Tiling is usually the second biggest line on a bathroom quotation after labour on the fitting itself, and it is the line most often quoted per square metre. Around Medway, wall tiling labour commonly falls between 40 and 70 pounds a square metre, with floors a little more once levelling is involved. A small bathroom tiled to half height might be five or six square metres, while the same room tiled floor to ceiling can easily be sixteen.
Measure the area before comparing prices
Two quotations can look wildly different simply because one assumed half height tiling and the other assumed full. Measure each wall you want tiled, multiply height by width, add the floor separately, and give that figure to everyone you ask. Then you are comparing the same job.
Tile size and pattern change the labour
Very small mosaics and very large format tiles both cost more to fit than a standard rectangular wall tile. Mosaics mean far more cutting and grouting per square metre. Large panels need a genuinely flat wall and often two pairs of hands, which a one-man job has to work around with careful setting out.
- Standard wall tiles are the cheapest to fit
- Herringbone and brick bond patterns add cutting time
- Mosaic strips add grouting time and material cost
- Large format tiles need flat, well prepared substrates
Preparation is where hidden cost lives
Tiling onto old plaster, uneven blockwork or a springy floor is asking for cracked grout within a year. Backer board in the shower area, tanking on wet walls and levelling a timber floor are all separate items, and any quotation that omits them is not really cheaper.
On a floor, the build-up matters too. Adding boards and adhesive raises the finished level, which can affect how the door swings and where the threshold sits.
How to reduce the tiled area sensibly
Tiling the shower enclosure and the splash areas fully, then painting the rest in a good bathroom paint, is a deliberate and common choice. It cuts the tiled area substantially without looking like a compromise, and repainting later is easy.
Typical costs
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wall tiling labour | 40 to 70 pounds per square metre | Standard format tiles, prepared walls |
| Floor tiling labour | 50 to 80 pounds per square metre | Higher where levelling is needed |
| Backer board and tanking | Priced per shower area | Essential behind showers |
| Tiles and adhesive | Priced separately | Buy 10 per cent extra for cuts and breakages |
Guidance for domestic bathrooms around Medway. Your room is priced on measured areas.