The Big Flooring Retailers: A Competitively-Priced, High-Quality Alternative

If you are pricing up LVT or engineered wood, you have probably looked at the big flooring retailers: Tapi, Carpetright, Howdens, Wickes and B&Q on the high street and Flooring Superstore, UK Flooring Direct and Direct Wood Flooring online. They are all reasonable places to buy a floor. This guide explains where GF by Grosvenor Flooring fits alongside them – a competitively-priced, high-quality own-brand alternative for both luxury vinyl and engineered wood, sold direct with full pricing, free samples and fast delivery.

GF is our own brand, so this is not an independent review. It is a straight account of what GF offers and how it compares and where one of the big retailers is the better fit for you, we say so.

Key Takeaways

• GF by Grosvenor Flooring is an own-brand range of LVT and engineered wood, sold direct without a middle-man mark-up.
• It is a competitively-priced alternative to Tapi, Carpetright, Howdens, Wickes, B&Q, Flooring Superstore, UK Flooring Direct and Direct Wood Flooring, built to a high, consistent specification.
• GF LVT covers rigid-core click (SPC), glue-down and GF by Associated Weavers; GF Engineered Wood covers planks, herringbone and Versailles panels.
• Because GF is our own brand, we control the specification and the price and back every floor with full online pricing, up to five free samples and fast free UK delivery.
• Supply and fit is available in the Altrincham area; everywhere else GF ships nationwide for your own fitter.

How GF Compares to Each Retailer

The retailers people cross-shop split into two groups: high-street names that sell flooring alongside other things and online specialists that compete hard on price. Here is where GF sits against each.

GF vs Tapi

Tapi is a high-street carpet and flooring specialist with a strong in-home service, selling LVT, laminate, vinyl and wood. It is a good option if you want a showroom visit and a measuring service. GF is the direct alternative: competitively priced, built to a high, consistent own-brand specification with up to five free samples delivered so you can compare at home rather than in store.

GF vs Carpetright

Carpetright is a long-established carpet and flooring retailer, selling LVT, laminate, vinyl and wood alongside its carpets, in stores and online. It is a familiar name if you want flooring and carpet from one place. GF is the direct alternative for hard flooring specifically: a high, consistent own-brand specification in LVT and engineered wood, competitively priced with up to five free samples so you can compare at home before you order.

GF vs Howdens

Howdens sells flooring alongside kitchens, but it is a trade supplier – you buy through a builder rather than directly and prices are not shown openly. GF flips that: full pricing online, no trade account needed, single packs available and free samples, at a competitive price for a high specification.

GF vs Wickes

Wickes is a home-improvement retailer offering laminate, LVT and vinyl aimed at DIY projects. It is convenient if you are buying building materials at the same time. GF is the specialist alternative: a consistent own-brand spec across the range, free samples and a dedicated flooring team, at a comparable price.

GF vs B&Q

B&Q is a DIY shed with a budget-focused range of laminate, LVT and vinyl. It suits a quick, low-cost project. GF is competitively priced too, but built to a high, consistent specification with free samples and specialist support rather than general DIY staff.

GF vs Flooring Superstore

Flooring Superstore is a large online seller that competes hard on price across LVT, laminate, engineered wood and carpet. It is strong on choice and value at the budget end. GF is not always the lowest headline price, because it is built to a high specification – the trade is a keenly-priced floor you can sample at home first, backed by a dedicated flooring team.

GF vs UK Flooring Direct

UK Flooring Direct is an online specialist with a wide engineered-wood, laminate and LVT range at competitive prices. GF sits alongside it on price with a consistent own-brand specification and free samples, so you can handle the floor before you commit rather than buy on the strength of a website.

GF vs Direct Wood Flooring

Direct Wood Flooring is an online seller focused on engineered and solid wood, laminate and LVT, often at keen prices. GF is the competitively-priced, high-quality alternative for both wood and vinyl, sold direct with full pricing, free samples and fast free UK delivery.

