How much does floor screeding cost in the UK?
Floor screeding costs £15 to £35 in the UK, typically around £22 per m². 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.
Price your floor screeding
Adjust for your job and area to get a range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
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 |
| Typical 50 m² | £750 to £1,750 |
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.
Fairly consistent nationally, with London and the South East a little higher on labour.
Common questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.