Tiling Quotes in Ireland
Compare up to 4 local tiling professionals. Free, no obligation quotes.
Tiling is one of those trades where quality is on permanent display. Every tile, every grout line, every edge, and every cut is visible for years after the job is done. A well-tiled bathroom or kitchen looks clean, professional, and adds genuine value to your home. Poor tiling, characterised by uneven grout lines, lippage between tiles, cracked grout, and messy cuts around pipes and fittings, is impossible to hide and expensive to redo.
The most common tiling jobs in Irish homes are bathroom walls and floors, kitchen splashbacks, utility room floors, hallway and porch floors, and fireplace surrounds. Bathroom tiling is the most demanding because it involves waterproofing beneath the tiles, working around multiple plumbing fixtures, and achieving clean lines in a small space with many cuts and corners.
Tile prices in Ireland range from €15 per square metre for basic ceramic wall tiles to €80+ per square metre for premium porcelain, natural stone, or large-format tiles. The cost of the tiles themselves is typically 30 to 40% of the total project cost, with labour, adhesive, grout, substrate preparation, and waterproofing making up the remainder. Large-format tiles (600x600mm and above) look striking with fewer grout lines but require a perfectly level substrate and a skilled tiler to install without lippage.
Tiling is a specialist skill that takes years to master. A skilled tiler works precisely, plans the layout to minimise visible cuts at edges, achieves flat surfaces and consistent grout lines, and waterproofs wet areas properly before tiling begins. Getting quotes from at least three experienced tilers with references specific to your type of job is the best way to ensure a quality result.
How Much Does Tiling Cost in Ireland?
Typical pricing for tiling services in Ireland (2026):
| Service | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom tiling (floor + walls) | €800 | €2,000 | Area, tile type |
| Kitchen splashback | €300 | €800 | Area, tile type |
| Floor tiling (per sq m) | €30 | €60 | Tile size, pattern |
Costs depend on tile size and material, area, complexity (cuts around fixtures), substrate preparation, and whether waterproofing is needed. Floor tiling costs more than wall tiling. Dublin 15-20% above national average.
What to Expect: The Tiling Process
- Preparation: check substrate, level floors, board walls in wet areas.
- Waterproofing in shower areas.
- Layout planning.
- Tiling with adhesive and spacers.
- Grouting after 24 hours.
- Silicone sealing at movement joints.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not waterproofing showers.
- Choosing tiles before consulting a tiler.
- Skipping substrate preparation.
- Using cement grout in showers without sealing.
- Using grout instead of silicone where tiles meet baths.
What to Look for When Hiring a Tiling Professional
Always check that your chosen professional is properly insured and has relevant experience for your specific job.
Questions to Ask Your Tiling Professional
- Can I see recent work? Quality is immediately visible.
- Substrate preparation needed? Tiles on uneven surfaces crack and develop lippage.
- Waterproofing method? Critical quality question for bathrooms.
- What is included per m2? Labour only or including adhesive and grout?
- Layout planning approach? Avoids thin slivers at edges.
- Grout recommendation? Epoxy is stain-proof; cement needs sealing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tiling labour costs €25 to €50 per square metre depending on tile size, complexity, and location. A standard bathroom (walls and floor, approximately 15 to 25 sq m) costs €800 to €2,000 for labour plus adhesive and grout. A kitchen splashback costs €200 to €500. Hallway floor tiling costs €500 to €1,500. These prices exclude the tiles themselves, which range from €15 to €80+ per square metre. Dublin tilers are at the upper end.
A standard bathroom (walls and floor) takes 3 to 5 working days including substrate preparation, waterproofing, tiling, grouting, and silicone sealing. A kitchen splashback takes half a day to a full day. Large floor areas (hallway, kitchen) take 2 to 4 days. Allow 24 hours after grouting before the area can be walked on or used normally. Larger tiles and more complex patterns take longer than small, simple layouts.
Porcelain tiles are the most popular choice for bathrooms in Ireland: they are waterproof, extremely durable, easy to clean, and available in an enormous range of styles including realistic stone, wood, and marble effects. For shower floors specifically, choose tiles with an anti-slip rating (R10 or R11) to prevent slipping on wet surfaces. Natural stone is beautiful but requires sealing and more regular maintenance.
Both are clay-based, but porcelain is fired at a significantly higher temperature, making it denser, harder, and less porous than ceramic. Porcelain is suitable for both floors and walls and performs well in wet areas. Ceramic is lighter, easier to cut, and cheaper, making it a good choice for walls. If you want a single tile type for both walls and floors in a bathroom, porcelain is the better and more versatile choice.
Yes, absolutely. This is the most critical quality step in bathroom tiling. Tiles and grout alone are not waterproof. A waterproof membrane (tanking system) must be applied to the walls and floor in the shower area before any tiles are laid. This prevents water penetrating behind the tiles and causing damage to the structure below. This is the step most commonly done incorrectly by inexperienced tilers, and the one that causes the most expensive problems.
Standard practice is to tile the walls first, then install the bathroom suite (toilet, basin, bath, shower tray). The suite sits on top of the floor tiles. This approach allows clean tile edges behind and around each fitting and makes future suite replacement much easier, as you simply remove the old suite without disturbing the tiles. Silicone sealant is used where the suite meets the tiles to accommodate movement.
In some cases yes. If the existing tiles are firmly bonded to the wall, completely flat, and the surface is sound, you can tile directly over them using a suitable adhesive designed for tile-on-tile application. This saves the cost and mess of removing the old tiles. However, it raises the floor or wall level (which can cause issues at doors and transitions), and it only works if the existing tiles are genuinely solid throughout.
Tiling Quotes by County
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