How much does microcement cost? How to compare quotes that differ twofold

Why quotes differ so much

Microcement is not paint that is priced by wall area. It is several layers applied by hand, and each depends on what lies beneath. One installer assumes your tiles are stable and only need priming. Another sees that some are loose and prices removing and levelling them. A third has not seen the apartment and quoted a list price. All three numbers are incomparable until you know exactly what they include.

Materials also make a difference. There are complete systems from established manufacturers, where primer, decorative layers and sealer are designed to work together, and cheaper mixes assembled from various sources. For the first few weeks both surfaces may look similar. The difference shows after a heating season, after a few hundred showers and after the first heavy object is dropped.

What affects the price of microcement

Several things affect the cost at once. It is worth knowing all of them, because they explain why two similar bathrooms can be priced differently.

• Condition of the substrate: level, dry concrete needs less work than a cracked screed or tiles that must be levelled and primed.
• Type of room: a bathroom with a walk-in shower needs waterproofing, falls and a carefully detailed drain.
• Number of details: niches, shelves, sills, corners and window reveals take more time than large, simple planes.
• Area: preparation, travel and organisation are spread over the square metres, so a small bathroom can cost more per metre than a large living room.
• Finish: the chosen texture, colour and type of sealer change the number of layers and the working time.
• Site conditions: working in an occupied home, limited access or protecting furniture lengthens the job.

What a reliable quote should include

A good quote describes the scope of work precisely enough for you to set it against another offer point by point. If you receive one figure and the word "microcement", ask for a breakdown. That is not distrust, just normal practice for work that is hard to correct later.

• Scope of substrate preparation: grinding, repairs, levelling, primer, reinforcing mesh.
• Waterproofing in wet areas, including tapes and collars at drains and pipes.
• The name of the system or manufacturer and the number of microcement layers.
• The type of protection, that is the sealer, and the number of coats.
• The timeline, including drying breaks between layers.
• Warranty terms and care instructions handed over at completion.

Where not to economise

When the budget is tight, the cheapest offer is tempting. In microcement, however, some stages come back as problems if you save on them. The first is substrate preparation. Cracks and loose areas underneath transfer to the thin coating, and repairing them afterwards often means removing everything and starting again.

The second is bathroom waterproofing. Microcement alone is not watertight. The whole system makes it so, and its most important part is invisible. The third is the sealer. It protects the surface against water, stains and wear, and largely decides how the floor will look in a few years.

Where you can sensibly reduce the cost

Some decisions reduce the scope of work without risking durability. Simpler geometry, with fewer niches, shelves and corners, shortens the work. Limiting microcement in a bathroom to one or two walls and the floor rather than the whole room also matters. Good preparation before we arrive helps too: an empty room, disconnected appliances and removed skirtings.

It also pays to plan the order of renovation work well. Microcement goes on after services, plastering and most dusty work, but before furniture, sanitaryware and doors are fitted. If other trades leave a ready substrate, you do not pay twice for preparing it.

How to prepare for the survey

The more we know before the visit, the faster we can give a concrete figure. Send photos of each surface, approximate dimensions and information about what is currently on the floor and walls. Tell us whether there is underfloor heating, whether you plan a shower without a tray and when you would like to start. At the survey we check adhesion, moisture and flatness, then send a written quote with the scope broken down.

Questions worth asking every installer

Asking three firms the same questions lets you compare answers, not just amounts.

• Which system do you use, and do all layers come from one manufacturer?
• How will you prepare my substrate, and what happens if it turns out worse than it looked?
• How do you waterproof the shower area?
• How many coats of sealer do you apply, and how do you choose its type?
• What does the warranty cover, and what does it not cover?
• How many days will the work take, and when can I use the bathroom?