Property services
Flooring specialists in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Timber, laminate, vinyl, tile and carpet.
Flooring firms fit, sand and finish: engineered and solid timber, luxury vinyl, laminate, tile, carpet and safety flooring. The material is the visible decision, but subfloor preparation determines whether the finished floor lasts.
In older flats the choice is often between restoring the original pine boards and covering them. Sanding and finishing existing boards is usually cheaper than a new floor and looks correct in a period room.
When Edinburgh owners call flooring specialists
- Original boards are tired and you want them restored before photography.
- Carpets are dated and you are preparing a property for market or rental.
- The neighbour below has complained about impact noise.
- A leak has damaged a floor and it needs partial replacement and matching.
Local context: Edinburgh and the Lothians
Tenement floors are timber boards on joists with a void beneath, so they move, they gap in a dry winter and they transmit sound to the flat below. Solid timber fixed hard to those boards can cup; engineered board is more stable.
Ground-floor and basement flats sometimes have solid floors laid straight onto ground with no membrane. Fitting an impermeable floor over damp ground traps moisture and pushes it into the walls, so a moisture test is worth insisting on.
What this work typically costs
Published ranges are market context gathered from local jobs, not a quotation. We do not price work, arrange it or take a cut of it — always get your own written quotes.
| Job | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Sand and finish existing pine boards, per m² | £25-£45 | Board repair, nail punching and staircase edges extra. |
| Engineered oak supply and fit, per m² | £65-£130 | Board width and finish grade drive the range. |
| Luxury vinyl tile, per m² | £45-£85 | Requires a very flat subfloor, often needing ply overlay. |
| Acoustic underlay, per m² | £8-£20 | Frequently required by tenement title deeds under hard flooring. |
| Carpet supply and fit, per m² | £20-£50 | Underlay, gripper and stair fitting priced separately. |
Tenements and common repairs
Many Edinburgh tenement deeds require carpet or an equivalent sound-absorbing covering in the main rooms, precisely to protect the flat below. Laying hard flooring in breach of that is a genuine risk: you can be required to lift it.
Read the deeds before ordering. Where hard flooring is allowed, a proper acoustic underlay and perimeter isolation strip are the difference between a neighbour who never mentions it and a formal complaint.
What to check before you instruct
- Subfloor preparation included
- Tenement sound insulation requirements
- Insurance
- Subfloor assessment
- Ask what preparation is included: ply overlay, levelling compound, board repairs or nothing at all.
- Acoustic specification
- In a flat, ask for the underlay's dB reduction figure and confirm it satisfies the deeds.
- Insurance
- Public liability, and confirm cover for damage to finishes during a large sanding job.
- Dust extraction
- Modern sanding equipment is nearly dust-free. Ask what machine they use before they fill your flat with pine dust.
We publish factual detail supplied by each business. We do not rate, rank, endorse or guarantee anyone listed, and no business pays for placement. Checking registration, insurance and references is always your decision.
Questions to ask before you instruct
- Do my title deeds allow hard flooring in this room?
- What subfloor preparation is in the price?
- How long does the finish take to cure before furniture goes back?
- Is the existing floor covering lifted and disposed of by you?
- What acoustic underlay are you proposing and what is its rating?
- How do you handle thresholds and the stair nosings?
Businesses listed
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Lothian Property is a property information and professional-introduction service operated by Maybury Scotland Limited. Lothian Property is not an estate agency. Where requested, we may connect homeowners with independent estate agents and other property professionals. How we work.
Read our guide on flooring specialists
Flooring specialists: common questions
- Are there sound insulation rules for flooring in a tenement flat?
- Many Edinburgh title deeds require floors to remain carpeted or specify acoustic underlay before hard flooring is laid, and neighbour disputes about impact noise are common. Read the deeds before removing carpet.
- Can original floorboards in a period flat be sanded and sealed?
- Usually, provided the boards are thick enough and not riddled with old service runs. A specialist will check board thickness and nail depth before quoting a sand and finish.
- What subfloor preparation should be in a flooring quote?
- Levelling compound or ply overlay where needed, moisture readings on solid floors, and removal and disposal of the old covering. Skipping this is the usual reason a new floor telegraphs unevenness.