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Most flooring quotes arrive as a single number per square metre, which makes two quotes almost impossible to compare. One may include sanding and coating; the other may not. One may have allowed for levelling the floor; the other will add it later. This breaks the cost into the three parts every quote is actually made of — material, labour and the extras — so you can see which part a cheaper quote has left out.
In Melbourne, solid timber flooring starts from $150 per m² supplied and installed, or from $98 per m² supply-only. A site-finished floor — sanded and coated after laying — adds roughly $35–45 per m² over a factory-finished one. If the subfloor needs levelling, allow another $10–25 per m². Timber species alone can move the material price by around 20%.
How much does solid timber flooring cost per m² in Melbourne
Solid timber flooring in Melbourne starts from $150 per m² supplied and installed, or from $98 per m² supply-only. Those are starting rates for a standard board in a standard room, and where your project lands above them depends on the species, the finishing method and the condition of the floor underneath.
| Product | Supply only | Supplied and installed |
|---|---|---|
| Solid timber, factory-finished | From $98/m² | From $150/m² |
| Solid timber, site-finished | From $98/m² | From $185/m² |
| Engineered timber | From $65/m² | From $130/m² |
All figures include GST. For the full specification and current starting rates, see our solid timber flooring page.
What are you actually paying for — material, labour or extras
Three parts, and a quote should show them separately.
1. The material. The board itself: species, grade, board width and thickness. This is the part that varies most between projects — timber species alone can shift the material price by around 20%, and grade moves it again within a single species. Feature grade carries more gum vein, knots and colour variation and costs less than a select grade of the same timber. For a worked example with real numbers by grade, see our Blackbutt flooring price guide — Blackbutt is the species we are asked about most in Melbourne.
2. The labour. Laying, fixing and — if the floor is site-finished — sanding and coating in your home. A site-finished floor adds roughly $35–45 per m² over a factory-finished one, because the work happens on site and the room is out of use for several days. What you get for it is a seamless surface with no micro-bevels between boards.
3. The extras. The line items that turn a tidy per-m² rate into a different total.
- Subfloor levelling — $10–25 per m² where the slab or existing floor is uneven.
- Removing and disposing of the old floor — from $10 per m².
- Adhesive — included in our installation, but worth confirming with any supplier.
- Moisture membrane or underlay — depends on the subfloor; not always needed.
- Skirting, thresholds, stair nosings — no standard rate. These depend entirely on the job and need a site visit to price.
- On-site measure — free with us, across Greater Melbourne.
Why is solid timber more expensive than engineered
Because you are paying for more solid hardwood and for an extra step on site. Engineered boards arrive pre-finished from the factory, so there is no sanding or coating in your home — that removes a labour stage, which is most of why engineered starts at $130 per m² installed against $150 for solid.
The difference is not only price. Engineered is usually the better technical choice over a concrete slab or with underfloor heating, where a solid board moves too much with humidity. Solid timber advantage is depth: it can be sanded back and recoated many times over decades, which is why it outlives the cost gap in a house you intend to keep. See the full comparison on our engineered timber flooring page.
Cheap vs value — what a lower quote usually leaves out
The cheapest quote and the best-value quote are rarely the same document. When one quote comes in well under the others, it is usually one of these.
- Finishing excluded. The rate covers supply and lay, with sanding and coating quoted later.
- Levelling excluded. The floor is assumed flat. It rarely is.
- A thinner or lower-grade board than the one you were shown in the showroom.
- Removal and disposal of the old floor left off entirely.
Over twenty years, a solid timber floor that can be sanded and recoated several times costs less per year than a cheaper floor that gets replaced twice. That is the comparison worth making — not the per-m² rate on its own. Ask every supplier for the timber, the installation and the finishing as three separate lines, and compare like with like.
What does a real Melbourne project add up to
For a typical 40 m² living area in a Melbourne home, factory-finished solid timber supplied and installed starts around $6,000, before extras. Add levelling on an uneven slab and removal of the old floor and the figure moves accordingly — which is exactly why those two lines belong on the quote rather than in a surprise.
We manufacture our own boards and install with our own team, so the timber and the workmanship come from one company rather than from a supplier and a subcontracted installer. Free on-site measure across Greater Melbourne, and you can see finished floors laid at our Nunawading showroom, Unit 7, 41–49 Norcal Road, Nunawading VIC 3131. More on our installation service.
Does the price change by suburb
Not the timber, no. What changes between suburbs is access and subfloor condition — a first-floor apartment in Toorak with stair access and a levelling requirement costs more to install than a ground-floor slab in Ringwood, using identical boards. Period homes across the inner east more often need levelling and old-floor removal than newer builds further out.
We work across Melbourne suburbs, and the measure is free, so the honest answer is that a site visit prices these variables properly and a phone estimate cannot.
Is solid timber flooring worth it
It depends on how long you are staying. If the house is a long-term home, solid timber is the floor that can be brought back — sanded and recoated several times across its life, with each refinish costing a fraction of a replacement. If you are renovating to sell within a couple of years, engineered or a good hybrid will look similar on the day and cost less up front.
For a fuller picture of species, grades and how solid timber behaves in an Australian climate, see our solid hardwood flooring buyers guide.
Solid timber flooring cost FAQ
How much does solid timber flooring cost per m² in Melbourne?
Solid timber flooring starts from $150 per m² supplied and installed, or from $98 per m² supply-only. A site-finished floor adds roughly $35–45 per m², and subfloor levelling adds $10–25 per m².
What is the difference between supply-only and supplied and installed?
Supply-only covers the timber delivered to you. Supplied and installed covers the timber, the labour, the fixings and the finishing. Always compare quotes on the same basis and ask for the lines separately.
Does the timber species change the price much?
Yes. Species alone can move the material price by around 20%, and grade moves it again within a single species. Feature grade carries more gum vein and colour variation and costs less than select grade of the same timber.
What extra costs should I budget for?
Subfloor levelling at $10–25 per m² where needed, removal and disposal of the old floor from $10 per m², and any skirting, thresholds or stair nosings, which have no standard rate and need a site visit to price. Adhesive is included in our installation.
Is engineered timber cheaper than solid timber?
Yes, generally. Engineered starts from $130 per m² installed against $150 for solid, because engineered boards arrive pre-finished and there is no sanding or coating on site.
Do you charge for measuring?
No. On-site measure is free across Greater Melbourne.
Why is a site-finished floor more expensive?
Because the sanding and coating happen in your home rather than in a factory, which adds labour and takes the room out of use for several days. In return you get a seamless surface with no micro-bevels between boards.
How long does solid timber flooring last?
Decades, and it can be sanded back and recoated several times along the way. That is the reason its cost per year of service is lower than the per-square-metre comparison suggests.
Want a figure for your own floor rather than a range? Send us the room size and we will price the timber, the installation and the finishing as separate lines — free on-site measure across Greater Melbourne.
A per-square-metre rate is only useful once you know what it includes. Ask for the three lines — timber, installation, finishing — from everyone you talk to, and the quotes become comparable. Send us your room dimensions and we will do exactly that, then confirm it on site at no charge.
All prices on this page are indicative, quoted in AUD including GST, and depend on species, grade, board thickness and site conditions.
