Estimate your basement below, then check the moisture section before you take a quote at face value. A basement slab sits against the ground, so moisture changes both the price and whether epoxy is a good idea.
Default dimensions, allowances and prices are example inputs. Replace them with your measurements and product label. Leave unknown product limits blank.
Estimated cost
Enter the floor size to see an installed price range.
Cost Breakdown
Next Step
Use the range to check quotes. Ask how the slab will be tested, how the concrete will be prepared, and what the warranty says about moisture.
Direct Answer
Professional epoxy costs about $4 – $10 per square foot installed, so a 500 sq ft basement runs roughly $2,000 – $5,000 on a dry, sound slab. A vapor barrier adds about $1 per square foot. DIY kits cost about $0.50 to $2.70 per square foot in materials.
Takeaways
Cost guides rarely price basements separately, so these figures use the same national epoxy floor rates as our garage calculator. Expect to land higher in the range if the crew has to carry equipment down a narrow stair or work around posts and mechanical equipment.
| Basement size | DIY kit (materials) | Pro epoxy, dry slab | With vapor barrier | With resurfacing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 sq ft | $150 – $810 | $1,200 – $3,000 | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,100 – $5,100 |
| 500 sq ft | $250 – $1,350 | $2,000 – $5,000 | $2,500 – $5,500 | $3,500 – $8,500 |
| 800 sq ft | $400 – $2,160 | $3,200 – $8,000 | $4,000 – $8,800 | $5,600 – $13,600 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $500 – $2,700 | $4,000 – $10,000 | $5,000 – $11,000 | $7,000 – $17,000 |
| 1,200 sq ft | $600 – $3,240 | $4,800 – $12,000 | $6,000 – $13,200 | $8,400 – $20,400 |
Vapor barrier at about $1 per sq ft (installer quoted by Bob Vila). Resurfacing at $3 – $7 per sq ft (HomeGuide 2026). Some contractor price lists show $2 – $4 per sq ft for moisture-mitigating primers, so ask for this as its own line on the quote.
Find out before you get quotes. Standard epoxy forms a tight film, so vapor rising through the slab collects under the coating and can push it off. These are the common tests, from the quick DIY check to the ones a professional uses.
| Test | How it works | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic sheet | Tape an 18 × 18 in sheet to the slab and wait at least 24 hours | No condensation and no darkened concrete |
| Concrete moisture meter | Read the slab with a meter such as a Tramex CME | 4% or less for Sikafloor-200 |
| Calcium chloride (ASTM F1869) | Measures the vapor emission rate at the surface | 3 lb per 1,000 sq ft, per Carboline |
| In-slab humidity probes (ASTM F2170) | Measures relative humidity inside the concrete | 80% for standard coatings per Carboline; 75% for Simiron 2000PA |
The plastic sheet test only shows whether moisture is present, not how much. Your coating's data sheet sets the limit that counts for your job.
A moisture test measures one moment. Carboline points out that all of these tests capture conditions at a single point in time, and Simiron warns that seasonal changes in ground moisture can cause too much vapor transmission whatever the earlier readings showed. Its data sheet says a suitable moisture barrier must be in place for slabs on grade.
| Item | Typical cost | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Vapor barrier or moisture primer | About +$1 per sq ft | Failed test, or no barrier under the slab |
| Patching cracks and chips | $25 – $250 per job | Most older floors |
| Resurfacing | $3 – $7 per sq ft | Spalled or badly uneven concrete |
| Removing old paint or sealer | Ask for a quote | Any previously coated floor |
| Coating stem walls | Usually charged as an extra | If you want the coating to run up the wall |
| Contractor minimum | $500 – $1,000 per job | Small rooms |
| Grinder rental (DIY) | $100 – $200 per day | DIY jobs that need mechanical prep |
Sources: Angi and This Old House (patching), HomeGuide (resurfacing), Bob Vila (vapor barrier, minimum, stem walls), ArmorGarage (rental). Prices compiled in the epoxy garage floor cost calculator.
Yes, if the slab stays dry. Epoxy works well in a basement workshop, gym, or laundry area, where a seamless and easy-to-clean floor is useful. Skip it if the basement floods, if water seeps through cracks after rain, or if the slab keeps failing moisture tests. Bob Vila notes that solid epoxy is not recommended for high-moisture areas.
DIY materials for a 500 sq ft basement run about $250 – $1,350. ArmorGarage's own example puts a 1,000 sq ft basement at $1,158 in kits, or $1.16 per square foot. DIY suits a slab that has passed its moisture test and has no old coating. Hire a pro if the slab needs a moisture system or heavy repair, because those steps decide whether the floor stays down.
Installed prices use the shared rates behind our floor cost calculator, which are U.S. national averages. No major cost guide we checked publishes a separate basement rate, so treat these as planning ranges and confirm them with local quotes.
Turn square feet and coats into gallons and kits for your basement.
The trade-offs, how long it lasts, and why floors fail.
FAQ
About $4,000 – $10,000 installed on a dry, sound slab, or $5,000 – $11,000 with a vapor barrier. DIY materials run about $500 – $2,700.
A standard epoxy coat will not. It traps vapor under the film, which is how floors blister and peel. Moisture-tolerant primers exist for that job, and they are chosen and priced separately. Liquid water needs a drainage fix.
It depends on the slab and the products you compare, so get a price for each. Include the moisture work in both quotes, because a damp slab causes trouble under most floor coverings.
For Sikafloor-200 at 68°F, allow 24 hours for foot traffic, 3 days for light use, and 7 days for full cure. At 50°F those become 30 hours, 5 days, and 10 days. Your product's sheet takes priority.
Related Pages
Epoxy garage floor cost: $4–$10 per sq ft installed, about $1,600–$4,000 for a 400 sq ft 2-car garage. Compare DIY kits, flake, metallic, and polyaspartic.
How much epoxy a garage or basement floor needs: turn square feet, coats, and your kit's coverage rate into gallons and kits to buy, with waste and material cost.
The real pros and cons of epoxy flooring: how long it lasts, why it peels or yellows, what it costs per year, and when another floor is the better choice.
Polyaspartic costs $5 – $12 per sq ft installed against $4 – $10 for epoxy. Compare cure time, yellowing, working time, and which suits your garage.
How to epoxy a garage floor step by step: moisture test, grinding, mixing, coating, and cure times by temperature, with a timeline and a materials list.
Reviewed · Calculation notes and corrections