Tilers average hourly rate in the UK is £26 per hour. An hourly rate would normally be charged for repair work, like cracked tiles or grouting coming loose. Rates vary across the UK and tend to be more in London and the South East, ranging from £16 to £75 per hour. There may be an additional call out charge to compensate for the tilers time getting to your property. For re-tiling walls, floors or a whole new bathroom the tiler would quote using a day rate. If you are looking for a tiler and want to compare rates and get quotes, post a job on HaMuch by clicking “Get quote”.
The average daily rate for a tiler in the UK is £183 per day. If you are looking to tile your bathroom or kitchen, knowing the day rate will help you budget for your project and we can help you get the tiler you want. Check out our day rate tables to get an idea of your regional pricing and post a job to those tilers. For jobs that are going to take longer than a day the tiler will need to come to your home to inspect the job, checking the current state of walls or floors.
When choosing a Tiler try to get a few quotes so you have a feel for how much things cost. Do not just accept a verbal quote unless it’s an estimate for an hourly rated job and insist on having the quote in writing to avoid any later disputes when it comes to settling the payment and job expectations. Surprises like additional VAT need to be included and costs for tiles need to be discussed and added unless you are buying the tiles separately. Depending on the scope of your project ( the tiler might also be fitting your kitchen) you might be asked to pay a deposit before the job begins.
When receiving a quote, discuss if the quote includes materials or what materials you still need to purchase. Almost always with tiling due to the varied cost of different tile materials (porcelain being more expensive than ceramic) you will need to purchase the tiles first yourself. The tiler can advise on how many square meters of tiling your project will require plus an extra 10% for wastage. Do inform the tiler of the material of tiles that you have chosen as marble tiles require a different wet cutter to ceramic only requiring a standard manual cutter. Porcelain tiles often need special adhesives. If you are looking for ways to save money and the quote includes other materials such as grout, adhesive, trimmings and tile spacers, ask if it will be cheaper for you to source the extra materials yourself to avoid any mark-up for collection costs from the tiler and have the materials at your home ready and waiting for the tiler on the day the project commences. If you do need to purchase the grout and adhesive yourself, let the tiler dictate how many kilogram bags needed, which is the best brand to work with suiting the tiles you have purchased (many tilers favour Mapei sealants, adhesive and grout and you can find these products at many D.I.Y. stores including Screwfix and B&Q), and which colour grout would best suit your tiles. When possible avoid white grout in a bathroom as after a couple of years of use, the grout often discolours and can look ‘tired’.
Before choosing the tiler, insist on references from previous clients to check the tradesperson’s quality of work and see if they would recommend the tradesperson to you or use them again on another project and because of the amount of dust created with tiling see how tidy they say the tiler worked and if the tiler was careful to avoid chipping the bath, toilet and sink when removing old tiles. Always ask for ‘before and after’ photos of similar projects completed. Check if the tiler is covered with public liability insurance while working in your home. As tiling is a skilled job, ask to see any qualifications with NVQ tiling courses achieving a level 2 or 3.
When the tiling job is a refurbishment, discuss the need for a skip to remove all of the old tiles and plaster. If there is a need, has this been calculated on the invoice or is it your responsibility to source the skip hire, can the tiler recommend any affordable skip hires in your area? Check with your local council if a permit is needed for the skip to be parked on the road. If no skip is needed, then discuss the need for strong rubble bags, whether it is you or the tiler providing them, and as these will be heavy to lift, check if the tiler will clear the rubble from your home leaving your home tidy after the project ends. If you live in an area needing a permit for parking or it is pay parking, discuss beforehand whose responsibility it is to pay for parking and do try and make it easier for the tiler by arranging a parking permit so that they can just concentrate on the job at hand rather than constantly moving their van.
It is imperative to have a smooth surface for the tiler to begin work on. Once plastered or skimmed, the tiler will need to wait for the wall to set and dry before they go ahead to start tiling. Adhesive will be placed on the walls in small sections to avoid it drying before tiles are placed, and then the tiles will be placed and cut as needed, spacing the tiles neatly with tile spacers. Besides ensuring neat equal spacers between the tilers, they also need to be laid in a straight line on the wall, neatly lining up on each row according to the laying pattern decided on (e.g. brickwork, checkboard, herringbone, diamond). Trim will be added to finish off the tiles on any edging or recess as well as applying silicone to seal any areas where the tiles meet another surface (e.g. to waterproof the edge of a bath and tiles). When the tiler is standing in the room, ask about furniture in the room and what needs to be cleared before the job start date. Check if they will remove radiators or towel rails from the walls of the room or if you need to have someone in to first remove any radiators.
As you can see tiling a bathroom is a long messy process that can take between three days and a week to complete an average size bathroom. With a day rate of £183 per day it can cost between £500 and £1000 and that will vary depending on the overheads incurred by the tiler. Most tiling jobs involve first stripping and removing the old grout to then remove the old tiles, once all of the tiles have been removed the wall will need to be repaired from any chunks of plaster that came off with the tiles. Floors need to be level and supported if you are dealing with a wooden floor with 12mm plywood or backing boards.
Tip: When you have arranged a day for tiler to visit and quote the job, be clear what project you need to have done. Let the tradesperson know which walls, floors, kitchen or bathroom you want tiled or re-grouted. Listen to advice on any preparation work the walls / floors might need beforehand as tiles look their best when laid on a perfectly straight surface.
Tip: If the tiles are for a small bathroom then match the space with smaller tiles.
A kitchen floor will cost approximately £600 to tile depending on the size and layout of the kitchen. A smaller, square kitchen will cost less that a larger l-shaped open plan kitchen with superior tiles and finish. For an average rate of £183 per day you will imagine the tiler would take 3 days to complete the job. For floor tiles ask the tiler for advice before purchasing the tiles as you will need a tile that is non slip, and if the tiles are for a kitchen or bathroom resistant to water as well as easy to clean and maintain. Ceramic floor tiles are a popular choice as they are robust, as well as easy to fit which results in less labour costs overall.
We need tilers like you to help local homeowners with their jobs.