Floor Coating Costs & Bid Comparison
See what each total includes before deciding which offer fits.
The lowest headline price may leave work out
Two floor proposals can cover the same area but include different removal, repairs, layers, cleanup, and taxes. A price comparison is incomplete until you know what each total buys and which amounts may change.
Separate included work, extras, and allowances
A useful price comparison starts with the same measured area, preparation, and finish. Floor Forge does not publish verified Tri-Valley installation rates. Our calculator uses rates you enter; no coating-price premium, removal percentage, or repair percentage is added automatically.
Put each line into one of three groups: fixed included work, separately priced extras, or provisional allowances. Confirm the approval process for additional work revealed during preparation.
See the budget before committing
- Comparable totals: account for excluded items before comparing prices.
- Visible uncertainty: identify allowances that may change after assessment.
- Traceable arithmetic: use rates from your own proposals or clearly stated assumptions.
Compare the scope, then calculate
Make two bids comparable
Record the inclusions before comparing totals. “Excluded” is a cost you may still face; “allowance” is a provisional amount; “included” should describe the actual work. Obtain written approval rules for work that changes after preparation begins.
| Scope item | Example A | Example B |
|---|---|---|
| Floor area | 450 sq. ft. | 450 sq. ft. |
| Base proposal | $3,600 | $4,000 |
| Old finish removal | $500 additional | Included in base scope |
| Repair allowance | $300 additional | $200 included in base scope |
| Subtotal with listed allowances | $4,400 | $4,000 |
| Still to confirm | Same products, preparation standard, repair quantity, exclusions, taxes, and return-to-use instructions. | |
Example A’s lower headline price becomes the higher listed subtotal. B’s repair allowance is smaller, so an inspection could still change the comparison. These fictional amounts illustrate bookkeeping only; they are not evidence of the cost of removal or repairs in your garage.
How the budget calculator works
Lower total = area × your lower unit rate + your extra amount.
Upper total = area × your upper unit rate + your extra amount.
Use the same rate in both boxes to calculate one total. Enter rates from comparable written proposals, or explicitly treat them as your own assumptions. Add only costs not already included in the unit rate. Results are rounded to cents; that precision describes arithmetic, not certainty about the project.
Worked arithmetic example: 450 sq. ft. × an invented $8–$10 rate, plus $500 removal and a $300 repair allowance entered together as $800, yields $4,400–$5,300. The example numbers are selected to explain the calculation. If the quoted unit rate already includes removal, omit the $500 from extras.
You can describe your floor, preferred system, and visible damage alongside the calculation. Those selections are project context; they do not trigger automatic price changes. A blank area or missing rate pair produces no budget, and you may still submit a project request.
Costs that need an explicit answer
- Assessment and preparation: existing-finish removal, contamination, moisture assessment, and repair quantities.
- Project boundaries: steps, vertical surfaces, cabinets, moving belongings, access, and disposal.
- Pricing terms: minimum charges, taxes, fixed sums versus allowances, and approval of additional work.
- Completion: cleanup, cure restrictions, written care instructions, and the actual warranty remedy.
A site assessment may identify work outside a coating installation. Keep that scope separate until the contractor explains the proposed remedy and price. For written agreements, see the California CSLB contract guide.
Have rates to work with?
Enter your area and comparable rates. Leave unknown figures blank.
Calculate with your rates