How much do floor fitters earn?
In this article, we'll cover:
Whether you’re thinking of starting your own flooring business and want to know how much you could earn, or you already run a floor fitting company and want to know the going rate to employ others, we’ll answer all your questions in this post.
Please note the costs in this guide are ballpark costs.
How much do floor fitters earn a year?
| Level | Per hour | Per day | Per year | Business Costs* | Approximate Take Home Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | £6.30 | £50.40 | £11,063 | £0.00 | £10,715 |
| Newly Qualified | £13.54 | £108.32 | £23,776 | £0.00 | £19,241 |
| Employed | £18.19 | £145.52 | £37,835 | £0.00 | £29,222 |
| Sole Trader | £40 | £320 | £59,002 | £7,375 | £40,000 |
| Business Owner (ltd company) | £48.27 | £386.16 | £71,200 | £12,460 | £46,150 |
| *includes estimated costs for business expenses such as vehicle, tools, insurance, fuel etc. You should always consult an accountant. | |||||
In the UK, the average floor layer salary is around £23,776 per year for newly qualified floor fitters, rising to the region of £37,835 per year with more experience.
Earnings potential will be affected by experience, skill set and qualifications, areas of speciality, and location.
Thinking of setting up your own floor fitting business?
A floor fitter salary becomes even more lucrative if you run your own business.
A floor fitter salary for a sole trader sits around £59,002 per year, before taxes and expenses, jumping to an average of £71,200 per year if you own a floor fitting business trading as a limited company.
What about business costs and expenses?
Whether a sole trader or the owner of a limited company, you will have business costs to cover. We’ve estimated these for a floor fitting firm in the table below, giving you a ballpark figure for average take-home salaries.
What’s the average apprentice floor layer wage?
Keen to expand your team by taking on an apprentice? Or perhaps you’re keen to enter this field of work and want to know your earning potential.
The average apprentice floor layer’s wage is £11,063 per year before tax.
| Level | Per hour | Per day | Per year | Business Costs* | Approximate Take Home Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | £6.30 | £50.40 | £11,063 | £0.00 | £10,715 |
| Newly Qualified | £13.54 | £108.32 | £23,776 | £0.00 | £19,241 |
| Employed | £18.19 | £145.52 | £37,835 | £0.00 | £29,222 |
| Sole Trader | £40 | £320 | £59,002 | £7,375 | £40,000 |
| Business Owner (ltd company) | £48.27 | £386.16 | £71,200 | £12,460 | £46,150 |
| *includes estimated costs for business expenses such as vehicle, tools, insurance, fuel etc. You should always consult an accountant. | |||||
How much do floor fitters earn as an hourly rate?
If you already run a floor fitting business and want to grow your team, you’ll be keen to understand a floor layer’s hourly rate.
The hourly rates of floor fitters will vary depending on the level of experience and location, but as a guide:
- Apprentice – £6.30 per hour
- Newly qualified – £13.54 per hour
- Employed – £18.19 per hour
- Sole trader – £40 per hour
- Business owner (Ltd company) – £48.27 per hour
What’s a floor layer’s day rate?
As a floor fitter, you’ll work on both residential and commercial projects, which will vary in scale. It’s therefore helpful to have a gauge on the day rate for floor layers to ensure your pricing is competitive.
- Apprentice – £50.40 per day
- Newly qualified – £108.32 per day
- Employed – £145.52 per day
- Sole trader – £320 per day
- Business owner (Ltd company) – £386.16 per day
Become your own boss with your new flooring business
Get your flooring business off the ground with the help our our ‘Become the Boss’ series.
You’ll receive 8 emails with actionable tips on starting your business and advice from fellow tradespeople who were once in your position.
You’ll also receive a FREE business strategy call, and at the end of it, you could be the founder of your new business.
To get trade business insider secrets sent straight to your pocket, add your email to the form below to get started:
Don’t forget the importance of marketing to help ensure your business’s success.
How to help your flooring business thrive and grow
Do you want to start your own flooring business but are nervous about taking the plunge? We get it. It can be scary leaving the safety net of employment and going out there alone.
Worried about generating enough work?
We make it easy for customers to find your business. Did you know that a third of all trade work comes through Checkatrade?**.
Wondering how to compete?
Sure, you won’t be the only floor fitting business out there, but becoming a Checkatrade member gives you instant credibility, helping you to build trust and win more business. Checkatrade is the tick that people trust, and 8 out of 10 people would choose a tradesperson we've checked over one we haven't.***.
You’ll receive a business profile on our leading trade directory, immediately giving your business a professional online presence.
Concerned about the cost of starting a new business?
We offer flexible membership so you can choose a plan that suits the needs of your business.
We’ve helped our members save on average, £470 a year on business essentials****, through exclusive discounts on insurance, workwear, tools, equipment, van leasing, fuel, and more.
We’ll also give you free van vinyls and marketing materials to help promote your business.
Unlock exclusive discounts on business essentials
Checkatrade members save on average £470 per year on fuel, insurance, tools, equipment, workwear, and more****
FAQs
How much does a floor layer earn (UK)?
A floor layer’s earnings depends on a number of factors including experience and location. As a guide, an apprentice floor fitter could earn in the region of £11,063 per year, newly qualified floor fitters could earn £23,776 per year, and more experienced floor fitters could earn around £37,835 per year. Running your own floor fitting business in the UK could see you earn a salary of £59,002 per year as a sole trader, or £71,200 per year as the owner of a limited company (before business costs).
How much do floor layers get paid?
Floor layers get paid in the region of £50.40 per day as an apprentice, up to around £386.16 per day as the owner of a floor fitting firm trading as a limited company.
**Checkatrade brand tracking survey April 2021
***Deep Blue Thinking 2021 Trade Perception Survey
****Year runs from April 21’ to March 22’. Saving calculation based on average spend across 12,505 members in 2020/2021/2022. Discounts differ depending on the partner. Products range from low value items to high value items. Some exclusions will apply on products.
No comments yet!