Concrete Flooring Costs UK — Screed, Polished Concrete and Overlay Pricing Guide (2026)

Concrete flooring covers everything from a basic sand:cement screed under tiles to a showpiece polished concrete floor in a commercial reception. The costs vary enormously — and so do the drying times, substrate requirements and finishing options. This guide breaks down what screeding and concrete flooring actually costs in the UK in 2026, how to quote it properly, and the technical details that catch out contractors who don't know the product.

Concrete Floor Types and Use Cases

Understanding which product a client actually needs is the first part of any concrete flooring quote. There are five main categories used in UK residential and commercial construction:

• Structural concrete slab — the base pour forming the floor itself, typically 100–150mm in domestic construction. This is the groundworker's territory, not the screed layer.
• Sand:cement screed (traditional) — the workhorse of UK flooring. Mixed on-site or delivered semi-dry, trowelled or power-floated, applied over the structural slab to provide a level wearing surface or a bed for floor coverings.
• Liquid anhydrite screed (flowing screed) — a calcium sulphate-based self-levelling screed pumped in and spread by bar, widely used over underfloor heating systems. Faster to lay, dries differently, and requires specialist aftercare.
• Polished concrete — either grinding and polishing an existing structural slab, or finishing a new slab to a high-gloss, exposed-aggregate or satin finish using a diamond grinding and densifier process. Primarily decorative and used in commercial, retail and high-end residential.
• Microcement / concrete overlay — a polymer-modified cement coating 2–5mm thick applied over existing floors, walls or tiles. Gives a concrete aesthetic without demolition. Interior only unless specialist external grades are used.

Sand:Cement Screed Costs

Traditional sand:cement screed remains the most common choice for residential work. Pricing depends on whether the screed is bonded directly to the substrate or floating over insulation, and on access, mix specification and area.

The lower end of the range applies to large, unobstructed areas with good access. Small rooms, awkward shapes, doorways and lots of pipework push the rate toward the top. Many screeding contractors apply a mobilisation charge of £150–£350 for small areas below 30m² — the mix volume doesn't justify the set-up otherwise.

Sand:Cement Screed Drying Times

The standard rule of thumb is one day per millimetre of thickness at 20°C with normal ventilation. A 65mm floating screed therefore needs around 65 days before most floor coverings can go down. Key milestones:

• Foot traffic (walks in): 24–48 hours — screeds can be walked on lightly but not loaded.
• Floor coverings (tiles, LVT, carpet): 4–6 weeks minimum for a 65mm screed under normal conditions.
• With drying additives: Some proprietary admixtures (e.g. Mapei Planicrete, SikaFloor additives) reduce drying time significantly — 7–10 days is achievable for thinner screeds with the right product and forced drying.

Moisture testing before laying floor coverings is non-negotiable. A relative humidity (RH) probe in the slab is the most reliable method — most floor covering manufacturers require 75% RH or below before installation.

Liquid Anhydrite Screed (Flowing Screed) Costs

Liquid anhydrite screed — sometimes called calcium sulphate screed or flowing screed — is pumped in from a truck and spread to a consistent depth using a screed bar or laser level. It's self-levelling, which reduces labour time significantly on large pours.

Pump hire is typically included in the m² rate on larger jobs (200m² and above) where the economics stack up for the contractor. On smaller residential pours, expect a separate pump charge.

Anhydrite Screed and Underfloor Heating

Liquid anhydrite screed is the preferred choice for underfloor heating (UFH) systems. It encapsulates the heating pipes fully and has better thermal conductivity than sand:cement, meaning the system responds faster and distributes heat more evenly. The screed flows around pipes without air voids — a real advantage over manually mixed screeds.

UFH commissioning requirements: the heating system must be run through a controlled warm-up programme after the screed has dried (typically starting at 25°C and increasing by 5°C per day up to operating temperature). This drives out residual moisture. Never commission UFH before the screed has dried for the correct period — it causes cracking.

Anhydrite Screed: Critical Aftercare Notes

Anhydrite screed must be primed before tiling. The laitance surface that forms on top must be removed by light sanding, and a dedicated primer (such as Ardex P 51 or Mapei Primer G) applied to seal the surface. Crucially, anhydrite screed must not be allowed to get wet after priming — the calcium sulphate binder is water-soluble and will be compromised. Tile adhesive must be applied immediately after the primer is tack-dry. This catches a lot of tilers out who treat it the same as a sand:cement bed.

Drying time is faster than sand:cement with forced drying (dehumidifiers and ventilation). Dedicated anhydrite screeds from suppliers like Gypsol or Flo screed can be ready for floor coverings in as little as 14–21 days on a 40mm residential pour with forced drying.

Polished Concrete Costs

Polished concrete is a multi-stage process using industrial diamond grinding equipment. The finish quality — from a basic matte grind to a high-gloss mirror finish — determines the number of grinding passes and therefore the cost. It's primarily used in commercial, retail, warehouse and high-end residential settings.

The Diamond Grinding Process

Polished concrete is achieved through a progressive sequence of diamond-bonded grinding discs, starting coarse and working to fine:

• Coarse grind (16–40 grit): Opens up the surface, removes high spots, old coatings or laitance. Determines how deep the aggregate exposure will be.
• Medium grind (80–150 grit): Refines the surface, removes coarse scratches.
• Fine grind (200–400 grit): Produces a smooth, semi-polished finish. Densifier is applied at this stage — typically lithium or sodium silicate — which reacts with calcium hydroxide in the concrete to harden and densify the surface.
• Polish (800–3000+ grit): Brings up the sheen. High-gloss finishes use 1500–3000 grit resin pads. The floor is then sealed with a penetrating or topical sealer.

