The average cost of tiling a room ranges between £37 and £185 per square metre. To break this down, you will need between £17 and £45 to pay the contractor per square metre and between £20 and £140 to buy the supplies needed for the work. Costs vary depending on the kind of materials you buy, for instance metal tile trim instead of ceramic tile trim for covering the exposed floor tiles edges.

Before Tiling

The first thing to consider is whether you will be laying the tiles yourself or you will need to hire a contractor. Tiling is easy and you can do it yourself but it requires a degree of accuracy in installing. DIY cuts labour costs. You may also consider preparing the area to be tiled to reduce the work that the tiler will do and thus reduce costs. In some instances, homeowners will want to install an underfloor heating. This has to be installed beneath the tiles. Though this adds on costs, it eliminates the issue of cold tiles.

Factors Affecting Costs

The number of tile variations is endless. To this end, tiles will cost as low or high as you want them to be. The major factor in determining the cost of tiling is the size of the area to be tiled. Both the cost of tiling and tiles are quoted in square metres; this is the relative cost that you need to consider. Like any other job, the economies of scale will apply; you can negotiate for lower rates per square metre for larger areas. Conversely, you may be charged higher rates per square metre for small areas given that the tradesman’s provision of tools and travel costs are fixed.

If the tradesman finds the area to be tiled clean and flat, the costs will be lower. However, if the area still has old tiles, it has to be levelled or has carpets or laminate to be removed, the costs will be high. The costs of clearing the area to be tiled will depend on whether you do it or higher a tradesman.

The complexity of the task is important in determining the cost. A good square or rectangle area makes it easy to install tiles. An area that requires lots of cutting and fitting makes it hard to install the tiles; this may lead to higher rates.

Tiles are available in an array of sizes, shapes and a plethora of qualities. Your choice of tiles determines the cost; tiles can cost anything from a few pounds to £100 per square metre. Consult your tiler before buying tiles. Besides tiles, consider the costs of other materials needed such as sealants, grouting and adhesives. If you require to add tile trims after tiling, consider whether you will install metal tile trim or which other materials and their costs.

Larger tiles are easier to lay and require less time. However, most homeowners require that the tiles be installed in a pattern. As much as tiling costs are priced per square metre, by and large, the costs will vary by region, location and by the hired tiler. To this end, you need to get a number of quotes before embarking on tiling.