Professionally installed microcement in Melbourne starts from $200 per square metre plus GST. Starting prices depend on the surface:
| Surface | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Floors and walls | $200/m² + GST |
| Bathrooms | $350/m² + GST |
| Joinery and benchtops | $500/m² + GST |
Every project is measured and quoted on its own terms, because the same finish can involve very different amounts of work from one room to the next.
This guide explains what sits behind that number, so you can compare quotes properly and plan a budget before you call anyone.
What the price includes
A microcement price should cover the whole system, not just the final coat. Ours includes:
- Substrate preparation: cleaning, repairing and priming the surface so the system bonds properly.
- Reinforcement: a mesh layer that helps the finish move with the building instead of cracking.
- Base and finish coats: several thin layers, each trowelled by hand and left to cure before the next.
- Sealing: the protective sealer that makes the surface water-resistant and easy to clean.
We install Decora Diamond Floor, which is formulated without crystalline silica. That matters on site and in the finished room, and it is worth asking about when you compare products.
What moves the price
Area
Microcement is applied in several coats, with curing time between each. A small ensuite still needs the same number of site visits as a larger room, so smaller jobs cost more per square metre. Larger, open areas usually come in closer to the starting rate.
The surface underneath
The condition of the substrate is one of the biggest variables. A sound, flat concrete slab needs little work. Cracked screeds, uneven floors or loose tiles need repair or levelling first.
Microcement can often go straight over existing tiles if they are well bonded, which avoids the cost, noise and time of demolition. At Paloma Pizza Bar in Hawthorn, the terracotta floor was laid directly over the old tiles.
Floors, walls and wet areas
Floors and feature walls are the most straightforward, from $200/m². Bathrooms and showers take longer: more corners, niches, falls to the waste and detailing around fixtures, so they start from $350/m². Benchtops and joinery have edges and returns finished by hand on every face, and start from $500/m². All prices are plus GST.
Waterproofing
In a bathroom, microcement is the finish, not the waterproofing. A certified waterproof membrane goes underneath, as the building code requires for wet areas. Make sure any quote you compare says whether waterproofing is included and certified.
Detail and access
Stairs, curved walls, deep reveals, tight access and staged work around other trades all add time. They are usually what separates a simple floor from a complex fit-out, like the curved seating and joinery at 330 Collins Street.
Microcement compared with tiles
On a square-metre basis, microcement is not the cheapest finish. The comparison changes when you look at the whole job:
- No demolition when it can go over existing tiles.
- No grout lines to clean, reseal or replace.
- One continuous surface across floors, walls and even joinery, without trims or joins.
For many projects, especially renovations, those savings narrow the gap.
Why quotes can differ so much
If two quotes are far apart, check what each one includes:
- How many coats are applied.
- Whether reinforcement mesh is used.
- Which sealer is used and how many coats of it.
- Whether substrate repairs and priming are included or extra.
- Whether waterproofing is included and certified.
A lower rate that leaves out preparation or sealing often costs more later.
How to get an accurate quote
The more we know, the closer the first number will be. Send us:
- The rooms and surfaces you want finished (floor, walls, shower, benchtop).
- Approximate areas in square metres, or plans if you have them.
- Photos of the existing surfaces.
- Your timing.
Request a consultation and we will come back with a clear, itemised price. For more answers, see the microcement FAQ.