo of existing floor
- Subfloor prep / leveling
- Moisture barrier / underlayment
- Flooring material (+ waste)
- Install labor (per sq ft)
- Trim & transitions
- Haul-off
Frequently asked questions
See other trades
Every trade has its own quirks. Browse the full library.
All trade guides