Thread: I have to submit 2 bids.. 1 cleaning and sealing... 1 polishing and sealing a travertine tile floor

Be sure your client understands that a sealer can make the floor easier to keep clean, but it does not provide shine. The shine comes from polishing.

Examine the floor to determine the condition it is in now and the level you want to reach. One way to do this is with a gloss meter. You can take a reading in an area with little or no traffic, maybe very close to the baseboard. The gloss level in that area would be close to what the tile was when new. That should tell you the look and gloss level the clients want.

Compare that reading with the level in the high traffic areas. Once you know where the floor is now and where you want to go, you can figure out how much polishing is required.

Roughly, expect to raise the gloss level 12 to 15 points for each grit you use. A well maintained floor may only need 1 grit level. A neglected floor may need 4 or 5. An abused or long neglected floor needs resin bonded diamond discs, not pads. Most floors I have seen are in between those extremes.

Just like carpet cleaning, prices vary with markets and levels of service offered. Figure $1 to $1.50 per sq. ft. for the 1st grit level. Maybe .75 to $1 for each additional grit level. These are simply ball park prices. The job situation and your own business practices will influence the price you charge.

Cleaning and sealing would be additional process and an additional charge.

Bid it like you would the Jan stuff. How much time you think you will have invested on the reg maintenance, then add in the monthly, etc stuff like the cost of the pads(pro rated them to how long you think they would last) make a yearly price for it, then break it down to how ever your billing cycle is for them and let that be your bid. I personally alway bid a little cheaper on something inside the same building I already am working in.

Originally Posted by Scott W

Be sure your client understands that a sealer can make the floor easier to keep clean, but it does not provide shine. The shine comes from polishing.

Examine the floor to determine the condition it is in now and the level you want to reach. One way to do this is with a gloss meter. You can take a reading in an area with little or no traffic, maybe very close to the baseboard. The gloss level in that area would be close to what the tile was when new. That should tell you the look and gloss level the clients want.

Compare that reading with the level in the high traffic areas. Once you know where the floor is now and where you want to go, you can figure out how much polishing is required.

Roughly, expect to raise the gloss level 12 to 15 points for each grit you use. A well maintained floor may only need 1 grit level. A neglected floor may need 4 or 5. An abused or long neglected floor needs resin bonded diamond discs, not pads. Most floors I have seen are in between those extremes.

Just like carpet cleaning, prices vary with markets and levels of service offered. Figure $1 to $1.50 per sq. ft. for the 1st grit level. Maybe .75 to $1 for each additional grit level. These are simply ball park prices. The job situation and your own business practices will influence the price you charge.

Cleaning and sealing would be additional process and an additional charge.

You posted at the same time.. I like your reply ALOT better than mine..

I would just use resin diamond disks and polishing powder and forget about the spinergy pads, you will get much better clarity and can hone damaged areas out much better and faster than the spinergy system.

You should indeed make a practice floor in your garage to practice your techniques and get the feel of it. Finnaly, I would do a small demo area to see what it takes to restore, see if you can meet their expectations and get a better idea of how long it'll take. As far as pricing goes you should be able to get around .75 - $1.00 psf per grit level or so maybe a little less if it is a large open area and more if it is very confined area like a bathroom and needs a lot of detail work.