Hardwood flooring cost in Denver, CO
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $5,550 – $12,600
- Per sq ft
- $11 – $25
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- +1%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #71
- 1 = most expensive
A hardwood floor in Denver, CO usually costs $5,550 to $12,600 for 500 sq ft. That works out to about $11 to $25 per sq ft before permits. That is within a few percent of the national midpoint, so there is little local premium or discount. Building materials run about 1% above the US average here (BEA goods price index 101.0).
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Denver, CO, standard level
$7,650 to $10,500
About $15.50 to $21 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 41% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,400 | $6,200 |
| Labor | $3,250 | $4,250 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $7,650 | $10,500 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Denver, CO
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $3,050 | $5,300 | $7,550 | 59% |
| Labor | $2,500 | $3,750 | $5,000 | 41% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $5,550 | $9,050 | $12,600 | 100% |
Why Denver prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on carpenters, who do 70% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $31.21 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Denver is 1.00 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 41% of the total.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Denver is at 101.0 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $5,250 nationally becomes $5,300 here (midpoint, 500 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 105.8: $0 to $0.
Why two Denver quotes can differ
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).
Materials and labor
Materials are $6-$15 per sq ft and installation labor adds $3-$10 per sq ft.
Related projects, priced for Denver
Jobs that often go together with hardwood floor are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Denver wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, bathroom remodel comes out highest (+3%) and laminate flooring lowest (−4%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,900 – $6,750 | −4% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,500 – $10,200 | +2% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $18,900 – $32,100 | +2% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,850 – $24,100 | +3% |
Denver against nearby metros and the rest of Colorado
Of the five closest metros, all are cheaper than Denver. Pueblo is the lowest at about $8,400 (midpoint, 500 sq ft), 90 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver, COthis page | $5,550 – $12,600 | $9,050 | |
| Colorado Springs, CO45 miles | $5,150 – $11,700 | $8,450 | −7% |
| Boulder, CO55 miles | $5,200 – $11,900 | $8,550 | −6% |
| Greeley, CO80 miles | $5,150 – $11,800 | $8,450 | −6% |
| Fort Collins, CO90 miles | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | −6% |
| Pueblo, CO90 miles | $5,100 – $11,700 | $8,400 | −7% |
| Colorado (statewide) | $5,400 – $12,300 | $8,800 | −3% |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | −1% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Denver ranks #71 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Denver is 3% above the Colorado figure.
Elsewhere in Colorado
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | 316,060 jobs | $5,150 – $11,700 | $8,450 | −7% |
| Boulder, CO | 192,390 jobs | $5,200 – $11,900 | $8,550 | −6% |
| Fort Collins, CO | 169,430 jobs | $5,200 – $11,800 | $8,500 | −6% |
| Greeley, CO | 119,540 jobs | $5,150 – $11,800 | $8,450 | −6% |
| Grand Junction, CO | 67,170 jobs | $5,250 – $11,900 | $8,550 | −5% |
| Pueblo, CO | 61,780 jobs | $5,100 – $11,700 | $8,400 | −7% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Denver against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside, CA | 1,716,760 jobs | $5,850 – $13,200 | $9,500 | +5% |
| San Diego, CA | 1,538,060 jobs | $6,100 – $13,800 | $9,950 | +10% |
| Detroit, MI | 1,904,530 jobs | $5,550 – $12,600 | $9,050 | level |
| Tampa, FL | 1,447,120 jobs | $5,150 – $11,700 | $8,400 | −7% |
What local crews earn in Denver
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 Denver the blend is 1.00.
Carpenters (47-2031), 70% of the weighting: a median of $31.21 an hour, 7% above the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $27.70 and $36.14 an hour. About 7,250 work in the metro. That is 45.0 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042), 30% of the weighting: a median of $22.71 an hour, 16% below the US median of $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $21.99 and $28.24 an hour.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (carpenters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $440 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $320. That is a swing of roughly 3.5% to 4.9% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has 1,609,350 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 17th 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% | $27.70 | $31.21 | $36.14 | $29.12 | 1.07 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $21.99 | $22.71 | $28.24 | $27.15 | 0.84 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 1.00 | |||||
Denver: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Denver. 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
$5,550 to $8,350
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$7,650 to $10,500
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$9,750 to $12,600
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $2,200 – $3,350 | $3,050 – $4,200 | $3,900 – $5,050 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $5,550 – $8,350 | $7,650 – $10,500 | $9,750 – $12,600 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $13,300 – $20,000 | $18,300 – $25,100 | $23,400 – $30,200 |
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Hardwood flooring in Denver: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Denver?
For 500 sq ft, expect $5,550 to $12,600 in the Denver area. A standard-spec job lands at $7,650 to $10,500. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Denver?
About $11 to $25 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 Denver or Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs is 45 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $8,450, which is 7% less than Denver ($9,050). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Denver?
About 41% at the midpoint, or $3,750 out of $9,050. Materials are 59% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Denver?
$5,550 to $12,600. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Denver?
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 Denver area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Denver expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Colorado?
Denver is 3% above the Colorado statewide estimate ($8,800 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in Colorado; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Denver?
The BLS median is $31.21 an hour in the Denver area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $27.70 to $36.14.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Denver?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $5,550 to $8,350 and premium work $9,750 to $12,600. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Denver
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.