How Much Do Concrete Floors Cost? Full Breakdown for Homeowners
You might not think of concrete floors as the first choice for your home, but lately they’ve started to gain some traction. Their popularity has started to increase recently because of how durable they are, the large variety of customization options they have, and how low maintenance they are. When you’re thinking of putting in new flooring the first question that usually comes up is How much does it cost? Well let’s take a closer look at some of the costs that come with concrete flooring.
Initial Costs
The initial cost of concrete flooring changes a lot based on a couple things, but on average you can expect to pay somewhere between $5 and $10 per square foot for relatively simple concrete floors. This price range will include the total concrete material cost, and labor costs.
- Basic Concrete Flooring: The cheaper $5 per square foot price is going to be more of a standard concrete floor. It’s going to be gray, with some basic finishing. It’ll do the job but there won’t be an aesthetic element. This type of flooring is great for outdoor surfaces.
- Stamped Concrete: If you want to go the more decorative route you can get a stamped concrete floor that you can make look like high end stones, brick, or even wood. When you go with a stamped option your cost will increase usually in the range of $8 to $15 per square foot depending on how much customization you need.
- Polished Concrete: These types of floors are perfect for interior floors where you want that really good clean shine effect or where you will be walking barefoot. Polished concrete floors usually cost between $3 and $12 per square foot. The price can vary depending on how much shine you want on the floor and a few other things.
Additional Costs
Here’s a couple more costs to keep in mind that fall outside of the regular concrete installation:
- Preparation and Subflooring: If your current subfloor can’t support a new concrete floor, then your concrete contractor will need to knock out some serious preparation or repairs before installing. This will definitely add to the cost as this is something that cannot be overlooked.
- Color and Staining: Throwing some color or stain on the concrete will also add to the cost of your new floors. Depending on what color you want for your floors you’ll be looking at an increased cost of around $2 to $10 per square foot. This increase is completely based on what color you choose and how many coats you need.
- Insulation and Underlayment: If you live somewhere cold you might need to look into insulation or some sort of underlayment to make sure your concrete floors don’t get too cold. This can add an extra $1 to $3 per square foot depending on what route you choose.
Maintenance Costs
One of the best parts about concrete flooring is that it doesn’t take much to keep them looking great. With interior floors you’ll be looking at regular cleaning like sweeping and mopping like most floors. If you’ve got areas that get more foot traffic than others you may need to seal the concrete every few years to make sure that it stays looking great. For outdoor concrete a regular power washing service might not be a bad idea every few years. These services usually cost around $1 to $2 per square foot.
Conclusion
It’s no wonder that concrete floors have started to take off! With their customization options, and easy upkeep, it’s clear why concrete flooring has gotten so popular in recent years. Savvy homeowners are starting to see the long term benefits of using concrete instead of traditional flooring. While it may cost a bit more upfront, the overall cost of concrete flooring is well worth it.
Our team of concrete pros at Custom Concrete & Forms wrote this article for you! When our Northern Colorado customers are looking for Greeley concrete contractors to provide exceptional service, they turn to us. We have been creating driveways, stamped concrete patios, sidewalks, garage floors and more for over 30 years!