Question 1

Which areas of Cambridge do you cover?

Accepted Answer

All of them. Central Cambridge, Trumpington, Newnham, Chesterton, Cherry Hinton, Romsey, Arbury, Petersfield, Castle, Coleridge, Kings Hedges, East Chesterton, Eddington and Great Kneighton, plus the surrounding villages and towns: Histon, Milton, Waterbeach, Girton, Grantchester, Cottenham, Sawston, Great Shelford, Fulbourn, Bar Hill, Cambourne, Ely, Newmarket, St Neots, St Ives, Royston and Huntingdon.

Question 2

How much does tiling cost in Cambridge?

Accepted Answer

Labour typically runs £40–£85 per m² depending on tile size, format and layout. A standard Cambridge bathroom retile is usually £1,400–£2,800 in labour; a fully tanked level-access wet room £2,600–£4,500. Large-format porcelain, mosaic, herringbone and Victorian geometric patterns sit at the top of the range because of the setting-out time. Materials are quoted separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

Question 3

Do you tile period and listed properties in Cambridge?

Accepted Answer

Yes — much of Cambridge is Victorian, Edwardian or older, and a lot of it is in a conservation area. That means suspended timber floors that must be overboarded and stiffened before tiling, lime plaster that will not take a modern adhesive without preparation, and original geometric floors where a matching new installation has to be set out from the true centre line rather than a wall. We survey the substrate first and tell you what it needs.

Question 4

Do you work in student lets and rental properties?

Accepted Answer

Regularly. Cambridge has a large rental and HMO market, so we work to turnaround deadlines between tenancies — hard-wearing R10/R11 floor porcelain, epoxy grout in shower areas so it does not stain, and silicone rather than grout at every movement joint so the finish survives heavy use.

Question 5

Is there a travel charge to Cambridge?

Accepted Answer

No. Cambridge and the surrounding villages are a standard call-out for us — no travel charge, no Congestion Charge and no ULEZ, so Cambridge labour rates are typically a little lower than central London for identical specification and the same written guarantee.

Question 6

Do you install underfloor heating under tiles in Cambridge?

Accepted Answer

We tile over both electric mat and wet UFH systems. New screed is moisture-tested before we start, an uncoupling membrane goes down over anything that will move or shrink, and we fix with a flexible S1/S2 adhesive. Heating stays off for at least 7 days after grouting, then ramps up gradually — that sequence is what stops hairline cracks and hollow tiles.

Question 7

How much do tilers charge per square metre in London?

Accepted Answer

Most London tiling work lands between £45 and £90 per square metre for labour, plus materials. Standard 300x600mm ceramic wall tiling sits at the lower end; large-format porcelain (over 1200mm), mosaic, herringbone, Victorian geometric and natural stone sit at the upper end because they need more setting out, more cutting and often a levelling system. Small rooms are usually priced as a job rather than per m², because a 2m² cloakroom still needs the same preparation, cuts and silicone work as a big bathroom.

Question 8

Which tile should I choose — porcelain, ceramic or natural stone?

Accepted Answer

Porcelain is the default for floors, wet rooms and outdoors: it is fired denser, absorbs under 0.5% water and is frost resistant. Ceramic is cheaper and lighter, which makes it ideal for walls and splashbacks but not for heavy floor traffic. Natural stone (marble, limestone, travertine, slate) gives the best depth of character but is porous, needs sealing before and after grouting, and needs a pH-neutral cleaner for life. If you want stone looks with zero maintenance, choose a rectified stone-effect porcelain.

Question 9

Do you supply the tiles or do I buy them?

Accepted Answer

Either. Most clients buy their own tiles because choosing them is the fun part, and we will tell you before you order whether the tile is suitable for the substrate, the room and the layout you want. If you would rather we handled it, we buy through trade suppliers in London and Essex and pass the trade discount on. Always order 10% extra (15% for herringbone, diagonal or Victorian patterns) so cuts and future repairs come from the same batch.

Question 10

How long does a bathroom or kitchen tiling job take?

Accepted Answer

A typical bathroom is 2–4 days: one day preparation and tanking, one to two days tiling, then grouting and silicone once the adhesive has cured. A kitchen splashback is often a single day. Large-format porcelain floors and Victorian geometric patterns take longer because of setting out and cutting. We give you a day-by-day schedule with the quote so you know when the room is usable again.

