Photo from: Steele Blue Construction and Concrete
Polished concrete installation carries a price tag of approximately $50/m2. For big, complex jobs, the rate could go up to $60/m2.
Where do these prices come from?
Kevin from Vic wanted semi-gloss polished concrete flooring for a 50m2 area in his home. He paid $3,500 for the job, which also included colour staining.
Meanwhile, Adam from NSW spent $3,000 to have high-gloss polished concrete for his 15m2 kitchen. The job did not include colour staining.
Factors affecting the cost of polished concrete services
Concrete polishing is an excellent way to upgrade a dull, outdated, bare concrete slab. With some grinding, polishing, and sealing, your concrete floors will become as good as new and more aesthetically pleasing than before.
Polished concrete flooring experts take a lot of things into consideration whenever they compute for the final price of jobs. These include the following:
Size
One of the main things that determine the price is the size of the concrete floor. It is usually measured per square meter or sometimes by square foot.
From time to time, though, polishing a smaller floor costs higher. This is because businesses might have a harder time operating their equipment if the area is a bit smaller than the average, thus requiring manual labour.
Current floor condition
If your current concrete floor is in good condition — there are no cracks and all sides and edges are perfectly sealed — then you don’t have to worry about additional costs. Otherwise, you’ll need to shell out extra cash for epoxy, filler, and labour. Sometimes resurfacing is necessary too, and that calls for extra expense as well.
Type
There are three kinds of polished concrete: “grind and seal” concrete, honed concrete, and mechanically polished concrete. If you’re on a budget, your best bet is to go with grind and seal. It’s the most affordable option and the easiest to install. The downside of grind and seal, though, is that it doesn’t last very long, and it may need to be replaced in a few years.
Meanwhile, honed concrete is similar to grind and seal, except that it’s more durable. Mechanically polished concrete is the most expensive option but for good reason. It lasts longer than the other two, and it’s also the most aesthetically pleasing.
Polish
How sheen do you want your floor’s finish to be? The more polished you want it, the more grinding it needs. This also means that there’s more work for your contractor to do. Talk to your prospective business to find out how much would be added to the overall project cost.
Floor design
A plain polished concrete floor definitely costs less than a coloured polished concrete floor. Naturally, the price increases as the design of the floor becomes more intricate. There are a lot of designs to choose from so discuss your options with your contractor.
Complexity
Having old concrete removed prior to a new installation will usually be more expensive than simple installation jobs. Expect to pay a premium as well for irregularly shaped, sloping or circular areas. Polished concrete installation for these types of surfaces is more labour-intensive, so it costs more.
Polished concrete rates across Australia
Concreters in both New South Wales and Victoria seem to agree on the price of their services. Polished concrete installation in these states costs around $50/m2. Meanwhile, Queensland concreters charge an average rate of $65/m2 for polished concrete installation.
Pricing information correct as at August 2016.
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