What contractors miss when choosing screeding subcontractors - and how to protect your project

If you're managing fast-turnaround fit-out projects, you know the pressure.
Everything is back-to-back. Deadlines are tight.
And getting the screed down isn’t just another task - it’s the start of the entire floor sequence.

That’s why screeding quotes matter.
But not for the reason most think.

The Fit-Out Screed Trap: Competitive Quotes ≠ Competitive Outcomes

You put a screeding package out to tender.
Three or four prices come back. All “competitive.”
On paper, there’s not much in it - so you choose one and move on.

But this is where fit-out contractors can get caught out.
Because the biggest risk rarely lives in the quote.
It lives in what wasn’t written down.

The Real Risk in Screed Quotes Isn’t the Price

Here’s what often gets overlooked when comparing screeding subcontractors:

• Screed arriving unprepared or late due to vague logistics

• Incorrect levels leading to failed QA and costly floor finish issues

• Lack of moisture or substrate checks, resulting in rework

• Confusion on who’s accountable when programme pressure hits

• Subcontracted delivery with zero real oversight

These issues don’t appear in the quote.
But they show up hard and fast once the job goes live.

Why Screeding Assumptions Create Programme Delays

Quotes are often made “competitive” by removing margin for error:

• Assuming your team has prepped the slab

• Assuming site is ready with no delay clauses

• Assuming you’ll carry the QA or post-checks

• Assuming site changes won’t affect quality

That’s how screed packages become “low cost.”
But when those assumptions break?
You're dealing with delays, floor failures, and finger pointing.

What to Ask When Choosing Screeding Subcontractors

If you’re a fit-out contractor, quantity surveyor, or PM, here’s how to avoid costly screed mistakes:

• Has this subcontractor delivered on similar fit-out programmes - at this speed?

• Do they self-deliver or pass the risk down the chain?

• What QA process is in place for levels, prep, and handover?

• Are they using a screed method suited to fast floor finish sequencing - or just defaulting to what’s cheap?

The screeding contractor you choose sets the tone for the entire flooring phase.
Choose based on reliability, not just line-item cost.

Summary: Fit-Out Flooring Depends on Certainty, Not Just Price

The screed package isn’t the place to gamble.

Fit-out programmes don’t have the luxury of rework.
By the time problems appear, your floor layer is already booked, the finish is on order, and the client expects handover.

So if you’re comparing screed quotes for a fit-out project - look beyond the number.
Ask: what’s built in to make sure it gets done right, first time?

That’s what actually protects your timeline.