Project example: a 2-car flake epoxy floor in Harmony Grove — what the job involves and what it costs

The scenario

A household in a planned community of newer homes wants a garage floor that hides the dust of a dry inland summer. The two-car garage has a sound, smooth slab, free of old paint, and no visible cracks.

The concrete is only a few years old, so the installer does not assume it has dried. A moisture test is made before the order is placed. The reading calls for a moisture-mitigating primer, which becomes a separate line in the bid.

The owners choose a full broadcast in a tan, brown and cream blend that matches the stucco, so the installer prepares a custom mix. The top coat is a UV-stable chemistry because the door faces the afternoon sun.

The household also asks about the association. The garage floor is interior work, but the installer sends the board a short note about the dates and the contractor's parking.

What the job involves

1. The household clears the garage and the installer takes moisture readings at several spots.
2. A diamond grinder with a dust shroud opens the surface and a vacuum collects the dust.
3. The vapor-barrier primer goes on per the data sheet, then the pigmented base coat is rolled.
4. Flakes are thrown by hand to full cover and left to cure.
5. Loose flakes are scraped and vacuumed, and the clear top coat is rolled on.
6. The garage is ventilated and the floor is kept clear until the data sheet allows traffic.

Materials and prep

• Diamond grinder, dust shroud and HEPA vacuum
• Moisture-mitigating primer and pigmented base coat
• Custom blend of color flakes in plain unlabeled boxes
• Clear UV-stable top coat, rollers and spiked shoes

Add-ons often paired with this job

• Moisture-vapor barrier primer — +$400–$1,000. Added after the moisture test; a young slab can hold water longer than expected.
• Custom flake blend — +$100–$300. A mix of colors matched to the house, instead of a stock blend.
• Moving garage contents out and back — +$100–$300. Moving shelving and storage out and back is a separate line.

Why it is done this way

Concrete keeps releasing water long after it looks dry, so a young slab can be the riskier one. The test is cheap next to a blistered floor, and the primer is what a high reading buys.

Grinding, the base coat, the flakes and the top coat are inside the system rate. Moisture control and the custom blend are separate flat items, which is why two bids for one garage can differ until the items are lined up.

Entering 420 square feet on the home page and ticking those two options reproduces the ranges shown here.

What would change the price

• The moisture reading is low and the primer line drops out.
• The household picks polyaspartic flake in place of epoxy.
• The garage is a three-car layout.
• A stock flake blend replaces the custom mix.
• The stem wall and garage steps are added.