Project guide
How much does it cost to tile a bathroom in the UK?
The tiles themselves are what move a bathroom tiling bill. Adhesive, grout, silicone and tanking still have to be on the list. This guide explains those materials, and prices the walls in the calculator.
The short answer
The materials cost is the tiles, bought by the box with spare for cuts, plus adhesive, grout and silicone, and tanking if you are tiling a shower. A dearer tile changes the bill more than an extra bag of adhesive. If you hire a tiler, that labour is quoted separately and varies by area.
Walls around a 2.4 x 1.8m bathroom, tiled to 2m with the door taken off, are 15.2 m². That is 17 m² of tiles, 3 x 20kg bags of adhesive and 1 x 5kg bag of grout. The floor of the same room is a second list, about 5 m² of tiles: see how many floor tiles for a bathroom.
Labour is not priced on this page. It is quoted separately and varies by area, so ask locally. Materials prices are not written here either: the button opens SmartBuild with your measurements and live prices from supplier feeds where we have them.
How the numbers are worked out
The formula
- Tiling materials = tiles + adhesive + grout + silicone + trim, and tanking if the wall gets wet
- Wall area (m²) = length of walls to tile x tiled height - doors and windows
- Tiles to buy (m²) = area x 1.1 for straight, x 1.15 for diagonal or herringbone, rounded up to whole boxes
- Floor tiles are a separate list: length x width, plus the same waste allowance
Worked example
A 2.4 x 1.8m bathroom. Walls tiled to 2m, door (1.6 m²) not tiled, 300 x 300mm tiles, straight. Floor tiled too:
- Walls: 8.4 x 2 = 16.8 m², minus 1.6 = 15.2 m²
- Wall tiles: 15.2 x 1.1 = 16.7 m², so buy 17 m² (about 186 tiles)
- Wall adhesive: 3 x 20kg bags. Grout: 1 x 5kg bag. Silicone along 6m: 1 tube
- Floor: 2.4 x 1.8 = 4.3 m², so 5 m² of floor tiles, 1 bag of adhesive and 1 bag of grout
Materials checklist
- Wall tilesThe line that moves the bill. Bought by the box from one batch: round the m² up to whole boxes.
- Flexible wall adhesiveAbout 0.4 m² per kg for a solid bed on a wet wall with a 6mm trowel (BAL), plus 10%, in 20kg bags.
- GroutCement-based grout in 5kg bags. The joint size and tile size change how far a bag goes.
- Sanitary siliconeAlong the bath, the tray and internal corners. Do not grout those joints.
- Tanking or a waterproof boardBehind tiles in a shower. This is on top of the tile, adhesive and grout list.
- Floor tiles, adhesive and groutA separate list. Floors use more adhesive per m² than walls.
You'll also need
- Primer or tile backer board on new plaster or bare plasterboard
- Tile trim for any open edge
- Notched trowel, tile cutter, spacers and a grout float
- A tiler, if you are not doing it yourself. Their price varies by area
Step by step
- Measure walls and floor separatelyThey use different adhesive coverage, and the floor tiles are often a different product.
- Add waste before you look at prices10% for a straight layout, 15% for diagonal or herringbone, then round up to whole boxes.
- Add the bags and the tubesAdhesive, grout, silicone, and tanking if the wall will be wet. Small areas still need a whole bag.
- Price the walls hereThe button opens the wall tiling project with your measurements. Open the floor guide for the floor.
- Get labour quoted locallyIf a tiler is supplying as well as fitting, ask whether the quote includes the tiles or labour only.
Tips from the manufacturers
- BAL Rapid-Flex One is about 0.4 m² per kg on a wet wall with a solid bed and a 6mm notched trowel. Floors are closer to 0.26 m² per kg. Using the wall figure on a floor leaves you short.
- A diagonal or herringbone layout needs about 15% spare, not 10%. That is more tiles, not more adhesive.
- Buy every box from the same batch. Shade differences between batches show on a bathroom wall.
- Use silicone, not grout, where tiles meet the bath, the tray or a corner that moves.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pricing the tiles and forgetting adhesive, grout, silicone, trim and tanking.
- Ordering the exact wall area, with nothing for cuts, then buying a second batch that does not match.
- Using wall adhesive coverage to buy for the floor.
- Comparing a supply-and-fit quote with a labour-only quote as if they were the same.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to tile a bathroom in the UK?
The materials bill is the tiles plus adhesive, grout, silicone and any tanking. Tile choice moves it more than the bags do. Labour, if you hire a tiler, is extra and varies by area. Price the walls in the calculator.
Is the floor included in the wall calculator?
No. The calculator on this page is the walls. A 2.4 x 1.8m floor is about 5 m² of tiles with one bag of adhesive and one bag of grout. Use the bathroom floor guide to price it.
How much extra tile should I buy?
About 10% for straight or brick bond, and 15% for diagonal or herringbone, then round up to a whole box. Keep a few spares from the same batch.
Do I need tanking?
Tile a shower or wet room onto a tanking system or a waterproof board, not straight onto ordinary plasterboard. That is extra materials.
Does the tiling price include a tiler?
No. This page is the materials. A tiler quotes labour separately, and the price depends on the room and the area you live in.
Sources
Quantities are estimates for typical jobs, using the coverage figures above. Products vary, so check the data sheet for the product you buy, and talk to a professional for structural, electrical or gas work. SmartBuild is independent and not affiliated with any of the manufacturers listed.
Related guides
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