Floor sanding costs: what to check in a UK quote
A price per square metre is useful only when you know what it covers. Separate sanding, finish and repairs, then check minimum charges and tax treatment. The example below is a published provider guide, not a LocalAnyDay quote or a UK market average.
Start with what the price includes
Wooden Flooring Surrey advertises sanding-only as well as restoration. Other offers include a finish. Compare the same work before deciding that one figure is cheaper. Ask whether repairs, staining, gap filling and preparation are separate.
A published price example, not a market average
Checked on 10 September 2026: Howard Naish’s London guide advertised hardwood floor sanding and finishing at £36–£60 per m² including VAT (£30–£50 plus VAT). It specified three coats of lacquer or two coats of oil, with repairs, gap filling and staining itemised separately.
This is one London provider’s advertised guide range. Its effective date was not established, and the provider determines the project price after assessment. It is not a Guildford or Reading rate, a representative UK average or a price available from LocalAnyDay. The original guide is linked in Sources below.
Why a per-square-metre rate is not the final total
Floorworks publishes a sanding minimum charge for smaller areas. Its guide also separates optional work. These are that provider’s terms, not an industry-wide minimum. We have not reproduced its numeric rates because VAT treatment was not established from the inspected page.
Ask how the minimum is applied and which extras remain outside the quoted scope. Do not combine one provider’s rate with another provider’s minimum to calculate a supposed market price.
Compare quotes on the same basis
Use this checklist when reviewing a written proposal. An unanswered item is a question to resolve, not evidence that the work is included.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Item | What to clarify |
|---|---|
| Area and surfaces | Measured area, rooms, edges and any stairs |
| Scope | Sanding-only, sanding with finish, or wider restoration |
| Finish | Named product, number of coats and requested colour |
| Repairs and gaps | Specified repairs, materials and separate charges |
| Preparation and access | Furniture, access, preparation and disposal responsibilities |
| Total and tax | VAT status, minimum charge and excluded work |
| Assessment and timing | What needs inspection, and the contractor’s instructions for returning to use |
What these examples cannot tell you
This research does not establish a Guildford or Reading average, current contractor availability or the condition of your floor. It does not establish a universal completion or curing time. Ask the eventual contractor for a project-specific scope and product-specific instructions.
Plan the work and choose a location
Continue with the floor sanding scope guide or the Guildford and Reading project guides in the related links below.
Questions and answers
Does a per-m² price cover everything?
Only the individual scope can tell you. Check finish inclusions, repairs, preparation, minimum charges and VAT before comparing totals.
Can a small room have a minimum charge?
Yes, some providers publish minimum charges. Floorworks is one example; this does not establish a universal minimum or another contractor’s terms.
Are London prices the same as Guildford or Reading prices?
The London example does not establish a Guildford or Reading price. It illustrates a clearly scoped offer, not a price survey across locations.
Sources and review dates
- 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: - 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: