How to Quote Epoxy Floor Coating in Australia
The money in an epoxy floor is made or lost on the prep. Here's how to quote a coating job — grinding, moisture, multiple coats and all — so the number you send is the number you finish on.
Epoxy floors are a solid earner when they're priced properly and a fast way to lose a weekend when they're not. The trap is almost always the same: underestimating the surface prep. Grinding, crack repairs, moisture and cure times all sit between the bare concrete and the topcoat, and each one has a cost. This guide breaks an epoxy quote into its real parts so nothing disappears into a rough per-square-metre guess.
What a good epoxy quote covers
An epoxy coating is a multi-stage job, and every stage needs a line. Measure the floor with a laser first, add 5–10% for waste, then price:
- Surface preparation — grinding or shot blasting to the right concrete profile, plus crack and divot repairs.
- Moisture testing — and a vapour-barrier primer if the slab reads high.
- Coating system — primer, base coat and one or two topcoats, specified by exact product.
- Consumables — rollers, brushes, mixing paddles and spiked shoes.
- Equipment hire — floor grinder, industrial vacuum and diamond tooling.
- Extras — decorative flake, anti-slip aggregate or line marking, each as its own item.
- Disposal — old coatings, grinding dust and empty product drums.
Never quote an epoxy floor from photos. A slab that looks smooth in a picture can be spalled, oily or damp in person — and every one of those changes the prep. Always walk the site.
Epoxy systems and what they cost
The system you spec drives both the material cost and how many visits the job takes. Confirm the floor's intended use before you choose — a home garage and a commercial kitchen are not the same brief. As a supply-and-install guide:
| System | Cost / m² | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard two-part epoxy | $50–$90 | Garages and general-purpose floors |
| Decorative flake | $80–$130 | Showrooms and homes wanting a finish |
| Polyaspartic | $90–$150 | Fast turnarounds and UV-exposed areas |
| Urethane cement | $120–$200 | Commercial kitchens, chemical and thermal shock |
Coverage rates vary a lot between brands, so check the manufacturer's litres-per-square-metre and price the exact product series you're quoting. Pull current supplier pricing on the day — coating prices move without warning.
Pricing the surface prep
Prep is the foundation of the whole job, and skimping here guarantees callbacks. It's also where most of the hidden cost lives. Your quote should cover:
- Mechanical grinding or shot blasting to reach the required Concrete Surface Profile (usually CSP 2–3) so the coating keys in.
- Crack, divot and spalling repairs with epoxy patch compound before any coating goes down.
- Moisture testing — a calcium chloride test (ASTM F1869) or a moisture metre as part of the initial assessment.
- Vapour-barrier primer where moisture reads high, which adds both material and a coat of labour.
- Equipment hire — grinder, tooling and vacuum, priced as a separate line, not folded into the rate.
Working out labour and cure times
Labour is usually the biggest number on an epoxy quote, and cure times stretch it across days. Each coat is generally a separate visit, so travel and set-up repeat. Break the labour into discrete tasks rather than one figure:
- Cleaning, grinding, crack repairs and vacuuming — the prep block, often a full day on its own.
- Priming, then base coat, then topcoat — each with its own set-up and drying window.
- A standard 36m² garage might run one tradie a full day for prep and primer, then two half-days for the coats around cure times.
- Travel to and from site for every visit, at your hourly rate — not free time.
- Extra hours for tight access, multiple colours or a flake system.
Build a 10–15% contingency into every epoxy quote. Excess concrete repair, a damp slab or awkward access are common surprises, and the contingency keeps them out of your own pocket.
Common mistakes that eat your margin
- Underestimating the prep. A rough or contaminated slab always takes longer and uses more material than a clean one. Assess the concrete honestly and price the grinding to match.
- Assuming the area is cleared. Spell out what needs to be moved and who's responsible. Shifting a full garage on the day is unpaid time you didn't quote.
- Ignoring access. A tight stairwell or a busy loading dock is slower than an empty warehouse. Access changes the labour hours — factor it in.
- Skipping the moisture test. A slab that reads high needs a vapour-barrier primer. Miss it and the coating can bubble or delaminate — a full redo on your dime.
- Quoting off yesterday's prices. Coating and consumable prices fluctuate. Confirm current supplier pricing before the quote goes out.
Pro tips for a profitable epoxy quote
- Always do a site visit — never quote an epoxy floor sight unseen.
- Carry a 5–10% material waste allowance on every job.
- Name the exact system and brand in the quote so there's no confusion later.
- Charge crack and surface repairs as separate items, priced once you've seen the slab.
- Allow for multi-day cure times in both the labour and the schedule.
- List equipment hire — grinder and vacuum — as its own line.
- State clearly what's in and what's out, right down to who moves the gear.
ServiceYak keeps your prep, system and hire rates in a reusable kit and adds GST automatically, so you can itemise a multi-coat epoxy quote on site and send a clean PDF the same day.
Frequently asked questions
How much does epoxy floor coating cost per square metre?
Supplied and installed, a standard two-part epoxy runs about $50–$90/m², decorative flake $80–$130/m², polyaspartic $90–$150/m² and industrial urethane cement $120–$200/m². Heavy prep pushes those higher.
Why is surface prep so important on an epoxy job?
The coating only bonds to a properly ground, sound and dry slab. Weak prep — wrong profile, unrepaired cracks or high moisture — leads to peeling and bubbling, which means a full redo. It's the single biggest driver of both cost and callbacks.
How long does an epoxy floor take to complete?
A standard garage is usually a few days rather than one. Prep and primer might fill a day, then each coat needs its own visit around cure times. Build those drying windows into your schedule so you're not promising a next-day finish.