Having the right flooring added to your home can provide both functionality and aesthetic value. It’s important to take aesthetic preference into consideration as well as the pros and cons of any given flooring.
in this article
One of the more popular flooring options out there is tiling. As for the pricing, the cost of tiling a floor can range depending on a whole host of factors including the type of tiles, the size of the space being tiled and the cost of labour in your area.
How Much is Floor Tiling?
In 2023, the cost of floor tiling in the UK can vary depending on various factors as mentioned above. To have a 20 square metre area tiled, you’re looking at a price in the range of £600 to £800. Daily labour rates for a floor tiler tend to land between £30 to £40 per hour or £170 to £200 per day.
In London, prices can be higher with a labour cost of about £190 to £230 in the capital, which is about £20 to £30 above the national average. It’s important to be aware that the costs can still vary depending on specific floor tiling requirements. Therefore, when requesting quotes from professionals, you’ll want to secure detailed quotes in any case.
Factors Influencing Tiling Costs
Let’s explore in more detail the key factors that influence the price of having flooring tiles added to a property.
Material Costs
The material cost of floor tiling (which along with the price of labour would make up the total) can differ significantly.
Here are the average prices of different floor tiling materials:
- Cement - £10 to £30 per m²
- Ceramic - £20 to £40 per m²
- Glass - £5 to £15 per m²
- Limestone - £30 to £40 per m²
- Marble - £35 to £50 per m²
- Mosaic - £25 to £40 per m²
- Porcelain - £25 to £45 per m²
Labour Costs
The cost of labour is another key cost factor of the total price of having floor tiling installed. While you can install floor tiling DIY once you have the right skills and knowledge, a reliable professional floor tiler can ensure a top-notch end result.
The cost of labour, which as mentioned is around £170 to £200 per day as a nationwide average can, in itself be affected by a range of factors. To give some examples, the price may differ depending on how long the job takes (which may include unexpected delays) and ease of access to the work area.
Project Size and Complexity
Naturally, the larger the floor tiling project, the longer the work will take. Also, the intracity of the project (e.g. the complexity of the overall design) can also play a role in determining the price of a floor tiling project.
The cost of a floor tiling project generally ranges from £10 to £40 per m². Of course, the larger the room size, the higher your bill will likely be. In most cases, tiling a bathroom floor will be a relatively more affordable project than say adding floor tiles to your kitchen.
One way or another, on average, the following price ranges will generally apply for different-sizes floor tiling projects in terms of floor tiling cost per m2:
| Room Type | Average Size (m²) | Average Cost of Floor Tiling* |
|---|---|---|
| Small Bathroom | 3 | £200 to £320 |
| Medium Bathroom | 7 | £240 to £480 |
| Large Bathroom | 10+ | £270 to £600 or more |
| Small Kitchen | 9 | £260 to £560 |
| Medium Kitchen | 15 | £320 to £800 |
| Large Kitchen | 25 | £420 to £1,200 |
| Laundry Room | 5 | £220 to £400 |
*The above prices take both the price of labour and material costs into account. Please also note that the labour prices are factored in as covering a full day of labour. However, some jobs could take less time or a bit longer depending on the scale and complexity of the work.
Popular Tiling Materials
There are several popular materials that can be used for floor tiling. In this section, we’ll look at several examples in some detail.
Ceramic Tiles
Ceramic tiles cost around £20 to £40 per m². They are neither too expensive nor especially cheap in most cases. With that said, ceramic tiles may very well be the most popular tiling option in the UK.
Among the advantages of ceramic tiles is their versatility (e.g. there are styles and colours of ceramic tiles to be found on the market). They are also fairly easy to keep clean and are relatively easy to install.
In terms of the disadvantages, ceramic tiles, they arguably do not have as natural an appearance as other types of tiling while they are also relatively challenging to repair.
Pros:
- ✔ Popular choice
- ✔ Various styles and colours available
- ✔ Ease of installation
- ✔ Relatively easy to keep clean
Cons:
- ✖ Appearance isn’t very natural-looking for many
- ✖ Not so easy to repair
Porcelain Tiles
Another fairly common type of floor tiling is that of porcelain. Costing around £25 to £45 per m², porcelain tiles are somewhat more expensive (and those costs can certainly add up for large projects) than ceramic tiles.
