What You Get for €15 per m² + IVA
Our guide rate of approximately €15/m² + IVA pays for four things: pressure washing, routine crack repair, brush cut-in along every edge and two coats of synthetic resin paint. It does not pay for fixing the ground, new paving, parking lines, indoor floors or IVA itself.
Send us a photo and the m²Why does the rate bundle everything together?
Because each stage depends on the one before. Paint will not bond to a dirty surface, cracks show through colour if they are not filled, and a single coat on weathered concrete rarely gives an even tone.
Selling these stages separately would only make the headline price look lower. We prefer one honest rate for the finished result, with the same content every time.
What does the cleaning stage involve?
The surface is pressure washed to remove dirt, algae, moss and the chalky, loose top layer that builds up on old concrete. The aim is a sound, clean base for the first coat.
Ordinary dirt and organic growth are covered by the rate. Exceptional problems, such as thick layers of old paint or deep oil soaking, are assessed from photos. More detail is on the pressure washing cost page.
Which repairs are covered?
The cracks you would expect on a driveway or patio that has weathered normally are filled before painting. Once coated twice, they blend into the new colour.
Small potholes, spalled patches, open joints and chipped edges are minor repairs we also carry out; if there are more than a normal surface would show, they appear as a separate line. The crack repair cost page explains where that line is drawn.
What is cut-in and why is it part of the price?
Cut-in is painting the edges by brush: along walls, posts, steps, kerbs, gates and drains. It is done before the open areas are rolled, so the finish meets every edge cleanly.
It is slow, careful work, and cheap quotes often skimp on it. Including it in the rate means you never see a separate charge for doing the edges properly.
Why two coats rather than one?
The first coat covers the faded surface and soaks into the more porous areas; the second evens out the colour and builds the depth and gloss owners notice. On the Marbella reference job, the result was a dark, glossy, uniform finish across driveway, carport and garage apron.
What sits outside the rate?
Anything that is not a refresh of an existing outdoor surface. We list these openly so the guide price is not misleading.
- IVA, added at 21% or 10% depending on the legal conditions.
- Ground and structural work: a moving or sinking base, broken-through slabs, engineering assessment.
- New surfaces: laying new concrete, imprinted concrete or paving.
- Work we do not do: parking lines and numbers, indoor floors, industrial warehouse floors.
- Municipal paperwork and fees, where the town requires them.
Each of these is explained in our guide to what the price does not include, with sources for the regulatory points.
Which surfaces is the rate designed for?
It is designed for existing outdoor concrete, imprinted concrete and sound block paving that look tired but are structurally fine. Driveways, carports, garage aprons, patios, terraces, paths and pool surrounds all fit. The rate covers each of them in the same way.
The rate assumes the surface stays where it is. If a section has to be broken out and relaid first, that is a different trade, and the refresh rate only applies once the new or repaired surface is ready.
Would it be cheaper to buy the stages one by one?
Usually not, and it is harder to compare. When a contractor prices washing, filling and painting separately, the stages that look optional, such as cut-in or the second coat, are the first to disappear from the total.
A bundled rate keeps the specification fixed. You can then compare quotes on price alone, knowing that the content of the work is the same, which is the point our article on cheap and expensive quotes makes in more detail.
What does the rate look like in real numbers?
| Area | Guide price before IVA | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|
| 25 m² patio | €375 | Wash, fill, cut-in, two coats |
| 40 m² carport | €600 | Wash, fill, cut-in, two coats |
| 90 m² driveway | €1,350 | Wash, fill, cut-in, two coats |
The content of the work does not change with the size; only the area does. That is what makes per m² pricing easy to check. To see how condition and access can move a figure, read how a quote is worked out.
Does the rate include the colour choice?
Yes. Choosing a colour does not change the price per m². A shade close to the original works, as does a deeper tone that hides tyre marks and dust; we agree it with you before the first coat.
If you want to see the effect on a surface like yours, the driveway painting cost page and the gallery show plain and imprinted surfaces before and after.
Frequently asked questions
What does €15 per m² include?
Pressure washing, routine crack filling, brush cut-in along all edges and two coats of synthetic resin paint. It is the price for a full refresh of a sound, normally weathered outdoor surface with reasonable access. IVA is added on top, and the price is confirmed from photos.
Is cleaning really included?
Yes. Pressure washing is the first stage of every refresh and is part of the rate. Ordinary dirt, algae and moss are covered. Exceptional problems such as thick old paint or deeply soaked oil are assessed from photos and, if they need extra work, shown as a separate line.
How many coats do I get?
Two full coats of synthetic resin paint. The first covers the faded surface and the second evens out the colour and depth. We do not quote single-coat jobs at this rate, because one coat on weathered concrete rarely gives the even finish owners expect.
Are the edges included?
Yes. Cut-in by brush along walls, posts, steps, kerbs, gates and drains is part of the rate. It is done before the open areas are rolled. A layout with many edges per m² may take longer, which we assess from your photos.
Are all cracks included?
Routine weathering cracks are. Wide, moving or structural cracks, and a base that is sinking, cannot be solved by filling and painting, and structural work is outside our service. We tell you from the photos if your cracks fall into that group.
Is IVA included in the €15?
No. IVA is added as a separate line. The general rate is 21%; a reduced 10% rate can apply to renovation of a private home when the legal conditions are met. A 40 m² job at €600 becomes €726 at 21% or €660 at 10%.
Do you include parking lines in the price?
No. We do not paint parking lines, bay numbers or road markings at all. If you need them after the refresh, they have to be done by a line-marking contractor as a separate job, once the coating is ready according to the product data sheet.
Does a darker colour cost more?
No. The colour choice does not change the price per m². What changes the price is the area, the condition and the access. We agree the colour with you before the first coat, so there are no surprises when the work is finished.
Is municipal paperwork included?
No. Whether a declaración responsable or a licence is needed depends on the town and the zone, and any fee belongs to the property owner. In Málaga city, coating exterior slabs is listed as a minor work; for other towns, check with the ayuntamiento.
Can I take out a stage to lower the price?
Not within the refresh rate. Each stage exists because the next one depends on it: skipping the wash or the second coat would compromise the finish. If you only need cleaning, we can quote cleaning on its own instead. Or you can phase the work by area instead of by stage.