Pricing factors
What Affects the Price of Liquid Screed
Seven variables, not one mysterious number. Here's what actually moves a liquid screed quote up or down.
Find out what's driving your number
Name, phone, email — we'll reply the same working day with a fixed price.
Homeowners often assume liquid screed is priced off a single national rate card. It isn't. Every quote we write reflects a combination of factors specific to that site, and understanding them means you'll never be surprised by a figure again.
None of these factors are hidden or unusual — they're the same variables any competent installer should be pricing against. The difference between a good quote and a vague one is whether it tells you which of these are driving your number.
Below are the seven factors we weigh on every survey, roughly in order of how much they typically move the price.
Rough weight of each factor on a typical quote
Largest single driver
Job size
Scales material cost directly
Depth / m³
Can add crew time and relay cost
Access
Adds prep and dewatering checks
UFH in the build-up
The seven factors, explained
- Job size — mobilisation is a fixed cost, so small jobs carry a higher per-m² rate; see our small-job page
- Depth — material is bought by volume, so deeper pours cost more per m² even at the same area
- Site access — long hose runs, narrow gateways or upper floors all add crew time
- Underfloor heating — pipework checks, pressure testing and edge insulation take extra care
- Subfloor preparation — uneven slabs, damaged membrane or missing insulation add work before we even pour
- Screed type — cement-based (Cemfloor) and calcium-sulphate (anhydrite) mixes price differently
- Programme — a rushed booking or an awkward pour date can affect crew and plant availability
What moves the price up vs down
Tends to push the price up
- Very small or split-up pours
- Poor or restricted site access
- Uneven or damaged subfloor
- Tight or last-minute programme
Tends to keep the price efficient
- Larger single-visit pours
- Clear, confirmed pump access
- Insulation and DPM already down
- Booked with reasonable lead time
Find out what's driving your number
Send us your floor plan and we'll walk you through exactly which of these factors apply to your job.
If you understand these seven factors, you'll understand almost any screed quote you're given — including ours.
— Exeter Liquid Screeders
What Affects Screed Price — questions we get asked
Keep reading across the site
Find out what's driving your number
Send us your floor plan and we'll walk you through exactly which of these factors apply to your job.