How Long Does Flooring Installation Take? Real Timelines for Shoals Homes

"How long will my floors be torn up?" is usually the second question after price — and sometimes the first. Nobody wants the furniture in the garage longer than it has to be. The honest answer: for most rooms around Florence and the Shoals, the flooring itself goes fast. The schedule grows with the material you pick, the shape your subfloor is in, and how much prep happens before the first box gets opened.

The Short Version by Floor Type

• LVP / vinyl plank: most living areas finish in 1 day; a whole 3-bedroom home is typically 2-3 days.
• Laminate: similar speed to LVP — 1 day for standard rooms.
• Carpet: 1 day for most rooms, including rip-out of the old carpet and pad.
• Hardwood installation: 2-4 days for an average main living area, depending on layout and board width.
• Tile: 2-5 days — setting, grouting, and the cure time between steps are what stretch it.
• Hardwood refinishing: 3-5 days of work, plus several days before rugs and furniture return while finishes cure.

Those are working-day numbers for typical Shoals homes, not promises for every job. Odd layouts, heavy furniture moves, and repair work underneath all move the clock.

Why LVP Goes In So Fast

Floating LVP clicks together and usually goes over the existing subfloor with basic prep. No glue curing, no grout, no nailing schedule. A 300-400 sq ft living room is genuinely a one-day job for an experienced crew — and that speed is one reason LVP installation is the most common call we get. At our 2026 labor rate of $1.50 per square foot, it is also the quickest way to change the whole feel of a house for the money.

What Actually Adds Days to a Job

Nine times out of ten, when a flooring job runs long, it is not the flooring. It is what we found underneath.

• Subfloor repair: soft spots, sagging plywood, or old adhesive. This is the big one — subfloor prep can add a day or more, and skipping it is how you get squeaks and loose boards later.
• Height transitions: meeting tile, or fixing doors that swing low over the new floor.
• Furniture and appliances: empty rooms install faster than rooms we work around.
• Water damage history: if there has been a leak, the floor has to be verified dry before anything new goes down. On those jobs the drying schedule leads and the flooring follows.
• Materials on site: special-order product that has not arrived stops everything. We schedule installs when the floor is actually in hand.

Hardwood and Tile Take Patience — for Good Reasons

Hardwood installation is nailed down board by board, and finish-in-place or refinishing work needs coats that dry between steps. Refinishing especially: sand day one, stain and coats over the next days, then cure time before you roll furniture back. It is more days of inconvenience for decades of floor.

Tile runs on chemistry. Thinset has to set before grout, and grout needs its cure before it sees real traffic. Rushing tile is how you get hollow spots and cracked grout lines within a year.

How to Keep Your Job on Schedule

• Clear the rooms the night before — small items, electronics, and anything breakable.
• Tell us up front about past leaks, soft spots, or bouncy floors so prep is in the plan, not a surprise.
• Decide on materials early so special orders are ordered the day you approve the estimate.
• Plan one buffer day if you can. Most jobs do not need it, but schedules and houses go smoother with a little slack.

Want the Numbers for Your Rooms?

Timeline follows square footage as much as material. Our Florence LVP cost guide shows how the math works, and a quick measure-and-estimate visit gives you a real schedule for your rooms — usually within 24 hours of the visit. Call (256) 415-7610 or reach us through the site and we will put eyes on it.