Costed: Flooring options and prices for the all-important finish

Floor finishes are an important consideration for a project, as they need to be suitably robust and also create the right environment and ambience. Floor finishes are required in a wide range of different building types and there are many floor types available to suit the nature of the project – be it residential, commercial or another setting.

To achieve the desired appearance and performance it is equally important to ensure the right substrate. The substrate is important to achieving a neat finish as it will pick up any issues with levels/surface irregularities and the like.

As floor finishes are a heavily used element of a building, whole life costs can be considered, reviewing maintenance and replacement time­scales to ensure that the correct selection for the intended use is made at the outset. Depending on the use of the building there may be other considerations, such as acoustics, hygiene, fire, safety, etc. There may also be heritage or conservation matters to consider if refurbishing an existing building.  

There can be many factors influencing costs of floor finishes, such as the shape of the rooms/area (as an irregular shape may increase wastage), the quantity, substrate, where the finish is to be sourced, and quality. The following guide rates are for supply and installation of a range of floor types, reflecting typical rates seen in tender returns. The rates do not include costs for main contractor preliminaries or overheads and profit, nor professional fees/other add-ons. The rates also do not allow for any attendances such as power, protection, storage, etc.

At the time of preparation (1Q21) there are some implications from Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. It is important to consider the origin of materials, whether they are to be imported, and what the lead-in times are.

Rates are a guide only and are Q1 2021 excluding VAT. They do not include any contractor prelims