Question 1

How quickly can a tiler in London start?

Accepted Answer

For most domestic bathrooms and kitchens we can usually start within 5–10 working days, and we hold slots for small jobs like splashbacks and repairs that often go in the same week. Because we run a team rather than a single tiler, your dates hold even if someone is off — that is the main reason clients come back to us after being let down.

Question 2

Which parts of London do you cover?

Accepted Answer

All of Greater London, inside and outside the North and South Circular: Islington, Hackney, Camden, Shoreditch, Chelsea, Fulham, Kensington, Wandsworth, Clapham, Battersea, Dulwich, Greenwich, Ealing, Richmond, Wimbledon, Barnet, Enfield, Walthamstow and everywhere between. No travel charge inside the M25, and Congestion Charge and ULEZ are included in the quoted price.

Question 3

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 4

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 5

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 6

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 7

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 8

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 9

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 10

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 11

Can you get to me the same day for a quote?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. Send photos, rough measurements and your postcode by WhatsApp and you will usually have a priced estimate the same day without anyone visiting. For bigger or more complex jobs — wet rooms, Victorian geometric floors, commercial fit-outs — we book a survey, frequently within 48 hours.

Question 12

Do you work in period London properties and listed buildings?

Accepted Answer

Constantly. London stock is Victorian and Edwardian, which means lath and plaster, springy timber floors, out-of-square rooms and original geometric tiles. We board, level and decouple to suit rather than tiling straight onto whatever is there, and in listed buildings we work to the conservation officer's requirements on matching materials.

Question 13

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 14

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 15

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 16

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.

Tilers in London who turn up, price straight and finish flat

In short

Why London tiling is its own skill

London tiling work we do most

Bathroom & wet room tiling

Victorian hallway floors

Kitchen floors & splashbacks

Commercial fit-outs

Boroughs we work in every month

Get a fixed price

Tilers in London — your questions answered

Next steps

Tilers in Essex

London tiling costs per square metre

How to prepare for a tiler