What counts as a tiling job?

Tiling costs vary more by scope and condition than almost any other trade in this series. A single kitchen splashback and a full wet-room retile both get quoted "per m²", but the work, prep and risk behind that figure are very different.

Small repair or single area

Replacing a handful of cracked tiles, adding a splashback, or tiling one small area such as a downstairs WC floor. Access is easy, prep is usually minimal, and the job can often be finished in a day.

Full room retile

A complete bathroom, wet room, shower enclosure or kitchen floor. Old tiles may need to come out first, and walls or floors often need levelling or waterproofing before the new tiles go down.

Multi-room or whole-house tiling

Several bathrooms, a full ground floor, or a new-build fit-out. Costs scale roughly with area, but tilers often quote a lower rate per m² for continuous runs of work than for several small, separate jobs.

Tiling cost by tile type

These are supply-and-fit ranges per m², including standard adhesive and grout, for straightforward walls or floors in reasonable condition. They are planning allowances, not quotations.

Tile type	Typical installed cost	What affects the range
Ceramic	£65–£100 per m²	The most common budget choice; cost depends mainly on tile size and finish
Porcelain	£80–£120 per m²	Denser and more slip-resistant than ceramic; large-format porcelain needs more skill to lay flat
Natural stone (slate, travertine, granite)	£100–£160 per m²	Needs sealing, careful cutting and often a stronger sub-base
Mosaic	£120–£190 per m²	Slow to lay and grout; cost is driven almost entirely by labour time
Marble or decorative pattern (e.g. Victorian-style)	£150–£250+ per m²	Premium material, pattern-matching and more wastage on cuts

Adhesive, grout, trims and sealant typically add a further £8–£15 per m² on top of the tile price itself, and are usually included in the installed-cost ranges above.

What changes the total most?

Tile material and format

Large-format tiles (600mm and above) and natural stone take longer to cut, level and lay than small standard ceramic tiles, and any breakage costs more to replace.

Wall vs floor

Floor tiling generally costs slightly more per m² than wall tiling, because floors need a flatter, more solid substrate and any fall to a drain has to be built in correctly.

Room condition and prep

An uneven floor or wall needs a levelling compound or backer board before tiling can start. Damp, old adhesive residue or a failed waterproof membrane all add time that a quote should show separately, not bury inside the tiling rate.

Pattern and layout complexity

Herringbone, brick-bond with an offset, or a mix of tile sizes all take longer to set out and cut than a simple grid. Complex layouts can add 20–40% to labour time alone.

Room-by-room tiling costs

Job	Typical cost	Notes
Full bathroom (walls and floor)	£800–£1,200	Standard ceramic or porcelain, straightforward layout
Shower enclosure or wet room	£250–£900	Depends on size and whether tanking/waterproofing is needed
Bath surround	£200–£300	Three walls around a standard bath
Kitchen splashback	£200–£350	Small area, but often fiddly cutting around sockets and worktops
Kitchen floor	£600–£1,000	Porcelain is common here for durability
Hallway or utility floor	£400–£800	Varies with area and whether old flooring needs removing first

Use the free Tile Calculator to build a range for your own room based on area, tile type, wall or floor, and condition.

What should a tiling budget include?

• Tiles and trims: the tiles themselves, edge trims, spacers and transition strips.
• Adhesive, grout and sealant: usually £8–£15 per m² on top of the tile price.
• Preparation: levelling compound, backer board or plywood overlay where the existing surface isn't flat or solid enough.
• Waterproofing (tanking): essential in showers and wet rooms; typically £150–£400 for a standard shower area.
• Old tile removal and disposal: commonly £15–£30 per m² on top of the new installation, more if the substrate is damaged underneath.
• Minor plumbing or electrical moves: shifting a socket, shaver point or shower valve to suit the new layout.

London, the South East and regional differences

Tiler day rates vary by region — roughly £200–£280 a day in the Midlands and North, rising to £280–£350 in London and the South East. RenoTally applies a working allowance of +15–20% to the ranges above for London and the South East to reflect this.

