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What does it cost to tile a bathroom?
The cost to tile a bathroom depends on how many square metres of wall and floor you tile, the tiles you choose, how much old tiling and preparation the room needs and the detail work around the bath, shower and window. FMB has published figures for tiling labour and tiles, set out below.
Last reviewed:What goes into the cost to tile a bathroom?
Tiling a bathroom is not one price. It is the area being tiled, the tiles, the preparation behind them and the detail work that makes a bathroom watertight and neat. Two bathrooms of the same size can be priced very differently because one needs stripping back to the walls and the other is ready to tile.
The main parts of the job are:
- Removing what is there now, whether old tiles, panels or wallpaper.
- Preparing the walls and floor, so they are flat, sound and suitable for tiles.
- Waterproofing around the bath and shower, where the tiler's system calls for it.
- Setting out and fixing the tiles, including cuts around pipes, windows and fittings.
- Grouting, trims and sealing, which finish the job and keep water out.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job or register a business. This guide explains how a tiling quote for a bathroom is built up. For tiling in other rooms, see what changes the cost of tiling.
What figures has the FMB published?
The Federation of Master Builders' bathroom renovation cost breakdown, first published in September 2025 and updated in February 2026, gives these figures for the tiling side of a bathroom [S1]:
- Tiling labour. FMB member Kevin Wilson Master Builders, based in Scotland, publishes an estimator that suggests tiling labour costs £40 per square metre [S1].
- Tiles. FMB cites Fittra for typical ceramic bathroom tiles costing £25 per square metre [S1].
- Area. FMB cites Fittra for an average room size needing 20 square metres of wall and floor tiling [S1].
- Strip-out. FMB cites Passmore Group for stripping out a standard bathroom from £300, with disposal around £75 [S1].
Each figure comes from a single named firm and is printed here as FMB published it. FMB also says labour prices outside London are generally lower [S1]. These are not a quote for your bathroom. Your own area, tile choice and the state of the walls will set your price, so use them as a starting point for questions.
What sets the price of tiling a bathroom?
| What sets the price | What the quote should say | Why quotes differ |
|---|---|---|
| Area | Square metres of wall and floor, measured on site | Half-height tiling and floor-to-ceiling tiling are very different |
| Tiles | Who supplies them, the size and material | Large-format, natural stone and mosaic take longer to fix |
| Strip-out | Removing old tiles, panels or adhesive | Old tiles can pull plaster off with them |
| Wall preparation | Repairs, new board or plaster, primer | Uneven walls need building out before tiling |
| Floor preparation | Levelling, overboarding, or screed repairs | A floor that flexes can crack tiles and grout |
| Waterproofing | A tanking system in the shower or wet areas | Needed in some areas, skipped in others |
| Layout and cuts | Pattern, number of cuts, niches and window reveals | Herringbone and diagonal layouts take longer than straight lay |
| Trims and edges | Metal or plastic trims, mitred corners, sills | Trims and mitres add materials and time |
| Grout and sealant | Grout type and colour, silicone at joints | Epoxy grouts are slower to work with |
| Waste and making good | Removal of old tiles and bags, refitting fittings | Disposal is easy to leave out of a quote |
Ask each tiler to price the same walls, the same floor and the same tiles. If one quote leaves out preparation or trims, it may look lower than it really is.
Which tiles cost more to fit?
Tile choice changes both the material cost and the time on the wall.
- Standard ceramic tiles in common sizes are usually the quickest to fix.
- Porcelain is harder and denser, so cutting takes longer and can need different tools.
- Large-format tiles need very flat walls and floors, careful handling and often two people.
- Small tiles and mosaics mean many more joints to grout.
- Natural stone may need sealing and careful cutting, and can be heavy.
- Patterned layouts such as herringbone, diagonal or a feature band add cuts and setting out.
Order extra tiles for cuts and breakages, and ask the tiler how many to allow. Buying your own tiles can be fine, but check delivery dates and colour batches before the tiler books in.
How does the state of the room affect the price?
Most of the surprises on a bathroom tiling job are behind the old tiles.
Walls. Old tiles often come away with some plaster or board attached. The wall then needs patching, reboarding or plastering before new tiles go up. In a shower area, many tilers use a cement-based or waterproof board and a tanking system. Ask what they plan to use and where.
Floors. A timber floor that flexes can crack tiles and grout. The tiler may need to overboard it or fix it down firmly. A concrete floor may need levelling.
Old coverings. HSE says asbestos can be found in any home built or refurbished before 2000. Its list of places inside a house includes asbestos insulating board or asbestos cement bath panels, and vinyl floor tiles backed with asbestos paper and bitumen adhesive [S2]. If your bathroom has old floor tiles, sheet vinyl or boarded panels, have them checked before anyone breaks them up. You can read HSE's diagrams of where asbestos can occur.
Dust. Cutting tiles, especially with power tools, makes dust. HSE says regularly breathing construction dust can cause diseases including asthma and silicosis [S5]. Ask how the tiler controls dust, and where they will cut.
What else happens in the bathroom at the same time?
