New flooring in 2026: price per square metre and choosing materials
Compare price and durability for parquet, laminate, vinyl and tile, see 2026 Swedish installation prices per square metre, and how ROT cuts the cost.
The floor is the surface you see most and wear hardest. A well-chosen floor lasts twenty years; a poorly chosen one starts swelling in the hallway during its first Swedish winter.
Here we compare the four most common floor types in Swedish homes: price, lifespan and where each one belongs.
Material cost and installation
Prices below are materials including VAT per square metre, plus professional installation. Installation normally runs 250 to 500 SEK per square metre for floating floors and 600 to 1,200 SEK for tile.
| Floor type | Material per sqm | Lifespan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wood, parquet | 500 to 1,400 SEK | 25 to 40 years | Living rooms and bedrooms |
| Laminate | 150 to 400 SEK | 10 to 20 years | Budget and rentals |
| Vinyl, LVT | 300 to 700 SEK | 15 to 25 years | Kitchens, hallways, wet areas |
| Tile | 300 to 900 SEK | 30 years or more | Bathrooms, entrances, underfloor heating |
Choosing the right floor per room
In hallways and kitchens, vinyl wins almost every time. It handles water, dirt and grit from winter boots without swelling, unlike laminate.
In living rooms and bedrooms, parquet still wins on feel and resale value, and it can be sanded several times. In bathrooms, tile over a certified waterproof layer is the only option under Swedish industry rules.
The subfloor decides the result
An uneven subfloor gives creaking boards and gapping joints no matter how expensive the floor is. Deviations over three millimetres across two metres should be levelled with compound.
In older apartments in Malmö and Gothenburg with timber joists, the floor usually needs both levelling and an acoustic underlay for the neighbour below.
ROT and timeline
Installation in a home you own qualifies for the ROT deduction on labour. On a 60 square metre job that typically saves 5,000 to 9,000 SEK.
A floor layer covers 30 to 50 square metres of floating floor per day. Tiling with waterproofing takes considerably longer because of drying times.
Frequently asked questions
- Which floor works best with underfloor heating?
- Tile conducts heat best, followed by vinyl. Parquet works but the surface temperature must be limited to around 27 degrees.
- Can you lay a new floor over the old one?
- Often yes for floating floors, if the existing floor is flat and firmly fixed. Remember it raises the floor level at doors and thresholds.
- Does floor laying qualify for ROT?
- Yes, labour qualifies for the 30 percent deduction if you own the home and it is more than five years old.
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