Porcelain tiles are, like ceramic tiles, also quite versatile in their style and colour options. What’s more, they come with a natural appearance and ease of maintenance. On the other hand, this floor tiling material can be difficult to install.
Pros:
- ✔ Many styles to choose from
- ✔ A wide range of colour options available
- ✔ Natural appearance
- ✔ Ease of maintenance
Cons:
- ✖ Not the easiest type of tiling to lay
Natural Stone Tiles
Natural stone is popular too, in particular marble and limestone (which we’ll be focusing on for this section). The average price of marble floor tiling is about £35 to £50 per m², whereas limestone generally costs between £30 and £40 per m².
The price of natural stones can differ, although in general natural stone tiling options in general do tend to cost more than other types of tiling.
As for marble, it offers an aura of elegance and sophistication to woo your guests. There are also many types of marble styles to choose from. With that said, marble is not scratch-resistant, and its installation can be challenging.
Moving on to limestone tiling, this aesthetically pleasing option. They are also easy to install. In terms of the downsides, limestone tiling is often susceptible to absorbing water. Therefore, it’s important not to overdo things when it comes to cleaning or maintaining limestone tiles.
Pros:
- ✔ Totally natural look
- ✔ Natural stone tiling is an especially aesthetically pleasing option
- ✔ Types of natural stone tiling are often available
Cons:
- ✖ Natural stone tiling is generally relatively expensive
Other Materials
Other notable floor tiling types include cement, glass, and mosaic. Cement usually costs around £20 to £40 per m², whereas the price of glass is about £5 to £15 per m², and mosaic tiles are generally priced at between £25 and £40 per m².
As for cement, while it’s easy on the eye, regular resealing is needed, and it can be challenging to install. When it comes to glass tiling, these tiles can make a space feel more open and roomier than it actually is, and they are easy on the eye. However, glass tiling can be challenging to fit too.
Lastly, mosaic tiles represent a relatively unique option. While not everyone’s cup of tea, mosaic tiles can add a unique and stand out flare to your kitchen or bathroom. On the other hand, mosaic tiles are somewhat expensive and not easy to install.
Installation Costs
Of course, it’s entirely possible to install floor tiling DIY once you have the right skills, knowledge and safety awareness.
If you were to install floor tiling DIY, here are the average costs involved (material costs only):
| Room Type | Average Cost of Materials | Potential Savings |
|---|---|---|
| Small Bathroom | £30 to £120 | £80 to £200 |
| Medium Bathroom | £70 to £280 | £200 to £320 |
| Large Bathroom | £100 to £400 or more | £160 |
| Small Kitchen | £90 to £360 | £150 to £200 |
| Medium Kitchen | £150 to £600 | £170 to £200 |
| Large Kitchen | £250 to £1,000 | £170 to £200 |
| Laundry Room | £50 to £200 | £170 to £200 |
As discussed earlier, the price of labour in the UK is approximately £170 to £200 per day on average, with the cost of labour reaching about £190 to £230 in London.
Of course, while doing it yourself can potentially save you hundreds of pounds, there are many upsides to hiring a professional, including the quality of their work (due to their experience) and the fact it will save you time.
Budget-Friendly Tips
There are many approaches to keeping the costs down when it comes to having floor tiling installed and their general upkeep for the years that follow.
Bargain Hunting
Whether you to install the floor tiles yourself or you’re hiring a professional but wish to source the tiles yourself, it’s worth looking for affordable yet high-quality tiles and materials like porcelain and ceramic.
You may, on the one hand, want to look through a range of reliable retailers online (or in person) and particularly for those who have any discounts available.
Other online resources include using sites like eBay to purchase cheap or second-hand floor tiles (once they are in a sufficient condition, of course). With that said, if purchasing online in this sort of way, it’s important to do your research (e.g. checking that the seller has a high rating from many people and ideally plenty of good reviews). All in all, when looking for good offers, be cautious so you can avoid scams.
