Brisbane has dozens of floor sanding businesses, from one-person operators to franchise chains. Quality varies wildly. The cheap quote that lands in your inbox can save you $1,000 or cost you $5,000 — depends entirely on who’s behind it. This is a no-spin guide to spotting the difference before you book. Quality Floors by Max Francis are here to help — get a free written quote from our Brisbane team.
Why this matters
Floor sanding looks simple. A machine, some sandpaper, three coats of polyurethane. What can go wrong?
Plenty. We’ve been called in to fix:
- Floors with visible swirl marks across the entire job because the previous sander skipped grits
- Engineered floors sanded through to the substrate — full replacement needed
- Polyurethane coats applied over dust because no proper vacuum was done — finish failing within 2 years
- Floors stained from improper drying time between primer and topcoat
- Pre-1960s Queenslander hardwood sanded too aggressively, losing decades of irreplaceable timber thickness
- Quotes that doubled on day one because the original quote skipped basic on-site measurement
Each of those was a “cheap quote” decision that cost the homeowner more than choosing a properly qualified sander would have.
Red flags — when to walk
1. No on-site quote
If a sander quotes you over the phone or via photos alone, walk. There’s no honest way to quote without seeing:
- Floor condition and any damaged areas
- Top layer thickness for engineered floors
- Access (stairs, lifts, narrow doorways affecting equipment)
- Furniture moving requirements
- Adjacent surface protection needs (cabinets, skirting, walls)
An on-site quote takes 20 minutes. Anyone who skips it is gambling on your job — and you’ll either get a price hike on day one or a worse job because corners get cut.
2. No QBCC licence
In Queensland, floor sanding work over $3,300 in value legally requires a QBCC (Queensland Building and Construction Commission) licence. Check it free here.
Quality Floors by Max Francis: QBCC #64691.
Why this matters: an unlicensed contractor doing >$3,300 of work has zero recourse for you if something goes wrong. The QBCC complaint and dispute resolution process only applies to licensed work.
3. No public liability insurance
Ask: “What’s your public liability cover?” A reputable sander carries $20m public liability minimum. If they hesitate, can’t produce a certificate, or quote a low number ($5m or under), walk.
The risk isn’t theoretical. Sanding equipment generates serious dust loads. A fire from sander spark + dust accumulation in old timber walls is a known hazard. Without proper insurance, you’re exposed.
4. No industry certification
The Australian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA) is the industry body for timber flooring. ATFA membership requires demonstrated competency and ongoing training. Members are listed here.
Quality Floors by Max Francis: ATFA Member #98.
ATFA membership is voluntary — but the absence of it is a signal. The best sanders are members. Cheap operators rarely bother.
5. Quote way below the others
Brisbane floor sanding pricing is reasonably consistent — see our cost guide for current ranges. If three quotes are around $4,000 and one is $1,800, the cheap one is wrong.
Things that get cut to hit a 50%-below price:
- Skipping grits (two passes instead of four — you see swirls)
- Cheaper polyurethane (fails in 5 years instead of 15)
- One coat of finish instead of three
- No primer (finish doesn’t bond properly to fresh timber)
- No proper dust extraction (your home becomes a dust storm)
6. Pressure tactics
“Sign today and we can start Monday” or “this price expires tomorrow” — walk. Reputable sanders book 2–4 weeks out, not next-Monday. Anyone with sudden availability is either desperate (low quality, no repeat work) or dishonest.
7. Vague timeline
Honest quote: “Day 1 sanding, day 2 primer + first coat, day 3 final coat, can’t walk on it for 24 hours after, no furniture for 5 days.”
Vague quote: “We’ll get it done quickly” or “depends on what we find.”
The vague answer is either lazy or hiding that they don’t know. Either way, walk.
8. Cash-only or “we don’t do invoices”
Black market. Risks: no warranty, no recourse, possibly no QBCC license (because they’re not declaring the work), no insurance. The $500 you save is not worth what can go wrong.
9. Bad reviews — or NO reviews
Legitimate operators have a Google Business Profile with reviews. If there’s nothing online about a business after 5+ years of operation, that’s a flag — either they’re brand new, they shut down their last business after bad reviews, or they’re operating off-the-books.
Read reviews carefully:
- Multiple specific 5-star reviews mentioning: dust control, communication, finish quality — good signals
- Generic 5-star reviews with no detail — possibly fake
- Owner responses to reviews (good or bad) — shows engagement
- Pattern of negative reviews around the same theme (e.g. “didn’t return calls” or “showed up late”) — believe the pattern
10. They don’t ask any questions
A good sander asks: “Do you have pets? Kids at home? Allergies? When are you moving back in? What finish look do you want? Do you have stairs? When was the floor last sanded?” These questions affect the quote and the recommendation.
