How much does it cost to restore stamped concrete or paving?
Restoration costs €15 per m² plus IVA, or €18.15 per m² with IVA at 21 %. It applies to stamped (imprinted) concrete, plain concrete and block paving that are still level and stable but have faded, stained or developed surface cracks. The surface stays where it is; it is cleaned, repaired and recoated.
That is why restoration is so much cheaper than replacement. There is nothing to dig up, no rubble to take away and no new sub-base to build. Compared with the turnkey rate for new block paving, €84 per m² plus IVA, restoring an existing surface costs well under a fifth as much per square metre, provided the ground under it is sound.
Owners searching for the cost to reseal a driveway or a stamped concrete sealant cost often find prices for a single clear sealer coat. Our rate is for a fuller treatment: the surface is repaired and given new colour with a tinted resin, then protected. If you only want cleaning, or only a clear coat, ask and we will price that scope separately.
What does the €15 per m² include?
The rate includes five stages of work, carried out in order, each of which appears as its own line in the written quote. Nothing is applied before the surface has been cleaned and repaired, because a coating only performs as well as the surface underneath it.
- Pressure washing to remove dirt, moss, loose material and old flaking coatings.
- Filling cracks and holes with acrylic filler or mortar, depending on their size.
- Masking walls, steps, door frames and planted edges with masking tape.
- Applying tinted acrylic resin in two coats, by roller and brush.
- Applying a final protective coat over the coloured surface.
We work with Mapei products. The colour is agreed with you beforehand; the photos on this site show a driveway and garage finished in dark grey. The technique behind each stage is explained on our specialist restoration site, for example on stamped concrete renovation and crack and small-damage repair.
What does a real 350 m² restoration quote look like?
Below is a real quote for a 350 m² surface, anonymised, with every line exactly as priced. It shows how the per-m² rate is made up and which item carries most of the cost. No timescale is given, because that depends on weather and on the condition found on the day.
| Item | Quantity | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure washing | 350 m² | €1.20 | €420.00 |
| Surface repair: filling cracks and holes with acrylic filler or mortar | 350 m² | €2.00 | €700.00 |
| Edge protection with masking tape | 350 m² | €0.50 | €175.00 |
| Tinted acrylic resin (two coats) | 350 m² | €9.50 | €3,325.00 |
| Final protective coat (optional) | 350 m² | €1.50 | €525.00 |
| Final cleaning and removal of tape | 1 unit | €100.00 | €100.00 |
| Total net | €5,245.00 | ||
| IVA 21 % | €1,101.45 | ||
| Total with IVA | €6,346.45 |
Read the table from the bottom up and the logic is clear. The per-m² items add up to €14.70, and the fixed final clean adds €100, so the net total divided by 350 m² comes to just under €15 per m². The tinted resin is by far the largest line, at almost two thirds of the net amount, because it is both the material and the most labour-intensive stage.
Notice that the protective coat is marked optional in this quote. It was offered as a separate line so the owner could decide whether to include it. A full explanation of each line, and of the choices behind it, is in the guide to the sample 350 m² quote.
When is restoration the wrong choice?
Restoration is the wrong choice when the problem is structural rather than cosmetic. A coating renews colour and seals the surface; it cannot lift a sunken area, re-level a rocking paver or fix a base that has washed out.
- If parts of the surface have sunk or hold water in hollows, the base needs repair first; see the cost of fixing sunken paving.
- If slabs of concrete are broken right through or moving, replacement is usually more sensible than coating.
- If the surface is sound but grey, stained, patchy or lightly cracked, restoration is a good fit.
- If you simply want a different look on a stable surface, the tinted resin changes the colour without demolition.
When sinking and wear appear together, the two jobs can be combined: the dropped area is repaired first and the whole surface restored afterwards, so the colour is uniform. For the repair side, our sister site on lifting and relaying sunken pavers explains the method.
What can make a restoration quote higher or lower?
The main variables are the amount of crack repair, the complexity of the edges and the size of the area. The published rate assumes an ordinary level of wear and a surface with a reasonable perimeter for its size. Anything outside those assumptions is described in the quote, so you can see where a difference comes from.
- Many wide cracks or holes increase the surface repair line.
- Lots of steps, walls, planters and door thresholds increase masking and cutting-in.
- Old coatings that are flaking badly may need extra preparation beyond normal washing.
- Very small areas carry fixed costs, such as the final clean, over fewer square metres.
- Leaving out the optional protective coat reduces the total, as the sample quote shows.
To compare this with other routes, the page on cost factors explains the drivers that apply to every paving job, and the article block paving versus stamped concrete sets out the cost differences between the two surfaces over their life. To see a band for your own area straight away, use the restoration and paving calculator.
How do you get a restoration quote for your property?
Send us a photo and the approximate m² – free, no-obligation quote. Include a wide view, a close-up of the worst cracks or stains, and a picture of the edges where the surface meets walls or steps, because those determine how much masking is needed.
If you are abroad, the photos can come from whoever looks after the property. We reply with a figure built on the same lines as the sample quote above, so you can compare it item by item. The guide on quotes from photos shows which pictures save time.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to restore a stamped concrete driveway?
Restoring a stamped concrete driveway costs €15 per m² plus IVA, or €18.15 per m² with IVA. That includes pressure washing, crack and hole filling, edge masking, tinted acrylic resin in two coats and a final protective coat. It is an indicative rate confirmed by a written quote.
What did the 350 m² sample quote cost in total?
The anonymised 350 m² quote came to €5,245.00 net, plus €1,101.45 IVA at 21 %, giving €6,346.45 in total. The largest item was the tinted acrylic resin in two coats, at €3,325.00 net.
Is the protective coat optional?
In the sample quote it was offered as an optional line at €1.50 per m², so the owner could choose. Our standard €15 per m² rate includes it. If you prefer to leave it out, the quote shows the lower total without that line.
Can block paving be restored instead of replaced?
Yes, if the pavers are level and stable. Block paving can be pressure washed, repaired where needed and coated with a tinted resin and protective coat at the same €15 per m² plus IVA rate. Sunken areas must be repaired first.
Does restoration fix a sinking driveway?
No. A coating renews the colour and surface, but it cannot correct a base that has moved. Sunken areas are repaired first, from €30 per m² plus IVA, and the restoration is then applied over the whole surface for an even finish.
Why is resin the biggest line in the quote?
Because it combines the coloured material with the most careful stage of the work: two coats applied by roller and brush across the entire area, cutting in at every edge. In the 350 m² example it made up almost two thirds of the net total.
Which products do you use for restoration?
We work with Mapei products. The specific system depends on the surface and its condition, and the colour is chosen with you before any work starts. The written quote describes each stage of the work.
Is cleaning included or charged separately?
Pressure washing is the first stage of the €15 per m² rate. In the sample quote it appears as its own line at €1.20 per m², and a final clean with tape removal appears as a fixed €100 item.
How long does restoration take?
We do not publish timescales, because they depend on the weather, the size of the area and the condition found on site. Your written quote and our conversation before starting cover how the work will be organised around your use of the property.
Can you restore a garage floor as well as the driveway?
Yes. Garage floors and their aprons are restored in the same way, and doing both together gives a continuous colour. The garage area is measured with the rest and priced at the same rate per m², with masking around walls and door frames.