Tiling is often one part of a wider bathroom job. Plan the order so the tiles do not have to come off again.
- Electrics. The Planning Portal says that in England the spaces around baths and showers are special locations, and alterations to circuits there are notifiable [S3]. If lights, a shaver point or an extractor fan are moving, have a registered electrician do that before tiling. You can find one through Electrical Safety First.
- Ventilation. The Planning Portal says that when a bathroom is refurbished, any existing extract ventilation must be kept or replaced [S6].
- Plumbing. Pipes, valves and wastes should be in their final positions before the walls are tiled.
- Bath, tray and suite. Tilers usually need the bath or tray fitted first, so tiles can sit on top and the joint can be sealed.
If the whole room is being refitted, see what changes the cost of a bathroom.
How do you compare bathroom tiling quotes?
Citizens Advice says a quote should include a fixed total price rather than a daily rate, a breakdown of the work and materials, separate costs for each material and part of the work, how long the price is valid and whether it includes VAT [S7]. It suggests getting written quotes from at least three traders [S7].
Questions to ask each tiler:
- How many square metres of wall and floor are you pricing?
- Is strip-out and disposal included?
- What preparation do you expect, and how will you price extra repairs?
- Will you tank the shower area, and with what?
- Who supplies the tiles, adhesive, grout and trims?
- What layout and trims are included?
- How long will the job take, and when can the bathroom be used again?
- Does the price include VAT?
On VAT, a business must register when its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000 [S4], so some tilers add VAT and some do not. Citizens Advice also suggests offering to buy materials yourself instead of paying a deposit, and not agreeing to a deposit of more than 25 per cent [S7].
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Family bathroom, about two metres by two and a half. Please quote to strip the old tiles and retile the walls floor to ceiling, tiles supplied by me."
- "New shower enclosure in an en-suite. Looking for a tiler to tank and tile the shower walls and the floor."
- "Old bathroom with vinyl floor tiles. Please quote to tile the floor, and advise on checking the old tiles first."
Get quotes to tile a bathroom
Describe the room, which walls and floor you want tiled, the tiles you are thinking of and what is there now, with photos and rough measurements if you can. Up to five matched local businesses can send you a quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See our tilers page and bathroom fitters page. For refreshing grout instead of retiling, see what changes the cost of regrouting. For a bathroom that is already tiled, see tiled bathroom.
Questions about the cost to tile a bathroom
How much does it cost to tile a bathroom?
It depends on the area and the tiles. The Federation of Master Builders' bathroom cost breakdown says one member's estimator suggests tiling labour of £40 per square metre. It also cites Fittra for typical ceramic bathroom tiles at £25 per square metre. Strip-out, preparation and trims are extra lines.
How many square metres of tiles does a bathroom need?
Measure your own room. FMB's breakdown, citing Fittra, says the average room size needs 20 square metres of wall and floor tiling, but a small cloakroom and a large family bathroom are very different. Add the tiler's allowance for cuts and breakages.
Does removing old tiles add to the cost?
Usually. FMB's breakdown cites Passmore Group for stripping out a standard bathroom from £300, with disposal around £75. Taking tiles off can also damage the plaster or board behind, which then needs repairing or replacing before new tiles go up.
Can new tiles go over old tiles?
Sometimes, if the old tiles are firmly stuck, flat and the wall or floor can take the extra weight. Many tilers prefer to strip back so they can check the surface and keep the finished level down. Ask what the tiler suggests for your room and why.
Could old bathroom floor tiles contain asbestos?
They can in older homes. HSE says asbestos can be found in any home built or refurbished before 2000, and lists vinyl floor tiles backed with asbestos paper and bitumen adhesive. Have old floor tiles or panels checked before anyone breaks them up.
Do I need an electrician when tiling a bathroom?
If lights, sockets, a shaver point or an extractor fan are moving, yes. The Planning Portal says alterations to circuits in the spaces around baths and showers are notifiable in England. Ask a registered electrician to do that work before the tiles go on.
Will the quote include VAT?
Not always. A business must register for VAT when its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000. Ask each tiler whether the price includes VAT.
Does QuoteZila check the tilers who quote?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
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Related pages
- Regrout Tiles Cost: What Changes the Price. What changes the cost to regrout tiles: the area, joint width, raking out old grout, cement or epoxy grout, sealant lines, mould and loose tiles, and access.
- Tiled Bathroom: What Changes the Job. A tiled bathroom in Cheshire depends on the walls, the shower, the floor and the fan. This guide prints no tile figure here.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Bathroom renovation costs: a cost breakdown, Federation of Master Builders. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.fmb.org.uk/resource/bathroom-renovation-costs-a-cost-breakdown.html
- S2: Diagrams showing where asbestos can occur in buildings, HSE. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/diagrams.htm
- S3: Electrics: building regulations general information, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/electrics/building-regulations-general-information/
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK (HMRC). Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S5: Construction dust, HSE. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/hazardous-substances/construction-dust.htm
- S6: Kitchens and bathrooms: need for additional ventilation, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/kitchens-and-bathrooms/building-regulations-need-for-additional-ventilation/
- S7: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-01. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/