Floor Screeding Cost: A UK Price Guide
Floor screeding in the UK typically costs between £12 and £25 per m2 supplied and laid, depending on the type of screed, the depth and the size of the area. A traditional sand and cement screed sits at the lower end of that range while a pumped liquid screed usually costs more per m2 but covers large areas far faster. The figures below are indicative market ranges rather than a quotation; the specialist contractor confirms the exact price in a written quotation after a site survey.
Key takeaways
- Expect £12 to £25 per m2 for most screeding work. Depth, screed type, access and area size all move the price within that range.
- Sand and cement is usually cheapest per m2. Liquid screed costs more per m2 but is laid much faster, so large floors can close the gap.
- Small areas cost more per m2. Minimum charges and fixed setup costs mean a single room is priced differently to a whole floor plate.
- Depth is a bigger cost driver than most people expect. A 75mm screed uses nearly double the material of a 40mm one.
- The written quotation comes from the contractor after survey. Levels, substrate condition and drying requirements can only be priced once they have been measured.
How much does floor screeding cost per m2?
These are the ranges we see across the UK market in 2026 for supply and lay. Regional rates, access and programme pressure all shift prices, so treat them as a planning guide rather than a price list.
| Screed type | Typical cost per m2 | Typical depth |
|---|---|---|
| Sand and cement screed | £12 – £20 | 65 – 75mm |
| Liquid (anhydrite or cement based) screed | £14 – £25 | 35 – 50mm |
| Fast drying screed systems | add £2 – £5 to the base rate | as specified |
| Self-levelling compound | £10 – £18 | 3 – 15mm |
Labour only rates are lower but most commercial screeding is priced supply and lay, which is how the table above is built. Self-levelling compound is the most thickness-sensitive line in the table: at the thicker end of its range it is often priced by material volume rather than a flat m2 rate. On top of the per m2 rate a project may carry costs for preparation, priming, day joints, movement joints and moisture testing before the final floor goes down. Check whether a quotation includes VAT when comparing prices.
What affects the cost of screeding?
Area size. Screeding carries fixed costs: crew, pump or mixer hire, travel and setup. Spread over a 500m2 warehouse floor they barely register; on a 15m2 room they dominate, which is why small areas are often priced as a minimum charge rather than per m2.
Depth of screed. Material volume scales directly against depth. Whether the screed is bonded, unbonded or floating sets the minimum depth band. Bringing a floor up 75mm costs substantially more than a 40mm topping and a floor with badly out of level areas may need variable depths that add both material and time.
Screed type. Sand and cement is the familiar baseline. Liquid screeds cost more per m2 in material terms but a pumped installation can lay in a day what a hand laid screed covers in a week, so on large or programme critical projects the overall cost often favours the pump.
Substrate condition. A sound, clean slab is ready to screed. Contaminated, cracked or friable substrates need subfloor preparation first: grinding, repairs or a primer system, each with its own cost line.
Drying time and programme. A standard screed is estimated at roughly 1mm per day for the first 40mm in good drying conditions, slower beyond that, so a 50mm screed can hold a programme up for weeks. Fast drying systems cost more per m2 and earn it back by letting the final floor go down sooner. Where a resin floor follows, moisture testing, usually a relative humidity test, confirms the screed is dry enough to coat.
Access and logistics. Upper floors, restricted sites and out of hours working all add labour time and therefore cost.
Sand and cement or liquid screed: which costs less?
On a straight per m2 comparison sand and cement usually wins. The picture changes on bigger floors. A liquid screed is pumped and self-compacting, needs a smaller crew for the same output and can often be laid thinner for the same duty, so on large areas the total installed cost can come out level or better. Liquid screeds also suit underfloor heating because they flow around pipes without voids, though anhydrite screeds need the surface laitance sanded off before resin or adhesives go down. The floor screeding page covers the technical differences in more depth.
Screed cost in context: what it does for the finished floor
A screed is rarely the finished surface. It is the flat, sound layer that a resin floor, tiles or another covering depends on. Skimping on the screed to save a few pounds per m2 is a false economy because dips and high spots can telegraph through thinner finishes and correcting a failed screed costs far more than laying it right once. Where the final surface is resin, the screed specification and the coating specification need to line up on strength, flatness and moisture, which is exactly what the survey establishes. For thin corrections under a resin system a self-levelling epoxy resin system can sometimes do the levelling and finishing in one.
How Surface Specialists fits in
Surface Specialists is a network of vetted specialist contractors covering screeding and resin flooring across the North West and beyond. We qualify your enquiry and match it to the right contractor for the job. The contractor carries out a free site survey, measures levels and moisture and provides a written quotation, typically within 48 hours. The prices in this guide are market ranges to help you budget; the quotation is the number to build on.
Frequently asked questions
How much does floor screeding cost per m2 in the UK?
Most screeding work falls between £12 and £25 per m2 supplied and laid. Sand and cement sits toward the lower end, liquid screed toward the upper end. Small areas often carry a minimum charge instead of a per m2 rate.
Is liquid screed more expensive than sand and cement?
Per m2, usually yes. Per project, not always: pumped liquid screed covers large areas much faster and can often be laid thinner for the same duty, so on big floors the installed totals are often closer than the per m2 rates suggest.
How much does it cost to screed a single room?
A typical domestic room usually prices as a minimum charge job. The fixed costs of crew, equipment and materials mean the per m2 rate is higher than for a large floor, so expect the contractor to quote a job price rather than a rate.
What depth of screed do I need?
A bonded sand and cement screed is commonly 40mm or more and an unbonded or floating screed 65 to 75mm, while liquid screeds can go thinner for the same duty. The survey confirms the depth your floor actually needs, which is one of the main things the price depends on.
How long does screed take to dry before flooring can go on top?
Roughly 1mm per day for the first 40mm in good drying conditions, slower beyond that, so a 50mm screed can need several weeks. Fast drying systems shorten that to days. Moisture testing before the final floor is laid is the reliable check.
Do these prices include preparing the existing floor?
No. The ranges cover supply and lay of the screed itself. Grinding, repairs, priming or a damp proof membrane are priced separately once the survey has established what the substrate needs.
Get an exact price for your floor
Market ranges get a budget started; a measured survey gets you a real number. We arrange a free site survey through a vetted specialist contractor, who provides a written quotation typically within 48 hours and there is no obligation. Contact us to get started.