How much should I budget to refinish all the hardwood floors in a 2000 square foot Calgary home?

For a 2,000-square-foot Calgary home, budget $6,000 to $12,000 for a complete hardwood floor refinishing project, with most homeowners landing in the $7,000 to $10,000 range for a professional job including sanding, finishing, and standard preparation work. The exact cost depends on the current condition of your floors, the finish type selected, whether you're changing the stain colour, and how much preparation work is needed.

Here's how the budget breaks down. Not all 2,000 square feet of a home will be hardwood — bathrooms, kitchens, and some bedrooms may have tile, carpet, or vinyl. A typical 2,000-square-foot Calgary home usually has between 1,000 and 1,500 square feet of hardwood flooring on the main floor and upper level. At $3 to $6 per square foot for refinishing, that core sanding and finishing cost comes to $3,000 to $9,000.

Standard refinish (no colour change): For floors in reasonable condition needing a fresh sand and three coats of water-based polyurethane, expect $3 to $4.50 per square foot — or $3,000 to $6,750 for 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of hardwood. This is the most common scenario and the sweet spot for value.

Refinish with custom stain colour: Add $1 to $1.50 per square foot for a stain change, bringing the total to $4.50 to $6.50 per square foot — or $4,500 to $9,750. Popular in Calgary for updating dated 1990s-era golden oak to contemporary darker or grey-toned finishes.

Dustless refinishing: Premium for dust-minimized sanding adds roughly $0.75 to $1.50 per square foot, bringing a standard job to $4 to $6 per square foot — highly recommended if you're living in the home during the work.

Additional costs to include in your budget: Furniture moving runs $300 to $600 for a full home. Trim and baseboard removal and reinstallation (if needed) adds $2 to $4 per linear foot. Individual board repairs cost $15 to $40 per board. Subfloor levelling or repair in problem areas runs $2 to $6 per square foot where needed. These ancillary costs typically add $500 to $2,000 to the project total depending on the home's condition.

A realistic all-in budget for most Calgary homes: $7,000 to $10,000 covers refinishing 1,200 square feet of hardwood with a quality water-based finish, moderate board repairs, furniture moving, and standard preparation. Add $1,500 to $2,000 if you want a stain colour change throughout.

Money-saving tips: Do the furniture moving yourself to save $300 to $600. Remove carpet from rooms that have hardwood underneath yourself (but stop immediately if you find 9x9-inch vinyl tile — test for asbestos before removing). Get three quotes from refinishing professionals and compare not just price but also the specific products they use and their warranty terms. Booking during the slower fall or winter months may yield slightly better pricing.

Browse flooring contractors in the Calgary Construction Network directory at calgaryconstructionnetwork.com/directory?trade=flooring to get competitive quotes for your whole-home refinishing project.