Flooring is one of the largest single home improvement investments most households ever make — and one of the categories where the gap between what most homeowners pay and what they could pay with the right purchasing strategy is most dramatic. The national average cost of flooring installation varies widely by material: hardwood floors at $6 to $12 per square foot installed, luxury vinyl plank at $3 to $7 per square foot installed, carpet at $3 to $6 per square foot installe