Is $12 per square foot fair for a shop floor in Nepean?

At $12 per square foot, your quote sits in the middle of the about $8 to $15 per square foot installed that published 2025-2026 contractor ranges give for commercial and industrial-grade epoxy. Whether it is fair depends on what the quote actually includes.

A few things shape where a shop floor lands in that range. The condition of the existing slab matters: a floor with cracks, spalling, old coatings or adhesive residue requires more prep work, and surface prep that is not already bundled into the quote runs about $1 to $3 per square foot extra on published contractor pages, with heavy resurfacing costing more than that. The system specified also affects price: the number of coats, any broadcast aggregate and the product itself all show up in the quote. If the slab tests above the product's moisture limit, a moisture-tolerant primer may be needed, and we found too few published prices to give a range for that item alone. Cove base, line striping and after-hours or phased work to keep the shop running can also be priced separately.

On the regulatory side, floor coating work in an occupied commercial building is likely construction work under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Before work begins, WSIB policy 14-02-19 requires you to obtain a clearance certificate for the contractor and keep it current while they are on site.

Before comparing this quote to others, ask the contractor to spell out exactly what surface preparation is included and how they will handle any cracks or damaged areas found once grinding starts.