Costs
What does it cost to tile a bathroom?
Labour is driven by preparation and cutting, not just square metres. That is why two rooms the same size can price very differently.
The cost to tile a bathroom depends on the area, the tile you choose, the condition of the walls and floor, and how many cuts the room demands. We price tiling after seeing the room because preparation is the part nobody can judge from a photo, and it often decides the figure more than the tiles themselves.
Tiling is our specialist trade. Here is how we think about a tiling price, so you can compare quotes on the same basis.
Bathroom tiling cost per m2: why it is only a starting point
A rate per square metre sounds simple, but a bathroom is full of corners, pipes, windows and boxing. A plain floor in a large kitchen tiles quickly; a small bathroom wall with a window reveal, a niche and a soil pipe takes far longer for the same area. Treat any per square metre figure as a guide and look at what the quote actually includes.
- Total wall and floor area to be covered
- Tile format: mosaic, standard or large format
- Removal of existing tiles and adhesive
- Boarding, replastering or levelling before tiling
- Tanking in shower and wet areas
- Pattern: straight lay, brick bond or herringbone
- Trims, niches and mitred external corners
How much to retile a shower
Retiling a shower area is a smaller job but rarely a quick one. Old tiles come off, the backing is checked, any soft board is replaced, the area is tanked, and then the new tiles go up. Skipping the tanking step makes it cheaper today and leaves the next leak waiting behind fresh grout.
Tiler day rate in Manchester versus a priced job
Some tilers work on a day rate, others price the whole job. A day rate can look cheaper but leaves the total open ended. We prefer to agree a written scope and price for the work after the survey, so you know what you are committing to before we start.
Tile choice and labour
Large format porcelain needs a very flat substrate and two people to handle. Small mosaics take time to set out and grout. Natural stone needs sealing. None of those are reasons to avoid a tile you love, but each one shows up in labour. Our tile choosing guide explains the practical side of those decisions.
Ordering the right amount
Allow extra for cuts and breakages and buy the whole job from one batch. Running short partway through and finding the shade has changed is one of the most avoidable problems in tiling.
What a clear tiling quote should list
Look for the area being tiled, who supplies the tiles and adhesive, removal of anything existing, the preparation each wall needs, tanking in wet areas, trims, grout colour and silicone. When two quotes list the same items, comparing them is fair. When one simply says tile bathroom, ask what it leaves out before you choose the lower figure.
Questions
Frequently asked
Why is a small bathroom expensive to tile?
Because the number of cuts and awkward details barely shrinks with the room, so labour per square metre goes up.
Do you tile with tiles I have bought?
Yes. Bring them to the survey or tell us what they are so we can check the format and quantity.
Is removing old tiles included?
We list it in the written scope when it is needed, along with any preparation the walls require afterwards.
Do you only tile bathrooms?
No. We also tile kitchens, splashbacks and floors.
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