Marble polishing in India is priced per square foot, and the honest answer to "what does it cost" is: it depends on the state of your floor. A lightly dulled floor that only needs a re-polish sits at the bottom of the range; a scratched, etched, lippage-ridden floor that needs full diamond grinding first sits at the top. Anyone who quotes a firm price over the phone without seeing the floor is guessing.
The typical range
Across Delhi NCR, Mumbai and the other metros, professional marble polishing generally falls into three bands:
- Maintenance polish — the floor has lost its shine but has no real damage. Fine abrasives, a re-polish and buff, re-sealing. The cheapest option.
- Full polishing — diamond grinding to remove scratches and etch marks, honing through the grits, polishing, sealing. The standard job for a floor that's a few years old.
- Restoration — grinding plus crack repair, lippage levelling, chip filling, densifying. For neglected or badly damaged floors.
Italian marble (Statuario, Carrara, Botticino) usually costs more than Indian marble to polish — it's softer, needs finer final grits, and a more careful hand.
What moves the price up or down
- Total area. Larger floors have a lower per-sq-ft rate — mobilisation and setup are fixed costs spread over more area.
- Grinding vs no grinding. This is the single biggest factor. Grinding is labour- and consumable-heavy.
- Finish level. A full mirror finish takes more passes than a satin or semi-gloss.
- Access and logistics. High floors with lift restrictions, buildings that only allow night work, or sites needing their own water/power arrangements add cost.
- Sealing. Should always be included. If a quote doesn't mention it, ask.
- Skirting, dado and steps. Often quoted separately, by running foot.
What a fair quote looks like
A trustworthy quote is fixed, written, and itemised after a free site visit. It should state:
- The area measured (and how)
- Whether grinding is included, and why
- The finish level you're getting
- That sealing is included
- Skirting / step edges, if you want them done
- A day-by-day schedule
- Any workmanship warranty
Be wary of: per-day pricing with no cap, "we'll see once we start", and quotes that are dramatically below everyone else's — that usually means a cosmetic buff, not a real polish, and it'll dull again in weeks.
Is polishing cheaper than replacing the floor?
Almost always, and by a wide margin. Polishing costs a fraction of ripping out and re-laying marble, keeps your original stone, and can be repeated many times over the floor's life. Only a structurally failed floor genuinely needs replacement.
How to get an accurate number for your floor
Book a free site visit. A specialist measures the area, checks the marble type and its condition, and tells you whether it needs grinding — then gives you a fixed written quote with no hidden extras. That's the only way to know what your floor will actually cost.