Cost-saving Installation Tips
As touched on earlier, when hiring a professional, you should secure quotes from several floor tiling services in your area before deciding who to hire.
This way, you’ll have a few options to choose from and you can compare aspects of each quote such as the pricing and the levels of experience of each service/contractor. You should also try to find any online reviews/ratings that are available from each of the individuals/companies you’re looking at.
Of course, going with the service that offers the lowest price will help save you money, although it’s still a good idea to take other factors into consideration. Ideally, you’ll want to opt for whoever offers the best value for money and with some luck, their pricing objectively won’t be too high either.
It’s important not to compromise quality or else long-term costs (e.g. maintenance fees and needing to remove and replace the flooring sooner than you otherwise would) could at least cancel out any initial savings.
Maintenance Considerations
Naturally, the more durable and resistant to damage a type of tiling is (both in terms of material, quality and even the quality of the installation) can reduce or prolong maintenance costs over time. It can also prolong the time before a replacement is needed.
Arguably the most durable types of floor tiles are porcelain, ceramic and the various types of natural stone tiles. Ultimately, when choosing what tiles will save you money the most in the short-term and in the long-term is a matter of considering your preferences and weighing up the costs and estimated lifespan of the options on your shortlist.
With a bit of rough math, you can get a sense of what tiles can offer the best value for you, whether in the immediacy or over time. If unsure of anything, you can always consult with the floor tiling installer before work begins.
While having new flooring added to an average bathroom costs about £240 to £480 with the pricing being around £320 to £800 in the case of your average kitchen, as you’ve seen in this guide, pricing can range significantly depending on a range of factors.
Thankfully though, there are ways of keeping costs down and securing quotes from 3+ professionals near you is one way of helping you achieve just that.
Ultimately, when deciding what type of floor tiling is right for you, be sure to make informed choices while keeping your budget, preferences and project requirements in mind.
FAQs
Q: Do I need to level a floor before tiling?
A: Yes, a floor should be levelled by professionals before tiling is added. Otherwise, complications and issues can arise (e.g. grout may crack relatively soon), not to mention your new floor probably won’t look quite right.
Q: Can I use floor tiles on the wall?
A: In general, yes, especially as it’s advised that (if tiling walls and floor alike), the same type of tiling is used in each case. However, you must still confirm that any given floor tiling product is okay to add to walls. Check the manufacturer if in any doubt.
Q: What is a rectified tile?
A: Rectified tiles are very high-quality tiles designed to offer a near perfect end result. Also known as sharp-edge tiles, they are cut to almost exact measurements such that the straight edge is almost perfect.
In other words, the edges are virtually completely vertical in relation to the surface. Absolute perfection may not exist in this universe, but rectified tiles get very close. It’s worth noting that rectified tiles come in the form of either porcelain or ceramic tiles.
Q: What tiles can go well with underfloor heating?
A: Porcelain and ceramic tiles are arguably the best option to go with underfloor heating.
Q: Is it better (from a cost perspective) to repair damaged tiles or simply replace them?
A: This will depend on the extent of the damage and the number of tiles which need addressing.
You could use the cost figures (for tiling instalments) above, factor in the number of tiles of concern, look into the average cost of a given tile replacement and make tailored calculations to determine whether repair work or replacement would make more sense.
Of course, it might be easier (and give you more certainty and potentially accuracy) by simply asking several tilers in your area for a quote for repairing or replacing your tiles that they need to fix/address.
As a pro trip, you could ask one professional/company for a quote to repair, another to quote for replacement, another for repair and another for replacement.
This is because you don’t want to risk getting swindled into spending more money by any opportunist contractors who might not be honest about the cheaper option. That said, it’s important to state that most contractors/companies are honest.
Sources
https://www.villeroy-boch.co.uk/bathroom-and-wellness/planning/planning-tips/house-building/planning-dimensions-in-the-bathroom.html
https://totaltiles.co.uk/help-center/tile-faqs/
https://www.toppstiles.co.uk/knowledge-base/what-are-rectified-tiles