Floor sanding and restoration: plan the work
Start by defining the work, not just the room size. Sanding-only and sanding with a new finish are different offers. This guide helps you prepare a project description and compare what contractors include.
What a floor sanding project can include
Bona’s refinishing overview describes sanding back to bare timber, applying a sealer or stain, and applying the selected finish. That describes a process, not a promise that every floor is suitable or every mark can be removed.
Check the scope before comparing quotations. Wooden Flooring Surrey, for example, advertises both restoration and sanding-only work. Do not assume a sanding-only figure includes the coating you want.
Separate sanding, finishing and repairs
Use these questions to make the proposed work clear before agreeing to it.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Work | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Sanding | Which rooms and surfaces are included? Are edges and stairs specified? |
| Finishing | Which product, appearance and number of coats are included? |
| Repairs | Are loose or damaged boards and gap work itemised separately? |
| Replacement | Does the proposal restore the existing floor or supply and fit a new one? |
Prepare a useful project description
Note the approximate area of each room, the floor type if known, visible damage and the result you want. Record access constraints, furniture that needs moving and your preferred dates. Treat these as information for assessment, not enough to guarantee a final price.
Wooden Flooring Surrey asks for floor dimensions when discussing quotations. You can also prepare an overview photograph and a close-up of visible damage to help explain your project to a contractor.
Understand the price before comparing quotes
Published offers can have different finish inclusions, supplements and minimum charges. Howard Naish and Floorworks illustrate these differences in their own guides. Use the linked cost guide below to compare scope, rather than treating a headline rate as the complete bill.
Choose a local planning guide
The Guildford and Reading guides add local preparation questions. Their presence is not a claim that a contractor is available. Choose the relevant guide below, or continue to the shared UK cost guide.
Questions and answers
Does a sanding price include the finish?
Not necessarily. Sanding-only is an advertised option, while other offers include a finish. Ask for the product and number of coats to be stated.
Are repairs included?
Check the individual quotation. Howard Naish, for example, itemises repairs, gap filling and staining separately. Do not assume another provider uses the same scope.
Sources and review dates
- Wooden Flooring Surrey: service scope
Advertised distinction between sanding-only and restoration, and use of dimensions for quotations. Not verification of availability or a partnership.
Reviewed: - Bona: full sanding and new surface
Basic refinishing stages only. Not a project duration, suitability assessment or guarantee of damage removal.
Reviewed: - Howard Naish: London pricing
One provider’s advertised London hardwood sanding range, VAT and finish inclusions. Not a UK or Guildford average.
Reviewed: - Floorworks: flooring services prices
Existence of provider-specific minimum charges and separately priced work. VAT treatment was not established; numeric rates are not reproduced.
Reviewed: