Does grinding and prep add much to an Ottawa floor quote?

Surface preparation is a real cost line, not a formality. Published 2025-2026 contractor ranges put standard prep at about $1 to $3 per square foot on top of the coating work when it is quoted separately, though some contractors bundle it into their system price, so the first thing to check is whether a quote includes prep or prices it as a separate line.

What drives that number for your facility comes down to several factors, none ranked above the others:

• Slab condition: Cracks, spalls, old adhesive residue, paint or a previous coating all require additional work before a new system can go down. The contractor should identify these on a site visit.
• Old coatings or tile: ask how the contractor will remove them and what that adds. Old vinyl tile and black mastic may contain asbestos; have them tested before any grinding begins.
• Surface profile required: ICRI concrete surface profiles (CSP 1 through 10) describe how rough the concrete must be before coating. One manufacturer's data sheet asks for about CSP 2 and above for a polyaspartic; another asks for CSP 3 to 4 for a resinous system; another asks for CSP 3 to 5 for a urethane cement. The profile the chosen system requires sets the extent of the mechanical work.
• Moisture testing: ASTM F2170 (in-situ relative humidity probes) and ASTM F1869 (calcium chloride vapour emission) are the two standard test methods. Results show the slab's condition only at the time and locations tested, per ASTM F2170. If moisture is high, a moisture-tolerant primer may be needed; published contractor ranges for moisture-mitigation primers are too few to give a range here.
• Heavy resurfacing: Where concrete is badly damaged, resurfacing costs more than standard prep. We found too few published prices to give a range for that work.

On the regulatory side, OHSA s.30(1) requires the owner to determine whether designated substances are present at the project site and prepare a list before work begins, and under s.30(3) that list must reach every prospective contractor before a binding contract is signed. Asbestos, crystalline silica and isocyanates are among the designated substances listed in O. Reg. 490/09.

To compare quotes fairly, line up what each one says about the coating product and its data sheet, the prep method and target surface profile, moisture testing and what happens if the slab fails, the number of coats or thickness specified in the data sheet, cove base linear footage, anti-slip texture, and the closure window the data sheet supports, so you are comparing the same scope across every number you receive.