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Bathroom Tiling Cost Calculator — Walls, Floors & Labour
Calculate bathroom tiling costs for walls and floors including tiles, adhesive, grout and labour.
Internal room length
Internal room width
Floor to ceiling height
Percentage of walls to tile (reduce for half-height tiling)
Tile the bathroom floor as well as walls
Average tile cost including VAT
10% standard, 15% for complex layouts
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How We Calculate This
This calculator estimates the total cost of tiling a bathroom including wall tiles, floor tiles, adhesive, grout and labour based on UK trade rates.
How it works
- Wall area: Calculated from room perimeter x ceiling height, adjusted by wall coverage percentage
- Floor area: Room length x width, included if floor tiling is enabled
- Tiles needed: Total area divided by individual tile area, plus wastage allowance
- Adhesive: 20kg bag (the standard UK size) covers approximately 5 m² at 6mm bed depth, or about 4.5 m² for rapid-set
- Grout: estimated from the standard consumption formula — (tile length + width) ÷ (length × width) × joint width × joint depth × 1.8 — using a 3mm joint at 8mm depth, so larger tiles need far less grout than small or mosaic formats
- Labour: Based on UK average of £40/m² including preparation and grouting
Wall area is taken as the full perimeter × ceiling height and is not reduced for door or window openings by default — the extra cut-around waste typically offsets the saved area. If you want to deduct large openings, lower the Wall Coverage % under Advanced Options to compensate.
Rates are based on 2025/2026 UK trade prices. Actual costs will vary by region, tile type, substrate condition and pattern complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bathroom tiling labour typically costs £35-45 per m² in the UK, depending on tile size, pattern complexity and your location. London and the South East tend to be at the higher end. This rate usually includes surface preparation, adhesive application, tile cutting and grouting. Very large format tiles (600x600mm+) or intricate mosaic work may cost more due to the additional skill and time required.
A 10% wastage allowance is standard for straightforward rectangular rooms with simple layouts. Increase this to 15% for rooms with many cuts around windows, niches, or pipework. For diagonal or herringbone patterns, allow 15-20% wastage. Always keep a few spare tiles for future repairs, as tile batches can vary in shade.
Flexible (S1 rated) adhesive is recommended for bathroom walls and floors as it accommodates slight movement from temperature and moisture changes. Use rapid-set adhesive if you need to grout within 3 hours. Standard cement-based adhesive is suitable for stable substrates only. For tiles over 300x300mm on walls, BS 5385 recommends using a combined method (buttering the back of the tile and the wall).
UK tile adhesive is sold in 20kg bags (for example Mapei Super Flexible S1, BAL Rapid-Flex One and Ardex X7). A 20kg bag typically covers around 5 m² at a 6mm bed thickness using a notched trowel. Larger tiles with bigger notch trowels (10-12mm) use more adhesive and cover less. As a rule of thumb, allow one 20kg bag per 5 m² for standard wall tiles and one per 4-4.5 m² for large format or floor tiles. Always check the coverage on your chosen product’s data sheet, as it varies with trowel notch size.
Yes, wet areas such as showers and around baths should be tanked with a liquid waterproofing membrane before tiling. This is required under BS 5385-4 for areas subject to direct water exposure. Products like BAL Tank-it or Mapei Mapelastic are commonly used. Tanking adds approximately £15-25 per m² to the overall cost but prevents costly water damage to the substrate.
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Last updated: March 2026
Verified against UK standards · estimates only, confirm with your supplier.