The arithmetic on 1,000 square feet
That is the arithmetic on the market range, and both ends are real. The lower figure is an empty house, a floor in good shape, natural finish and two coats. The upper is stain, three coats of a commercial-grade product and furniture on the move.
Most quotes we write for a thousand feet in a lived-in house come in around $3,600 to $4,400.
- How it is done
- 1,000 square feet is roughly a main floor in a Des Moines two-storey
- What goes on the floor
- one finish system throughout, staged room by room
- Ready to use
- n/a
- Typical cost
- $2.75 – $5.50 per sq ft
- Service life
- n/a
Why big floors cost less per foot
Where a thousand feet differs from a small room is that the fixed costs get spread. Bringing the machines, the extraction and the crew costs the same for 200 feet as for 1,000, which is why the price per foot drops as the area goes up.
It is also usually more than one room, which means doorways, transitions and the question of whether the whole connected area gets done. Stopping halfway through an open plan leaves a colour line at the threshold that never goes away.
Four days on site is typical, and then the finish keeps curing after we leave. Rugs at fourteen days is the number that gets ignored and produces a permanent outline.
Stairs are not part of the square foot rate
Add stairs separately at $45 to $85 per step, because they are hand work and are not part of a square foot rate. A flight of thirteen is $600 to $1,100 on its own.
Doing it in two halves
Splitting a thousand feet into two visits months apart costs meaningfully more than doing it once, and the second half will not match the first. Wood ambers, and six months of light on one half is visible.
Where these prices apply
We cover Des Moines, the western suburbs, the Ankeny corridor and the older neighbourhoods inside the city, including and 18 more areas.
Questions we get asked about cost to refinish 1,000 sq ft
How much to refinish 1,000 sq ft?
$2,750 to $5,500 in Des Moines, and most real quotes for an occupied house land between $3,600 and $4,400.
How long does 1,000 sq ft take?
About four days on site, plus cure time afterwards. Socks at 24 hours, furniture at three days, rugs at fourteen.
Are stairs included?
No. Stairs are priced per step because they are hand work, at $45 to $85 each.
Get a free estimate
Tell us what you need. We answer the same day, the free estimate is on site, and nobody chases you afterwards.
Get a real number for your floor
Call and we will come out, measure, and leave you a written quote. There is no charge for the visit and no obligation afterwards.