How much does floor screeding cost in the UK?
Floor screeding costs £15 to £35 in the UK, typically around £22 per m². What moves the price most is total floor area, so a simpler job sits near the bottom of that range and a larger or higher-spec one near the top. Prices reviewed June 2026.
Screed is the smooth levelling layer laid over a floor base before the final flooring goes down. It is priced by the square metre, with liquid screed costing a little more than traditional sand and cement.
Floor screeding cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your floor screeding in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Need to know how much material to order? Try the sand & cement calculator.
Floor screeding cost breakdown
Typical floor screeding costs, by the unit:
| What | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| Per m², supplied and fitted | £15 to £35 per m² |
| + Liquid / flowing screed (vs sand-cement) | add £3 to £8 per m² |
| + Insulation boards below the screed | add £8 to £18 per m² |
| 25 m² | £375 to £875 |
| 50 m² (typical) | £750 to £1,750 |
| 100 m² | £1,500 to £3,500 |
What's included in the price?
Typical floor screeding prices include:
- Screed material, mixed and laid
- Labour to lay and level
- Basic preparation of the base
What changes the price?
The things that move floor screeding prices most:
Total floor area
Traditional sand and cement versus liquid or flowing screed
Screed depth and whether insulation goes underneath
Access for pumping or barrowing the material
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, floor screeding typically costs around £30 per m², about 30% above the UK average of £22. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £20.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £15 | £20 | £35 |
| London | £20 | £30 | £45 |
| South East / South West | £15 | £25 | £40 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £15 | £20 | £30 |
Guide prices per m², scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Floor screeding cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £15 | £20 | £30 |
| Birmingham | £15 | £20 | £35 |
| Bristol | £15 | £25 | £40 |
| Cardiff | £15 | £20 | £35 |
| Edinburgh | £15 | £20 | £35 |
| Glasgow | £15 | £20 | £30 |
| Leeds | £15 | £20 | £35 |
| Liverpool | £15 | £20 | £30 |
| London | £20 | £30 | £45 |
| Manchester | £15 | £20 | £35 |
| Newcastle | £15 | £20 | £30 |
| Sheffield | £15 | £20 | £30 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for floor screeding, not quotes.
Fairly consistent nationally, with London and the South East a little higher on labour.
Common questions
How much does floor screeding cost?
Floor screeding costs roughly £15 to £35 per m² supplied and laid in the UK, typically around £22. So a 50 square metre floor is about £750 to £1,750. Liquid or flowing screed sits at the upper end and adds £3 to £8 per m² over traditional sand and cement, and adding insulation boards below the screed adds more again.
Can you screed a floor yourself?
A confident DIYer can lay a traditional sand and cement screed over a small area, but getting it flat and level to the tolerances a floor finish needs is genuinely skilled, and a poor screed shows through tiles or laminate later. Liquid screed is a specialist job because it is pumped and self-levels, and is not really a DIY material. For anything beyond a small utility or a garage, a screeding specialist at £15 to £35 per m² is the reliable choice.
What is the difference between sand-cement and liquid screed?
Traditional sand and cement screed is trowelled by hand and is the cheaper option. Liquid or flowing screed is pumped in, self-levels to a very flat finish, and can be laid thinner, but costs £3 to £8 per m² more. Liquid screed is the usual choice over underfloor heating because it flows around the pipes and conducts heat well, whereas sand and cement leaves more air gaps.
How long does floor screed take to dry?
As a rule of thumb, traditional screed needs about one day per millimetre of thickness to dry for the first 50mm, then longer beyond that, so a normal 50 to 75mm screed can take several weeks before floor coverings go down. Liquid screeds can be quicker but still need proper drying. Laying flooring over screed that is not fully dry is a common and expensive mistake, so it is worth waiting and, if needed, testing the moisture.
Do I need screed for underfloor heating?
In a wet underfloor heating system the pipes are usually laid then encased in screed, which protects them and spreads the heat evenly across the floor, so yes, screed is normally part of the job. Liquid screed is preferred because it flows fully around the pipes. Budget for the screed as a line item alongside the heating; see our underfloor heating cost guide for the full picture.
Is screed the same as a concrete slab?
No. The concrete slab or beam-and-block is the structural base that carries the load. Screed is a thinner, smoother layer laid on top to give a flat, level surface for the final flooring. Screed is not a substitute for the slab, and its £15 to £35 per m² price is for that finishing layer, not for the structural floor beneath it.
How long does floor screed last?
As long as the floor above it, provided the depth and the curing were right. Screed is not a wearing surface, it is a level base for the finish that goes on top, so nothing about it degrades with use. Failures are almost always built in on day one, and there are three. Depth is the first: BS 8204 puts a bonded sand and cement screed at roughly 25 to 40mm, an unbonded one at 50mm minimum, and a floating screed over insulation at 65mm, rising to 75mm for a more heavily loaded floor. Thinner than that and it cracks under load. The second is too much water in the mix, which is tempting because it is easier to work with and which leaves the screed weaker and far more prone to shrinking, cracking and curling. Curling is the specific risk with unbonded and floating screeds because nothing restrains them from below, and it shows as lifted edges and steps at the joints. The third is impatience: laying a floor finish before the screed has dried traps moisture under the covering. None of that is visible in a £15 to £35 per m² quote, which is why the depth and the mix are worth asking about.
Is floor screeding worth it?
As a hidden layer, screed is worth it for what it enables rather than as a selling point. At £15 to £35 per m2 it gives a flat, sound base for tiles, wood or vinyl and is needed to cover underfloor heating properly. Buyers never see it, so it adds no value on its own. Spend the money when your floor finish or heating needs a true, level base, not to impress at valuation.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.