How Much Does Tiling Cost?
Floor, Walls and Entire Rooms
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The cost to tile a wall, floor or even an entire room can vary wildly from project to project, and there’s no fixed “per square metre” price.
For example, laying small mosaic tiles to create an intricate pattern takes a lot longer than laying large plain tiles. Also, some projects require more preparation work than others, such as removing existing tiles, making good the plaster or even replacing it.
How many corners there are in the room and the type, size and pattern of the tiles you choose are also factors.
We’ll provide you with a guide price for tiling on this page, which will be a great starting point for you.
We can also help you get a custom price that’s based on the specifics of your project.
We sent photos of our bathroom, a set of measurements and details about the tiles we wanted to 32 tilers around the UK. We asked them for quotes to complete the project, and below you can see how much this type of tiling costs in the UK.
Keep reading to discover:
- The cost to tile a bathroom (floor and walls).
- Labour cost per square metre.
- Approximate price per square metre for tiles of various type and quality.
- Extra potential costs your tiler should make you aware of.
We are confident that our price guide will help anyone discover how much this type of work costs.
Cost to Tile a Bathroom
We asked 32 tilers for a price to tile a bathroom; here are the specifics:
- Typical bathroom in a 3-bed property with around 20 square metres of surface area.
- Currently has a tiled splashback around the basin and s bath, which will need to be removed.
- New floor tiles.
- New wall tiles to all walls.
The price below includes the labour and all the materials; we chose mid-price tiles at around £20 per sq mtr and a simple “chessboard” layout for the tiles.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £1450 | £1550 |
| South, SW and Midlands | £1300 | £1400 |
| North and Outer Regions | £1050 | £1250 |
Labour Cost Per Square Metre
Based on the prices sent to us, we think this is how much the labour costs per square metre.
Note that:
- All the preparation work, apart from removing a splashback, was already done.
- No plastering of the walls or removing existing floor tiles etc.
- The price per metre assumes standard tiles laid to a simple pattern on straight walls and a level floor.
| Location: | From: | To: |
|---|---|---|
| London Area | £45 per sqr mtr | £55 per sq mtr |
| South, SW and Midlands | £35 per sq mtr | £45 per sq mtr |
| North and Outer Regions | £30 per sq mtr | £40 per sqr mtr |
Cost of Tiles and Materials
The cost of the materials required to tile a bathroom, that’s the tiles, adhesive, and grout etc. will come to around £20-25 per square metre for typical tiles, laid in a chessboard pattern.
Obviously, the cost of the tiles will vary, and some cost only £12 per square metre while others upwards of £50.
The grout and adhesive cost alone is around £5-7 per square metre, depending on the tile’s size and depth.
| Item: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Cheap ceramic tile | £15 per sq mtr |
| Mid-priced ceramic tile | £20 per sq mtr |
| Premium tiles | Upwards of £45 per sq mtr |
| Standard grout and adhesive | £5-7 per sq mtr |
| Adhesive and premium coloured grout | £7-8 per sq mtr |
Summary
Here’s a summary of how much it costs to tile a bathroom.
All you need to do is measure the surface area of your walls and floors, then add 15% to cover wastage/breakages and unexpected costs etc.
| Item: | Price: |
|---|---|
| Cost of tiles per sq mtr | £15 to £45 |
| Adhesive per sq mtr | £5 - £8 |
| Labour per sq mtr | £30 - £55 |
Extra Costs to Consider
No two projects are ever the same, and when it comes to floor and wall tiling, there are a few extra costs to consider:
The tiles’ size – Small tiles such as mosaics take longer to fix to the surface and require more grouting than larger tiles. This shouldn’t be underestimated as a project could take twice as long if the tiles are very small, and a complex pattern is required.
Patterns – Complex patterns, especially intricate work with small tiles, produce more waste and take longer to create and often need more grouting.
Preparation – If your walls have never been tiled before and are in great condition, then the project will be easier than a similar job where the walls need lots of attention. Removing the old wall and floor tiles without damaging the plaster can take many hours and costs more. If you need to replace the plaster on a wall, that will add to the cost too.
Layout – Every time a tile needs to be cut, perhaps to fit around a lavatory, a window or anything else, time is added to the project. Simple layouts that require few cuts are easy to achieve, while complex layouts with lots of edges and angles (such as a sloping ceiling) take longer and cost more.
Finishes – There are various finishes for the corners and edges, we chose plastic trims, but other materials will cost more.
Tile type – Ceramic tiles are usually cheaper than porcelain and also easier to cut and drill. Porcelain tiles typically take longer to fix compared to other tile types.
Smaller areas – Our prices are based on a project of around 20 square metres. Smaller areas, such as tiling a splashback, will cost more per square metre. Very large tiling projects may cost less per square metre.
Get a Custom Price For Wall, Floor or Bathroom Tiling
We hope you found our guide to the cost of tiling insightful.
Let us help you budget for your next project by providing you with a custom quote.
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Tiling FAQs
When Were These Bathroom Tiling Prices Published?
We sourced prices for wall, floor and bathroom tiling in early 2021 and published this guide in March 2021.
Do The Prices on This Page Include VAT?
Most of the firms we contacted were smaller traders that weren’t required to charge VAT.
Where VAT was charged, we’ve included it in our price guide which is an average of all the tiling prices given to us.
How Long Does it Take to Tile a Bathroom?
The walls on a typical bathroom can be tiled and grouted in around 2.5 to 3 days, while the floor would take an extra half a day.
Obviously, the time required by the tiler varies from person to person and from project to project, and these are just general timescales.
Can I Leave My Old Tiles on the Wall and Tile Over Them?
This is a great way to save money, but there are some drawbacks, such as reduced space behind radiators and taps and the finish along the door frame might not be as neat.
Any imperfections in the original tiling may also transfer through to the new tiling. If the original tiling created a bow in the wall, this would still be there after the new tiles are laid.
Ideally, tiles should be removed and the plaster or render on the wall made good, but this can add cost to the project as new plaster and render isn’t cheap.
Some tiles are very easy to pry off the wall while others may take the plaster, the plaster skim or even the render with it when removed.
How Can I Save Money and Keep My Costs Down to the Minimum?
Here are a few suggestions:
- Shop around for tiles as prices are very competitive, and outlets often offer discounts.
- Consider tiling over the original tiles if practical. This reduces the amount of work needed, and you won’t need to pay for repairs to the plaster/render.
- Consider tiling only part of the wall and paint the rest.
- Avoid small tiles and complex patterns.
- Instead of laying floor tiles, lay vinyl flooring instead; it’s cheaper and much quicker to lay.
- Choose a smaller business such as a one-man trader rather than a larger company that will need to charge you VAT.
- Pick cheaper trims and get everything on site for the tiler ready to start the work.
- Have the walls prepared and ready for the tiling.
Where Can I Get a Custom Quote?
You can post details of your project on Rated People, a site where tradespeople are vetted by staff and reviewed by their past customers.
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