How much waste should I allow when ordering materials per square metre?

The amount of waste allowance depends on the material and the room shape. For flooring, allow 10% extra for rectangular rooms and 15% for rooms with many cuts or diagonal laying patterns. For tiling, allow 10-15% for standard layouts and up to 20% for diagonal or herringbone patterns. For plastering and painting, 5-10% extra is usually sufficient. Always round up your order to the nearest full unit (box, bag, or tin) to ensure you have enough.

What is a typical cost per square metre for flooring in the UK?

Flooring costs per square metre in the UK vary widely by material. Laminate flooring typically costs £15-30/m2 (supply and fit), engineered wood £30-60/m2, solid hardwood £40-80/m2, carpet £15-40/m2, vinyl/LVT £25-50/m2, and ceramic floor tiles £30-60/m2 (supply and fit). These are guide prices and vary by region, quality of material, and complexity of the installation. London and the South East tend to be 15-25% higher.

Square Metre Calculator — Calculate Floor Area for Quoting

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Cost per square metre (supply and fit)

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Typical Trade Costs per Square Metre

Guide prices for common trade work in the UK (supply and fit, ex-VAT).

Trade / Work Type	Cost per m²	Notes
Laminate Flooring	£15 - £30	Supply and fit, mid-range material
Engineered Wood Flooring	£30 - £60	Supply and fit, including underlay
Ceramic Floor Tiles	£30 - £60	Supply and fit, standard layout
Porcelain Floor Tiles	£40 - £80	Supply and fit, harder material to cut
Carpet (mid-range)	£15 - £40	Supply and fit, including underlay
Vinyl / LVT	£25 - £50	Supply and fit, click or glue-down
Plastering (skim coat)	£12 - £20	Skim over existing surface
Plastering (new plasterboard)	£25 - £45	Board and skim, walls or ceilings
Painting (walls)	£8 - £16	Two coats, prep included
Wall Tiling	£30 - £55	Supply and fit, standard ceramic
External Rendering	£40 - £80	Including scaffolding access

How to Measure and Calculate Square Metres

Accurate measurements are the foundation of good quoting. Whether you are pricing flooring, tiling, plastering or painting, getting the square meterage right means you order the correct amount of materials and quote the right price.

Measuring Rectangular Rooms

For a simple rectangular room, measure the length and width in metres using a tape measure or laser measure. Multiply the two numbers to get the area in square metres. Always measure at the widest points, including alcoves and recesses that will need covering.

Measuring Irregular Rooms

For L-shaped, T-shaped or irregular rooms, break the space down into smaller rectangles. Measure each rectangle separately, calculate the area of each, then add them all together. This calculator lets you add multiple "rooms" -- use each row for a separate section of an irregular space if needed.

Allowing for Waste

Always add a waste percentage to your material order:

Flooring (straight lay) -- add 10% for waste and cuts
Flooring (diagonal / herringbone) -- add 15-20% for extra cuts
Tiling -- add 10-15% depending on tile size and pattern
Plastering -- add 5-10% for mixing waste
Paint -- buy to the nearest full tin, rounding up

Using Square Metres in Your Quotes

Quoting by the square metre makes your pricing transparent and professional. Customers can see exactly what they are paying for, and you can easily adjust quotes if the scope changes. Use tools like QuoteSmith to build detailed proposals with area-based line items that look professional and win more work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about calculating square metres for trade work.

How do I calculate square metres for a room?

Multiply the length by the width (both in metres). For example, a room 5m x 4m = 20m². For L-shaped rooms, split into two rectangles, calculate each separately, and add them together.

How much waste should I allow when ordering materials?

Allow 10% extra for rectangular rooms with straight-lay flooring, 15% for rooms with many cuts or diagonal patterns. For tiling, 10-15% for standard layouts, up to 20% for herringbone. For plastering and painting, 5-10% is usually sufficient.

What is a typical cost per square metre for flooring?

Laminate flooring typically costs £15-30/m² (supply and fit), engineered wood £30-60/m², carpet £15-40/m², and vinyl/LVT £25-50/m². Prices vary by region and material quality. London and the South East tend to be 15-25% higher.

How do I convert square feet to square metres?

Multiply square feet by 0.0929 to get square metres. For example, 200 sq ft = 18.58m². To convert square metres to square feet, multiply by 10.764. For example, 20m² = 215.28 sq ft.

Square Metre Calculator