Floor sanding and finishing for homes

Homeowners, landlords, letting agents, and builders or decorators who sub out the floor work.

Usually a price per square metre, quoted after a site visit, with extras for stairs, gap filling, staining or tricky patterns such as parquet.

• Confident with power tools
• Attention to detail for a smooth finish
• Quoting and measuring jobs
• Physically fit for heavy kit

• Public liability insurance, and check what cover you need for damage to floors and property
• Fine wood dust is a health and fire risk, so check rules on dust extraction, masks and safe disposal of dust and finish-soaked rags
• Older floors may have been treated with hazardous materials, so check before sanding if a building is very old
• You will need a van to carry heavy machines
• Mistakes such as sanding too deep can be costly, so practise on offcuts first

Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £10,000, depending on the machines, dust extraction, finishes and vehicle you need. These are estimates, so price up your own kit and insurance before deciding on a budget.

Monthly revenue is typically around £1,500 to £6,000, depending on how many floors you complete and your prices. This is an estimate of revenue rather than profit, and the idea assumes at least around 15 hours a week.

Check what public liability cover you need for damage to floors and property, and the rules on dust extraction, masks and safe disposal of dust and finish-soaked rags. Also check older floors for hazardous materials before sanding, and practise on offcuts first.