Hardwood flooring cost in Montgomery, AL
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $4,750 – $11,000
- Per sq ft
- $9.55 – $22
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −12%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #269
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for a hardwood floor in the Montgomery area: $4,750 to $11,000 for 500 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 12% lower than the US figure. Carpenters earn a median of $22.77 an hour in the Montgomery area, 22% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Montgomery, AL, standard level
$6,650 to $9,150
About $13.50 to $18.50 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,200 | $5,950 |
| Labor | $2,450 | $3,200 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,650 | $9,150 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Montgomery, AL
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,900 | $5,050 | $7,250 | 64% |
| Labor | $1,900 | $2,800 | $3,750 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,750 | $7,900 | $11,000 | 100% |
Where the Montgomery price comes from
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 70% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $22.77 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Montgomery is 0.75 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 36% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Montgomery is at 96.4 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,250 nationally becomes $5,050 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 89.7: $0 to $0.
Data note: 30% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Montgomery. The wage table below marks each row.
Specs and site conditions that change a Montgomery bid
Layout
Room shape, stairs and installation method change the labor side.
Permit
Flooring rarely needs a permit, so no permit fee is included in this estimate.
Solid versus engineered
Solid hardwood is $11-$25 per sq ft installed and engineered hardwood is $9-$20 (HomeGuide).
Who does the work: Montgomery trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Montgomery the blend is 0.75.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $22.77 an hour, 22% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $17.72 and $26.19 an hour. About 300 work in the metro. That is 18.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Montgomery metro, so we used the Alabama statewide median: $18.62 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $16.51 and $23.78 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $310 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $460. That is a swing of roughly 5.8% to 3.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Montgomery has 165,550 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 142nd by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $17.72 | $22.77 | $26.19 | $29.12 | 0.78 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $16.51 | $18.62 | $23.78 | $27.15 | 0.69 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.75 | |||||
Montgomery against nearby metros and the rest of Alabama
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 500 sq ft range from $7,700 to $8,000 across Montgomery and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, ALthis page | $4,750 – $11,000 | $7,900 | |
| Auburn, AL50 miles | $4,800 – $11,000 | $7,900 | level |
| Birmingham, AL80 miles | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | +2% |
| Columbus, GA90 miles | $4,800 – $11,100 | $7,950 | +1% |
| Dothan, AL95 miles | $4,650 – $10,700 | $7,700 | −3% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL95 miles | $4,800 – $11,100 | $7,950 | +1% |
| Alabama (statewide) | $4,800 – $11,000 | $7,900 | level |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +14% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Montgomery ranks #269 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Montgomery is 0% below the Alabama figure.
Elsewhere in Alabama
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | 520,290 jobs | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | +2% |
| Huntsville, AL | 266,650 jobs | $4,800 – $11,100 | $7,950 | +1% |
| Mobile, AL | 172,550 jobs | $4,800 – $11,100 | $7,950 | +1% |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 108,460 jobs | $4,800 – $11,100 | $7,950 | +1% |
| Daphne, AL | 87,120 jobs | $4,750 – $11,000 | $7,850 | level |
| Auburn, AL | 72,710 jobs | $4,800 – $11,000 | $7,900 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Montgomery against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria, IL | 166,020 jobs | $5,900 – $13,200 | $9,550 | +21% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,300 | +5% |
| Lubbock, TX | 166,780 jobs | $4,650 – $10,700 | $7,650 | −3% |
| Beaumont, TX | 163,220 jobs | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,300 | +5% |
Planning more than one job in Montgomery?
Jobs that often go together with hardwood floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Montgomery wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−7%) and laminate flooring lowest (−18%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,550 – $5,800 | −18% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,000 – $9,150 | −10% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,200 – $29,300 | −7% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,200 – $20,700 | −11% |
Cost by quality level and size in Montgomery
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Montgomery. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from one room (200 sq ft) to whole house (1,200 sq ft).
Basic
$4,750 to $7,250
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,650 to $9,150
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,500 to $11,000
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $1,900 – $2,900 | $2,650 – $3,650 | $3,400 – $4,400 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $4,750 – $7,250 | $6,650 – $9,150 | $8,500 – $11,000 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $11,500 – $17,400 | $15,900 – $21,900 | $20,400 – $26,400 |
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Hardwood flooring in Montgomery: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Montgomery?
For 500 sq ft, expect $4,750 to $11,000 in the Montgomery area. A standard-spec job lands at $6,650 to $9,150. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Montgomery?
About $9.55 to $22 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $11 to $25.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Montgomery or Auburn?
Auburn is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $7,900, which is 0% more than Montgomery ($7,900). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Montgomery?
About 36% at the midpoint, or $2,800 out of $7,900. Materials are 64% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Montgomery?
$4,750 to $11,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Montgomery?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Montgomery area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Montgomery expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Alabama?
Montgomery is 0% below the Alabama statewide estimate ($7,900 at the midpoint). We cover 9 metros in Alabama; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Montgomery?
The BLS median is $22.77 an hour in the Montgomery area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $17.72 to $26.19.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Montgomery?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $4,750 to $7,250 and premium work $8,500 to $11,000. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Montgomery
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.