VAT and contingency

GOV.UK guidance on VAT for builders states that most work on houses and flats by builders and similar trades is charged at the standard 20% VAT rate, although limited exceptions can apply. Ask every tiler to state clearly whether their quote includes VAT, and compare VAT-inclusive totals side by side.

Contingency for a tiling job should typically be:

• 10%: new or recently plastered walls and a level floor, standard-format tiles, easy access.
• 15%: older walls needing more prep, a mid-size pattern layout, or some existing tile removal.
• 20%: uneven or damp substrate, full waterproofing needed, extensive tile removal, or restricted access.

Worked example: retiling a small bathroom

Using RenoTally's current default assumptions — a 4m² floor and 10m² of wall tiling, standard porcelain, removing the existing tiles first, with tanking to the shower area:

Item	Typical allowance
Old tile removal and disposal (14m²)	£210–£420
Waterproofing/tanking (shower area)	£150–£400
Tiles, adhesive and grout (14m² porcelain)	£1,120–£1,680
Labour to lay and grout	£560–£980
Contingency (15%)	£310–£530

That gives a planning range of roughly £2,350–£4,000 for this bathroom, before any wider bathroom refit work such as a new suite or plumbing changes.

How long does tiling take?

A competent tiler typically lays 10–15m² of wall tiles or 8–12m² of floor tiles a day, plus a separate day for grouting once the adhesive has cured. A standard bathroom retile (walls and floor) usually takes 3–5 working days once prep and tanking are included; a small splashback can often be finished in a single day.

Questions to ask before accepting a quote

1. Is VAT included in the total?
2. Does the price include removing and disposing of the old tiles?
3. Is waterproofing/tanking included, and where exactly will it be applied?
4. Who is supplying the tiles — you or the tiler — and is delivery included?
5. Does the quote cover levelling or backer board if the surface isn't flat?
6. What happens if breakages mean extra tiles are needed part-way through?
7. Is there a guarantee on the workmanship, and for how long?

Where to save—and where not to

• Save: choose a standard-format tile, keep the layout simple, and buy tiles yourself from a supplier sale if you're confident on quantities and matching batches.
• Spend carefully: waterproofing in wet areas, proper levelling prep, and adhesive/grout quality — cutting corners here is what causes tiles to crack or come loose later.
• Don't cut: tanking in a shower, and enough contingency to cover what's found once old tiles come off.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to tile a wall or a floor?

Wall tiling is usually slightly cheaper per m² than floor tiling, mainly because floors need a flatter, more solid substrate and any fall to a drain has to be built in correctly.

Can I tile over existing tiles?

Sometimes, if the existing tiles are sound, flat and well-bonded — it saves on removal cost. It isn't usually recommended in wet areas needing tanking, or where the existing surface is uneven, cracked or hollow-sounding.

How much does grouting alone cost?

Grouting is rarely priced separately — it's normally included in the per-m² installed rate. As a rough guide, adhesive and grout together typically add £8–£15 per m² to the tile price.

Do I need a separate waterproofing specialist?

Most tilers apply standard tanking systems themselves as part of the job. For a full wet room with a tiled shower floor and no tray, ask specifically whether the tiler is experienced in wet-room tanking, since a poor install here is one of the most common sources of leaks.

Related RenoTally guides and calculators

• Tile cost calculator
• Small ensuite retiling cost
• Bathroom renovation costs
• Kitchen renovation costs
• Flooring installation costs and choices
• Loft conversion costs
• Explore all renovation calculators

Sources and methodology

Planning ranges were sense-checked against current 2026 UK homeowner guides from Checkatrade and MyBuilder. RenoTally uses these as reference points rather than copying a single headline price, then structures the estimate around tile type, room, prep and condition, region, VAT and contingency. Read the full RenoTally methodology and limitations.

Last reviewed: 16 September 2026. This guide is for early budgeting and is not a quotation, survey or professional specification.