What GF Offers Instead

GF sits between those two worlds: keenly priced like the online specialists, but built to a high, consistent specification and sold with the service of a dedicated flooring business rather than a general retailer. Because GF is our own brand, we set the spec and the price directly, which is how a premium-grade floor comes in at a competitive number. Every GF floor is sold online with full pricing shown, up to five free samples so you can handle the floor before you buy and fast free UK delivery.

What matters	Big flooring retailers	GF by Grosvenor Flooring
Price	Competitive, keenest at the budget end	Competitive, on a high specification
Specification	Varies widely by range and store	Consistent own-brand spec across the range
Samples	Sometimes limited or chargeable	Up to five free samples per order
Delivery	Varies by retailer	Fast free UK delivery
Advice	General retail or DIY staff	A dedicated flooring team
Supply and fit	Through third parties or not offered	Available in the Altrincham area

GF for LVT

If you were pricing luxury vinyl at any of these retailers, GF LVT covers every way people fit it. GF SPC is a rigid-core click floor that floats over most existing hard floors for a fast, clean installation, ideal if you were looking at a click LVT from Wickes, B&Q or Flooring Superstore. GF Glue-Down LVT and GF by Associated Weavers are the bonded floors for a seamless, high-end finish. All are fully waterproof, underfloor-heating compatible and available across plank, herringbone and stone-effect formats. Browse the full GF LVT range to compare.

GF for Engineered Wood

If you were shopping engineered wood at Tapi, Howdens, UK Flooring Direct or Direct Wood Flooring, GF Engineered Wood is our real-oak alternative on a stable engineered core, in wide planks, herringbone and Versailles panels. It gives you a genuine oak top layer and a consistent, high specification at a competitive price. The GF Engineered Wood review walks through the build in detail.

Where a Big Retailer Might Still Suit You

To be fair about it: if you want to buy your floor in the same trip as a new kitchen or a load of building materials, a high-street retailer like Howdens, Wickes or B&Q is genuinely convenient. And if your only priority is the lowest possible upfront price and you are happy with an entry-level specification, the budget online specialists will often undercut everyone. GF is the pick when you want a floor that is competitively priced but built to last, that you can sample at home first and that comes with the service of a specialist rather than a general retailer.

Match the Look You Have Seen

If you have already found a decor you like at one of these retailers, our flooring matcher tool helps you find the closest GF equivalent and free samples let you compare the two at home before you commit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GF cheaper than Tapi, Wickes or Flooring Superstore? GF is competitively priced against all of them and for the specification you get it is strong value. Against the very cheapest entry-level budget lines it is not always the lowest number, because GF is built to a high spec – the aim is best value, not rock-bottom price.

Is GF good quality? Yes. GF is an own-brand range built to a consistent, high specification, whether that is the wear layer on the LVT or the real oak top layer on the engineered wood.

Can I get samples before I buy? Yes. GF offers up to five free samples per order, delivered to your door, so you can handle and compare the floor at home – something not every retailer offers freely.

Does GF deliver nationwide? Yes. GF ships across the UK with fast free delivery and supply and fit is available in the Altrincham area.

Does GF do both LVT and engineered wood? Yes. GF covers rigid-core click and glue-down LVT plus GF by Associated Weavers and a full engineered-wood range in planks, herringbone and Versailles panels.

The Bottom Line

The big flooring retailers each have their place, but if you want a floor that is competitively priced and built to a high, consistent specification, sold direct with free samples and fast delivery, GF is worth comparing before you buy. Order up to five free samples, use our flooring matcher tool to match a look you have seen, or browse the ranges below.

Further Reading

• GF by Grosvenor Flooring: the value alternative to the big flooring brands
• GF Glue-Down LVT review
• GF SPC vs GF Glue-Down
• GF LVT range
• GF SPC
• GF Glue-Down LVT
• GF by Associated Weavers
• GF Engineered Wood
• Best LVT flooring in the UK 2026 guide