Tile Quantity & Cost Calculator (Floor, Wall, Splashback)
Calculate tile quantities for floors, walls, and splashbacks including waste allowance. Adhesive, grout, and 2024 UK cost estimates for typical tile types.
Tile Quantity Guide (UK)
Calculating Tiles Needed
Step 1: calculate area. Floor: length × width. Wall: length × height. Subtract: doors (~1.8m² each), windows. Bathroom: add all wall areas + floor. Subtract sanitaryware footprint (toilet, basin, bath) — about 2-3m² total. Step 2: add wastage. 10% standard for simple rectangular layouts. 15% for moderate complexity (one alcove, doorway angle). 20% for complex (diagonal layout, multiple obstacles, expensive tile where mistakes are costly). Step 3: divide by tile area. Round up to whole tiles, the
Tile Types and Costs (2024 UK)
Ceramic: cheapest. £10-25/m². Good for walls. Less durable for high-traffic floors. Standard for budget bathroom walls. Porcelain standard: £20-40/m². Most common floor tile. Denser, harder, less porous than ceramic. Used widely for floors and walls. Porcelain premium: £40-80/m². Better appearance, wood-effect porcelain, anti-slip ratings, large format. Increasingly common in mid-range home renovations. Natural stone (slate, limestone, travertine): £40-150/m². Beautiful natural variation. Requir
Adhesive and Grout Quantities
Tile adhesive: ready-mixed or powdered. Powdered cheaper for larger jobs. Quantity rule of thumb: 4-5 kg per m² (3-5mm tile bed). Specialist adhesive: rapid-set, flexible, large-format. £15-30 per 20kg bag. Brands: BAL, Mapei, Weber, Ardex. Grout: 1-2 kg per m² for most tile sizes/joints. More for smaller tiles or wider joints. Less for large-format tiles with narrow joints. Coloured grout: significantly more expensive than standard white/grey. £20-40 per 5kg bag for coloured. Special grouts: an
DIY vs Professional
DIY tile work: cost saving £30-60/m² in labour. 4-8 hours per m² for beginner. Faster with experience. Best for: simple straight layouts. Small areas (bathroom splashback, single wall). Areas where mistakes can be hidden. Avoid DIY for: wet rooms (waterproofing critical). Wall-floor junctions (need decoupling membrane). Large format tiles 600×1200mm (heavy, awkward, mistakes very visible). Expensive marble/stone where waste is costly. Tiler day rate (2024 UK): £200-350/day. Project pricing: £30-
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