What determines the price per square metre of sandwich panel?

Specify wall or roof application, core, thickness and facings. Check whether VAT is included. Use the same unit and tax basis for both offers, then calculate the amount of material needed for the whole building.

Core materials vary, and their properties need to be checked in the finished panel. Facings, profiling and joint type can also differ. These features influence selection and use. A reduction in facing thickness changes the configuration assumed in the design.

Ask for the thickness of each facing separately. Check thermal transmittance, load capacity and fire classification for the intended assembly. A lower-cost product can be suitable if it meets those requirements. Similar appearance and equal core thickness alone do not establish that.

A coating intended for a dry warehouse may be unsuitable for frequent washdowns or an aggressive environment. Assess each face separately for humidity, cleaning chemicals and operating conditions. Tie any premium to the exposure it must withstand.

Colour affects appearance and solar heating. Dark facings may have additional length or installation restrictions, while unusual shades can alter order conditions. Before switching colours to save money, check the rest of the façade and the panel supplier’s requirements.

For illustration, take two prices of roughly €31.51 and €34.06/m² excluding VAT. On 420 m², the unrounded rates give a difference of €1,070.56 excluding VAT. These hypothetical figures show how to evaluate a premium when comparable quotations arrive. Identify any difference in the specification first.

Establish what the higher price buys: perhaps a required coating, a different facing or lengths that better fit the roof. If only one option provides a specified feature, get design approval before substituting the other. Where appearance is the only difference, decide what it is worth to the client.

Purchased panel area can exceed finished cover area because of cuts, module widths and openings. An offcut counts as a saving only if there is a suitable place for it in the installation layout. Identify that location before deducting it from the order.

Add transport and agreed unloading costs. They can make a considerable difference per square metre on a small order. Compare totals for your own panel schedule. With staged deliveries, allow for another transport charge and possible differences between batches.

Put specifications and quantities in one table. Use separate columns for panels, accessories and logistics. Record the offer’s expiry date and availability conditions. Mark missing prices as outstanding and ask the supplier to complete them.

Compare the complete order against the design. Confirm that any proposed change to thickness, core or facing is permitted before recalculating. The unit price becomes meaningful once product, quantity and supply terms are known.