Laminate, vinyl flooring for Living room - All and any advice pelase

Sorry forgot to add we had ours laid by Carpetright's fitter - he did an excellent job. I would think 3k should be adequate. Maybe get some quotes from different carpet shops.

We have vinyl laminate in the bathrooms which is very like ordinary laminate but obviously more suitable for bathrooms and kitchens. We have wood laminate in our very large through lounge and I love it - it's so easy to clean. As you have no one beneath you it shouldn't be a problem with noise (my husband lived in a flat below a lady with a zimmer frame and the noise was pretty bad).

I’m not a fan of laminate, I prefer Amtico or Karndean, but there is one advantage especially in the newer ones - they can have built in underlay which will absorb any noises from underneath, from the garages.

We did ours in solid oak 12 years ago for £20 per sq m, when B&Q had it on offer (+10% off Wednesday!) with DH hiring a proper saw for a couple of days.

Prices in Wickes now around £40 sq m so add on 2 days labour for a good carpenter and it should come in on £3000 with underlay/trim

Well worth doing as it’s warm under foot even in winter although I put a large rug down in the sitting room around November-March to give the room a ‘hygge’ feel!

Amtico will do it all for you, from estimating the amount needed to the fitting.

I think that vinyl flooring is sold by the roll, whereas laminate is more solid and sold in planks or tiles - like wooden flooring, but made of laminate (and I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it is cheaper, and washable ).

I think that if you go to a store like JL, there will be someone who can advise about underlay and so on, and will organise a fitter for you, although it will probably cost more than a local one.

Another alternative is to ask for recommendations on your local Facebook page if there is one. Most towns have one - the sort of place where people discuss missing cats and moan about parking.