If they just walk through measuring and don’t ask anything, they’re commodity-thinking — not consultative. Cheap quote, cheap thinking, cheap result.
Green flags — what to look for
1. They volunteer their QBCC and ATFA numbers
Without prompting. Quality Floors by Max Francis: QBCC #64691, ATFA #98. Putting these on the quote tells you “we want you to verify.” Honest operators welcome the check.
2. The quote is itemised
Not “$3,500 for the job” but: sanding labour, materials (specific products named), grits used, finish brand, finish coats, additional services (furniture moving, skirting protection), travel if applicable.
Itemised quotes mean the operator has thought through the work. Lump-sum quotes hide either lazy thinking or markup tricks.
3. They show you a sample
Best sanders carry timber samples in different finishes (matte vs satin vs gloss water-based, vs solvent-based, vs hard-wax oil) so you can see the look on actual timber before you commit. Photos online aren’t enough — light renders timber differently in real life.
4. They explain the trade-offs
“I’d recommend water-based polyurethane in matte for your spotted gum because [reasons]. Solvent-based would be cheaper but it’ll yellow over time. Hard-wax oil would look stunning but you’d need to re-oil annually in the kitchen.”
Trade-off thinking = experienced sander. They’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. They’re guiding, not selling.
5. They have specific experience with your timber
“How many spotted gum floors have you done in the last year?” or “Have you worked on Queenslanders before?” Should get specific answers. Generic answers (“we do all timbers”) = junior or volume operator.
6. They have a portfolio
Good sanders have galleries of past work — before/after, different timber types, different finish styles. Photos tell you what their actual quality looks like.
7. They’re booked out
Counterintuitive but: a sander with 2–4 weeks of waiting is a good sign. They’re chosen by enough customers to have backlog. Same-week availability often means low repeat customer demand.
8. Family business / long history
Floor sanding is a craft. Family businesses passing skills generation to generation tend to outperform franchise or solo operators. Quality Floors by Max Francis is third-generation: Max + son Kyle, 25+ years.
9. They warranty their work
Reputable sanders give a written warranty — typically 12 months on workmanship, manufacturer’s warranty on the finish (often 5–10 years). Get the warranty in writing, not “yeah she’ll be right.”
10. They’re members of professional bodies
ATFA membership is the strongest signal in Australian floor sanding. Beyond that, Master Builders Queensland, QBCC, manufacturer certifications (Bona, Loba, Pallmann installer programs).
Questions to ask before you book
- What’s your QBCC licence number? (Verify on QBCC website)
- Are you ATFA-certified?
- What’s your public liability insurance amount?
- Will you measure my top-layer thickness if my floor is engineered?
- What finish do you recommend for my timber and why?
- How many grits in your sanding sequence?
- What’s your dust extraction setup?
- How long after the final coat before I can walk on it / put furniture back?
- What’s your warranty policy?
- Can you give me 2 references from jobs in my suburb?
If they answer all 10 well, you’ve found a good one. If they hedge on more than 2, look elsewhere.
How to verify QBCC and ATFA
QBCC: Visit qbcc.qld.gov.au, enter the licence number or business name. Check that the licence is “Active” and covers the work category (typically Carpentry or Floor Finishing).
ATFA: Visit atfa.com.au, search the member directory by name or postcode.
Both checks take under 2 minutes. Doing them tells you upfront whether the business is what they claim.
Frequently asked questions
Is it OK to use a one-person operator?
Yes — many of the best sanders are owner-operators. Family businesses and solo operators often deliver better results than larger crews because they’re hands-on. Just verify QBCC, insurance, and ATFA same as any operator.
Are franchise floor sanders any good?
Variable. Franchise quality depends on the local operator, not the brand. Apply the same checks — QBCC, ATFA, on-site quote, references.
Should I trust online lead-generation services like hipages or Oneflare?
The platforms verify some baseline (ABN, sometimes insurance), but quality still varies. Use them to find candidates, then apply the QBCC + ATFA checks yourself.
What if the sander is much cheaper than the others?
Ask why. Sometimes there’s a legitimate reason (cancellation gap, want a job in your suburb for portfolio). More often it’s a corner-cutting operator. Trust your gut.
How do I get a Quality Floors quote?
Free written quote after on-site inspection. Phone Max on (07) 3345 2097 or 0411 883 249, or use the contact form at qualityfloors.com.au.
About the author: Max Francis is a third-generation timber flooring specialist with 25+ years’ experience, ATFA Member #98 and QBCC Licence #64691. He founded Quality Floors by Max Francis in 2000 and works with his son Kyle to restore Brisbane’s timber floors using the latest dust-controlled sanding equipment. Read more about our team and credentials.