Laminate flooring cost in South Carolina
Statewide estimate from BLS wages and BEA prices. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Statewide range (500 sq ft)
- $1,800 – $6,350
- Per sq ft
- $3.55 – $12.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $4,500
- Metros covered
- 7
What does it cost to install laminate flooring in South Carolina? Plan on $1,800 to $6,350 for 500 sq ft. Wages (0.86x the US blend), materials (price index 96.3) and permit costs (93.7) put the state below the national midpoint by 10%.
Inside South Carolina, the metros we cover range from $4,000 (Myrtle Beach) to $4,100 (Charleston) at the midpoint. Pick your closest city in the table for a tighter number.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in South Carolina (statewide), standard level
$3,150 to $5,000
About $6.30 to $9.95 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 59% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $1,200 | $2,150 |
| Labor | $1,950 | $2,800 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $3,150 | $5,000 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in South Carolina
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $480 | $1,700 | $2,900 | 41% |
| Labor | $1,300 | $2,400 | $3,450 | 59% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $1,800 | $4,050 | $6,350 | 100% |
Quality levels and sizes in South Carolina
The cited range is cut into three overlapping bands (basic, standard and premium) and scaled to statewide South Carolina wages and prices. The grid prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,800 to $3,600
Basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor
Standard
$3,150 to $5,000
Thicker waterproof laminate, standard trim
Premium
$4,500 to $6,350
Premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $710 – $1,450 | $1,250 – $2,000 | $1,800 – $2,550 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $1,800 – $3,600 | $3,150 – $5,000 | $4,500 – $6,350 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $4,250 – $8,650 | $7,550 – $11,900 | $10,800 – $15,200 |
How South Carolina compares with nearby states
South Carolina ranks 39 of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) for laminate floor, where 1 is the most expensive. The costliest is Alaska at $5,900 and the cheapest Oklahoma at $3,600, both for 500 sq ft at the midpoint. South Carolina sits at $4,050. The five states closest by workforce center are listed below.
| State | Distance | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 120 miles away | $1,800 – $6,400 | $4,100 | +1% |
| Georgia | 180 miles away | $1,700 – $6,250 | $3,950 | −2% |
| Virginia | 300 miles away | $1,850 – $6,650 | $4,250 | +4% |
| West Virginia | 340 miles away | $1,700 – $6,100 | $3,900 | −4% |
| Tennessee | 350 miles away | $1,800 – $6,350 | $4,050 | level |
Laminate flooring cost by metro in South Carolina
1 of the 7 metros sit above the statewide midpoint of $4,050, and the top-to-bottom gap is 3%. Each row prices the default size with that metro's own BLS wages and BEA price levels, so the gap between rows is real local variation rather than a flat markup.
| Metro | Range (500 sq ft) | Midpoint | vs. state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | $1,800 – $6,450 | $4,100 | +1% |
| Spartanburg, SC | $1,800 – $6,400 | $4,100 | level |
| Greenville, SC | $1,750 – $6,350 | $4,050 | level |
| Florence, SC | $1,750 – $6,300 | $4,050 | −1% |
| Hilton Head, SC | $1,750 – $6,300 | $4,050 | −1% |
| Columbia, SC | $1,750 – $6,300 | $4,000 | −1% |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $1,750 – $6,250 | $4,000 | −1% |
South Carolina labor market for laminate floor
Statewide wages come from BLS's state-level estimates, which blend big cities with small towns and rural areas. 2 trades drive the labor line for this job, and the weighted ratio against the national wage level is 0.86 for South Carolina.
For floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042, weighted 60%) the local median is $23.97 an hour, which is 12% below the national $27.15. The middle half of them earn between $20.49 and $26.23 an hour. BLS counts 170 of them working in the state, 0.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 1.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 40%) the local median is $24.36 an hour, which is 16% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.97 and $30.10 an hour. BLS counts 6,950 of them working in the state, 30.2 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
A crew paid at the 75th percentile for floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) ($26.23 an hour) would add about $140 to the statewide midpoint; one at the 25th percentile ($20.49) would take off about $210. Use that as a rough guide to how far a bid can sit from our midpoint on wages alone.
BLS counts 2,305,080 jobs across South Carolina (May 2025), which is 1.5% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 60% | $20.49 | $23.97 | $26.23 | $27.15 | 0.88 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 40% | $20.97 | $24.36 | $30.10 | $29.12 | 0.84 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.86 | |||||
Other South Carolina jobs that often go with laminate floor
The table prices neighboring jobs at their usual sizes using statewide South Carolina wages and prices. Against national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and bathroom remodel lowest (−11%), because each job leans on different trades.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,000 – $11,500 | −8% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,000 – $9,150 | −10% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,300 – $29,500 | −6% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,200 – $20,700 | −11% |
Laminate flooring: what moves the price in South Carolina
Floating versus glued
Click-lock or floating laminate is the easiest and cheapest to install (HomeGuide).
Trim
Baseboards run $6-$9 per linear foot and are a common add-on.
Heated floors
Radiant floor heating adds $7-$17 per sq ft and has to go in before the floor does.
Brand
Name-brand laminate such as Pergo runs $5-$17 per sq ft installed.
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Laminate flooring in South Carolina: your questions
+How much does it cost to install laminate flooring in South Carolina?
$1,800 to $6,350 for 500 sq ft, using statewide wages and prices. Metro areas inside South Carolina can sit above or below that.
+Which city in South Carolina is cheapest for laminate floor?
Myrtle Beach at about $4,000 (midpoint, 500 sq ft). The priciest is Charleston at $4,100.
+Is laminate floor cheaper in South Carolina than the US average?
It is 10% cheaper: $4,050 against $4,500 for 500 sq ft at the midpoint.
+What share of the price is labor in South Carolina?
About 59% ($2,400). Materials are 41%. Statewide labor for this job is weighted 0.86x the national wage level.
+What do floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) earn in South Carolina?
The BLS statewide median is $23.97 an hour, against $27.15 for the US. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.49 to $26.23.
+Where does South Carolina rank for laminate floor costs?
39th most expensive of 51 (the 50 states plus DC) at the midpoint, $4,050 for 500 sq ft. Rank 1 is the costliest.
+What do basic and premium laminate floor work cost in South Carolina?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,800 to $3,600 and premium work $4,500 to $6,350. Basic means: basic click-lock laminate on a flat subfloor. Premium means: premium or brand-name laminate, subfloor repair.
Laminate flooring by city in South Carolina
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.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Laminate Flooring Installation Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $3-$8 per sq ft laminate labor, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.