Published guides put floor levelling compound at £6–£30 per m² (Checkatrade, 2026). A sand-and-cement screed averages about £33 per m² including labour (Checkatrade, May 2026), and self-levelling screed is £27–£36 per m² (MyBuilder, August 2026).
Price prep as a separate line, and say how you'll charge for anything you find once the old floor is up.
The tiles only finish as flat as the floor underneath them. Prep is also where most tiling quotes lose money: it's hard to see at the survey, slow to do, and easy to throw in for free. Here's what published guides say it costs, and how to put it on the quote.
Published floor prep prices
| Item | Typical UK price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Floor levelling compound (where the subfloor is uneven) | £6–£30 per m² | Checkatrade, 2026 |
| Sand and cement screed, 75 mm (materials) | £18–£20 per m² | Checkatrade, May 2026 |
| Screed labour | £12–£16 per m² | Checkatrade, May 2026 |
| Screed, materials and labour (average) | about £33 per m² | Checkatrade, May 2026 |
| Self-levelling screed | £27–£36 per m² | MyBuilder, August 2026 |
| Fast-drying screed | £26–£34 per m² | MyBuilder, August 2026 |
| Removing old tiles | £10–£25 per m² | trade2base, June 2026 |
Checkatrade also gives a screeding day rate of about £250, or £30–£40 an hour. A 20 kg bag of levelling compound usually covers around 1 m² at 10 mm deep, so compound use rises quickly with depth.
Levelling compound or screed?
- Levelling compound (a few mm up to the depth the product allows) evens out dips and humps in an otherwise sound floor. It's the most common tiler's prep.
- Screed (typically 50–75 mm) is for new floors, big level changes or bringing a floor up to height. It's often done by a screeding contractor, and it needs time to dry before you can tile.
- Boarding timber floors with tile backer board or ply, to give a stiff, stable base. Price the boards, fixings and your time.
How to price prep without losing money
- Check the floor at the survey with a straightedge or laser, and note where it's out.
- Price what you can see as a fixed line, for example "level kitchen floor, average 5 mm, 12 m²".
- Agree a rate for what you can't see. Write it on the quote: "additional levelling over 5 mm charged at £X per m² per mm" or "at day rate".
- Allow for drying time. If you can't tile until tomorrow, the prep day is a day you can't spend tiling.
Sources
- Checkatrade: Floor screeding cost · updated May 2026; screed materials, labour and day rate
- MyBuilder: Floor screed prices · updated 21 August 2026; screed types and labour
- Checkatrade: Porcelain tile flooring installation costs · 2026; floor levelling compound per m²
- trade2base: Wall tiling costs UK · June 2026; removing old tiles per m²
Prices change. Figures were checked on 20 October 2026; always check current costs and your own figures before quoting.