Floor tiling cost UK 2026
The going rate for floor tiling in 2026 is £25–£45/m² (labour only). Below: a calculator, what the job involves, materials at three price levels, and the prep that changes the price.
Floor tiling calculator
Market band source: Trade2Base.
What the job involves
| Stage | Task | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| prep | Protect and set out | 0.5 h |
| prep | Prime surfaces | 0.05 h per m² |
| fix | Fix floor tiles | 0.8 h per m² |
| finish | Grout and clean | 0.15 h per m² |
| finish | Silicone and trims | 1 h |
Some stages wait for materials to cure first, which can mean a return visit — that's why the worked example has 2 visits.
Materials at three price levels
| Material | Budget | Trade choice | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexible floor tile adhesive (S1) 20kg bag | £12 Merchant own-brand S1 (e.g. Premtool SSG) — Cheapest compliant S1 for a sound concrete floor | £22 BAL SPF S1 or equivalent — 30-minute open time, flexible for timber, UFH and large format | £32 Rapid-set S1 — Grout the same day, saves a return visit on small floors |
| Tile primer 5L tub | £15 Own-brand SBR/acrylic primer — Seals dusty screed | £22 BAL APD or equivalent — Matched to the adhesive system | £30 High-bond primer — Tile over existing tiles or non-porous surfaces |
| Grout 5kg bag | £10 Standard cement grout — Dry areas, standard joints | £16 Flexible grout — Flexible for timber, UFH and wet areas | £24 Stain-resistant flexible grout — Resists staining and mould in kitchens and showers |
| Sanitary silicone tube | £5 Standard sanitary silicone — Movement joints at edges | £8 Anti-mould sanitary silicone — Stays white in bathrooms | £12 Colour-matched silicone — Matches coloured grout |
Trade prices ex VAT, estimates checked 2026-09-25. Log your receipts in Grafto and your own prices replace these.
What changes the price
- Tile size? up to 300mm · 600x300 · 600x600 · 1200x600+ · mosaic big effect
- Tile material? ceramic · porcelain · natural stone
- What's underneath? concrete/screed · timber boards · ply/chipboard · existing tiles big effect
- Current floor? bare · vinyl/lino · carpet · old tiles big effect
- Layout? straight · brick bond · diagonal · herringbone
- Underfloor heating? no · yes - existing · yes - installing
- Who supplies tiles? customer · me big effect
- Property built? 2000 or later · before 2000 · unknown
Good practice
- Old tiles come up so the new floor bonds to a sound base
- Timber moves: overlay with 6 mm backer board and use S1 adhesive
- Large format needs 3 mm/2 m flatness, clips, back-buttering and two to lift
- Diagonal and herringbone waste about 15%
- Natural stone: white adhesive, seal before grouting
- Mosaic runs at 2–4 m² a day and uses more grout
- Underfloor heating: S1 adhesive, decoupling and movement joints
Prep to look for
| Condition | Check | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Vinyl, lino or carpet to lift | vinyl, lino or carpet covering the floor | Lift vinyl, lino or carpet |
| Timber floor | floorboards or ply visible | |
| Uneven floor | visible dips, rocking tiles, uneven boards | Level the floor |
| Cracked or loose tiles | cracked, lifted or missing tiles | Remove old tiles |
| Hollow tiles | Tap test — any hollow sound? | Remove old tiles |
| Possible asbestos | Artex swirls or old 225 mm (9 inch) square floor tiles | Possible asbestos: test before disturbing |
| Damp signs | tide marks, efflorescence, peeling paint | Damp investigation and repair £150–£400. Damp signs: find the cause before tiling |
| Bouncy floor | Does the floor flex when you walk on it? | Subfloor strengthening or overlay, only if found £150–£400 |
| Lots of cuts | pipes, boxing, window reveals, nibs, sockets | Pipes, boxing and reveals add cutting time (about +10–20%) |
Questions
How much does floor tiling cost in the UK in 2026?
The researched market band is £25–£45/m² (labour only), from Trade2Base. A worked example of 12 m² comes to about £627–£767 across budget, trade and premium materials.
How long does floor tiling take?
The worked example of 12 m² takes about 2 working days over 2 visits (waiting for materials to cure in between).
What changes the price of floor tiling?
Mainly tile size, what's underneath, current floor, who supplies tiles, plus any prep found on site: vinyl, lino or carpet to lift, timber floor, uneven floor, cracked or loose tiles.