When you are fitting out a London office, the floor is one of the biggest single surfaces in the building and one of the easiest decisions to get slightly wrong. The two products we are asked about most are carpet tiles and luxury vinyl tile (LVT). Both are excellent. They just suit different jobs. Here is how to choose.
Cost
Carpet tiles usually have the lower up-front cost, especially across large open-plan floors. LVT sits a little higher per square metre, though good-quality carpet tile and good-quality LVT often end up closer than people expect once you factor in subfloor preparation.
The real cost story is whole-life. Carpet tiles are laid loose or part-bonded, so a stained or worn tile is lifted and swapped in minutes with no closure. LVT is harder-wearing in heavy-traffic spots and shrugs off chair castors and spills, so it tends to go longer between refreshes. Match the product to the wear and you spend less over the lease.
Acoustics
This is where carpet tiles win comfortably. They absorb sound, soften footfall and cut the echo that makes open-plan floors feel noisy and tiring. In call-heavy teams, busy agencies or any space where people are on the phone all day, carpet tile makes the room calmer.
LVT is a hard surface, so it reflects sound. That is fine in receptions, breakout areas, kitchens and meeting rooms, but across a large open-plan floor it can get loud. If you love the look of LVT but worry about noise, an acoustic backing or underlay helps, and we can advise on the right build-up.
Durability and maintenance
LVT is the easy-clean champion. It wipes down, resists moisture and copes well with food, drink and entrance grit, which is why it is a favourite for receptions, tea points and circulation routes. Carpet tile is tough too, and the patch-and-replace trick keeps it looking smart, but it needs regular vacuuming and the odd deep clean to stay at its best.
Fit-out timing
Most modern offices use both, and the zoning is what makes a fit-out look considered rather than cheap:
- LVT at the entrance, reception, kitchens, breakout and main walkways, where appearance and easy cleaning matter most.
- Carpet tiles across open-plan desking and meeting rooms, where comfort and acoustics matter most.
Sequencing matters on a live project. Both products need a sound, level, dry subfloor, so we plan prep around the rest of the trades and, where the building is occupied, work evenings and weekends to keep your team productive. Supply and fit as one managed job means nothing falls between the flooring and the rest of the fit-out.
The value angle
You do not have to choose the most expensive option to get a premium result. The smart move is to spend where it counts: a hard-wearing, good-looking floor in the zones people see and use hardest, and a comfortable, acoustic floor where people sit and work. Done well, a mixed scheme looks more expensive than it is and lasts the length of your lease.
If you are planning an office move or refurbishment in London, we can help you spec the right mix and give you a clear, fair price. Get a free quote and we will usually reply within 48 hours. It is one managed job, part of the full range of commercial flooring services we supply and fit.