Question 11

Do you tile over existing tiles?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes, and only when it is the right call. The existing tiles must be firmly bonded, flat, and the wall must carry the extra weight — we tap-test the whole area first. Tiling over old tiles saves the mess of removal but it moves the finished surface forward, which affects door frames, sockets, shower trays and skirtings. On floors we almost always recommend removal, because a hollow or drummy tile underneath will telegraph a crack straight into your new floor.

Question 12

What grout and adhesive do you use?

Accepted Answer

Adhesive is chosen for the tile and the substrate: flexible S1/S2 cement-based adhesive for porcelain, boards and underfloor heating, rapid-set where we need to grout the same day, and white adhesive under glass, marble and other translucent tiles. Grout is cement-based for most walls and floors, and epoxy where staining or chemicals are a risk — wet rooms, kitchen worktops, pool surrounds, commercial kitchens. Movement joints and silicone go in every internal corner and change of plane; grout in a corner will always crack.

Question 13

Are you insured, and is the work guaranteed?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We carry public liability insurance and give a written workmanship guarantee on every installation, with the tanking (waterproofing) covered separately by the manufacturer's system warranty when we install a full wet-room kit. You get the certificates with your quote, not after you ask.

Question 14

Can you tile over underfloor heating?

Accepted Answer

Yes — porcelain and stone are the best possible finishes over underfloor heating because they conduct heat well. We install a decoupling or uncoupling membrane over the heating layer, use flexible S2 adhesive, and commission the heating slowly: leave it off for at least 7 days after grouting, then raise it 5°C per day. Rushing the first heat-up is the single most common cause of cracked tiles over UFH.

Question 15

What is the largest tile you can lay on a wall?

Accepted Answer

We regularly install 1200x600mm and 1600x800mm porcelain on walls, and slabs up to 3200x1600mm on feature walls with a two-person suction frame. Anything above 600mm needs a flat, plumb substrate (we check with a 2m straight edge and skim or board out where needed), back-buttering, and a levelling clip system so no corner lips. Weight matters too: plaster alone will not hold large-format porcelain, so we fix to tile backer board or render.

Question 16

Do you tank and waterproof wet rooms and showers?

Accepted Answer

Always, and it is not optional. Every shower enclosure and wet room gets a full tanking system — primer, liquid membrane or bonded sheet, plus corner and pipe collars — installed to the manufacturer's specification before a single tile goes on. In a wet room we form the falls into the tray or screed so water runs to the drain rather than sitting in the corners. Tiles and grout are not waterproof; the membrane behind them is.

Question 17

Which tile size makes a small bathroom look bigger?

Accepted Answer

Fewer grout lines read as more space, so a large-format 600x600mm or 800x800mm floor tile run continuously into the shower usually beats small tiles. Rectified porcelain with a 2mm joint and a grout matched to the tile colour disappears; a contrasting grout draws a grid and shrinks the room. Vertical stack-bond or a tall metro layout lifts the eye and adds perceived ceiling height.

Question 18

Can you do herringbone, chevron and metro brick-bond layouts?

Accepted Answer

Yes — herringbone, double herringbone, chevron, stack bond, brick bond, basketweave and 45° diagonal. These layouts need a laser-set centre line and a lot more cutting, so allow 15% extra tiles and expect a higher labour rate than a straight grid. Chevron in particular needs mitre-cut ends, so the tile must be strong enough to hold a 45° edge — porcelain yes, soft ceramic often no.

Question 19

How do you deal with uneven walls and floors before tiling?

Accepted Answer

We survey first: a 2m straight edge and laser level tell us the real story. Walls get dot-and-dab backer board, a render coat or a skim depending on the deviation. Floors get a self-levelling compound over primer, or a plywood overboard on timber joists, with a decoupling membrane where movement or a screed crack is a risk. Nine out of ten tiling failures are substrate failures, so this stage is where the job is actually won.

Tilers in Cambridge covering every area and village

In short

Tiling in Cambridge: what the job usually involves

Cambridge tiling services

Bathrooms & wet rooms

Kitchen & extension floors

Victorian & geometric floors

Patios, balconies & pools

Commercial & college fit-outs

Rental & HMO turnarounds

Cambridge areas and villages we cover

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Tilers in Cambridge — your questions answered

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