Polished concrete does require maintenance — periodic resealing (every 1–3 years depending on traffic) and cleaning with pH-neutral products. Acid cleaners, bleach and abrasive pads will damage the finish. Make sure clients understand this before sign-off.

Microcement and Concrete Overlay Costs

Microcement (also called micro-screed, concrete overlay or microtopping) is a 2–5mm polymer-modified cement coating applied over existing substrates. It's popular for renovation projects where the client wants a concrete aesthetic without the cost and disruption of removing existing tiles or screeds.

The system is applied in layers: a primer to bond to the existing substrate, a fibre-reinforced basecoat (typically 2–3mm), one or two topcoat layers for colour and texture, and a polyurethane or epoxy sealer for durability. Colour options are wide — anything from raw concrete grey to coloured pigment finishes.

Key limitation: microcement is interior only as a standard product. External applications require specialist polyurea or exterior-rated products and are significantly more expensive. The material is also sensitive to substrate movement — if the existing tile or screed is cracked or hollow, the microcement will reflect those defects. A thorough tap-test survey of the substrate is essential before quoting.

Allow 7 days after completion before wet mopping. Full chemical resistance is achieved at around 28 days. Clients should use pH-neutral cleaners and avoid dragging heavy furniture across the floor in the first month.

Floor Levelling and Preparation Costs

Before any screed or overlay goes down, the substrate needs to be properly prepared. These costs are often overlooked in initial quotes and become the source of disputes later.

Self-levelling compound (SLC) is used to bring a floor to within tolerance (typically 3mm in 3m) for vinyl, LVT or engineered wood installation. It's not a structural product — it's a finish prep layer, usually 3–10mm. Scarifying removes contamination, paint or weak laitance from a slab before bonded screed application. SBR bonding slurry (styrene-butadiene rubber mixed with cement) is the standard primer coat for bonded sand:cement screeds — it significantly improves adhesion and reduces the risk of delamination.

Moisture Testing — The Step Most Contractors Skip

Moisture-related failures account for a disproportionate number of flooring insurance claims in the UK. New concrete slabs contain enormous amounts of free water — a 100mm slab can contain 30–40 litres of water per m² — and this needs to evaporate before most floor coverings are installed.

The main testing methods used in the UK:

• Wood moisture meter (surface): A quick indication tool only. Not adequate as a standalone test for floor covering installation sign-off.
• Tramex CME (non-invasive): A reliable site tool that reads moisture without drilling. Good for screening large areas quickly, but give false readings on anhydrite screeds (the calcium sulphate affects the signal).
• RH probe in slab (ASTM F2170 / BS 8201 method): The definitive test. A sleeve is drilled into the slab, a hygroscopic probe inserted and sealed, and a reading taken after equilibration (typically 72 hours). The threshold for most floor coverings is 75% RH or below. Some adhesive manufacturers permit up to 85% RH with specialist products.

Always document moisture test results in writing and include them in handover packs. If a client pushes back on the timeline because the screed is "dry enough," a written test result protects you when the floor covering fails six months later.

How to Quote Concrete Flooring Jobs

Concrete flooring quotes need more detail than a simple m² rate. Here's how professional screeding and flooring contractors structure their pricing:

• Base m² rate for the screed or finish type, clearly specifying product, thickness and application method.
• Mobilisation charge for small areas — most contractors apply a minimum charge of £350–£600 to cover set-up, waste disposal and the uneconomic nature of small pours. State this upfront.
• Pump hire — if liquid screed is involved and the area is under 150–200m², price pump hire separately at £300–£600/day rather than absorbing it into the m² rate.
• Preparation works — SBR slurry, scarifying, debris removal. These should be line items, not assumptions.
• Drying time — specify the expected drying period in the quote. This sets expectations with the client and the follow-on trades (tiler, floor layer) and protects you if they try to rush the process.
• Moisture test — include the cost of a formal RH test and state that floor coverings must not be installed until the agreed moisture threshold is reached.

Red Flags to Watch For

Whether you're quoting a job or reviewing someone else's work, these are the warning signs that something is likely to go wrong:

• No drying time specified in the quote. If the client or main contractor pushes tiles down on a 65mm screed at two weeks, the failures will be attributed to the screeder. Put it in writing.
• No moisture test before floor coverings. Visual assessment or "it feels dry" is not acceptable. Insist on a documented RH probe test.
• Screed over a contaminated substrate. Old adhesive residue, paint, oil, or a dusty laitance surface will cause delamination of a bonded screed. Scarify or blast-clean before laying.
• Anhydrite screed without priming before tiles. Skipping the laitance removal and primer step on anhydrite will lead to adhesion failure, particularly in wet areas.
• Microcement over a hollow or cracking substrate. Movement in the base will crack the overlay. Tap-test everything and either repair or remove hollow areas before proceeding.
• UFH commissioned before screed has cured. Rapid heating causes thermal shock and cracking. Commission heating systems only after the screed has reached the correct RH level and following the manufacturer's warm-up protocol.

Tracking Which Concrete Flooring Projects Make You Money

Screeding and concrete flooring companies often win jobs through a mix of word of mouth, repeat builders, Checkatrade, Google and direct contact from main contractors. The problem is that most don't know which of those channels brings in the best projects — the ones with the right area, access, product specification and margin.

A polished concrete job from a commercial developer at 400m² has completely different economics to a residential 20m² microcement bathroom referred by a kitchen fitter. Both might show up in your revenue as "jobs," but tracking which marketing channel generates which project type means you can put budget where it actually returns.

Trade2Base is built for exactly this — screeding contractors, flooring companies and concrete specialists who want to see, in one place, where their enquiries come from, which sources generate the most valuable projects, and where to focus growth. No generic CRM complexity, just the data that matters for a concrete flooring business.