Polished concrete is a great flooring option for those looking for a stone-style aesthetic with little maintenance.
It has the look of luxury materials like granite and marble without breaking the bank. It’s ideal for creating linking indoor to outdoor areas, such as connecting a kitchen-diner with a garden.
Because of its affordability, you may be wondering how much you should expect to pay for polished concrete flooring.
This article covers the costs associated with building a polished concrete floor and what sort of factors can alter those costs.
Cost Per m²
Below is a breakdown of the costs that make up a typical polished concrete floor. The rates are for South East/Outer London regions.
| Item | Cost per m² Labour | Cost per m² Materials | Cost per m² Plant | Total Cost Per m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excavation | £14 | - | £14 | £28 |
| Disposal of Excavated Material | £7 | - | £22 | £26 |
| Blinding Layer | £5 | £5 | - | £10 |
| Hardcore | £9 | £16 | - | £25 |
| Concrete Floor - 150 thick | £8 | £50 | - | £58 |
| Insulation 100 thick | £5 | £15 | - | £20 |
| Damp proof membrane | £1 | £2 | - | £3 |
| Polished Screed - 100 thick | £27 | £20 | £6 | £53 |
| Total | £76 | £108 | £42 | £226 |
Factors Affecting the Cost
There are a couple of factors that may affect the cost.
- Reinforcement requirements. Reinforcement may be needed in slab depending on loading requirements. If this is the case, expect to pay am additional £19/m².
- Depth of excavations required. This will also impact disposal and hardcore costs
- The design of the floor structure. The specification or dimensions of items such as insulation, concrete, screed and floor finish are all impacted by design, therefore impacting cost. Some examples include:
- Larger buildings need a thicker concrete base, more support and reinforcement.
- High-performance insulation like Kingspan Thermafloor may only need to be 100mm thick to reach a certain U-Value. Lower-grade mineral wool insulation may need 200mm/300mm thick.
- Different hardcore depths may be used to make-up levels where excavations have had to be particularly deep to find good ground.
- Location. The prices quoted in the table above apply for the South East or Outer London area. The adjustments below can be used to calculate costs in your area.
| Region | % Adjustment |
|---|---|
| South East (Southampton, Oxford, Kent, Outer London) | 0 |
| Inner London | +4% |
| South West (Bristol, Exeter) | -4% |
| West Midlands (Birmingham) | -10% |
| East Midlands (Northampton, Nottingham, Leicester) | -10% |
| East Anglia (Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich) | -5% |
| North West (Liverpool, Manchester) | -12% |
| Yorkshire and Humberside (Leeds, Sheffield) | -11% |
| North East (Newcastle, Sunderland) | -10% |
| Scotland (Edinburgh, Glasgow) | -6% |
| Wales (Cardiff, Swansea) | -9% |
| Northern Ireland (Belfast) | -12% |
Benefits
Low Maintenance
Polished concrete flooring is simple to clean and maintain. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who doesn’t have the time or energy to clean it.
There are no messy waxes or coatings needed and the corresponding costs of labour to apply them. A damp mop or daily broom sweep is all you need to prevent dirt accumulating.
Very Durable
Polished concrete flooring is ideal for places there is a lot of foot traffic. The material is strong and resilient. It is also very difficult to damage and is unlikely to get chipped or scratched.
Polished concrete floor don’t become discoloured unlike wood or carpeted floors.
Long Life Span
When properly installed and sealed, polished concrete can last more than a 100 years, even in harsh commercial environments. It has a longer expectancy than other flooring methods like wood laminates or vinyl tiles.
You’ll save money long-term because you’ll never to need to remove and replace worn or damaged flooring.
Get Prices on Polished Concrete Flooring Near You
We’ve done our best to give you a good idea of what you can expect to pay for polished concrete flooring.
However, our guides are not a substitute for a fixed written quote specifically for you.
We work with all the best polished concrete floorers ready to price your job. Get free, no-obligation quotes in your local area and compare prices using the form below.
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About the Author
Alex Johnson is a qualified quantity surveyor and writer with a passion for conducting original research and uncovering the true cost of jobs. His cost data has been referenced by EDF Energy and the Scottish Government.