Tiling a bathroom is one of the most significant renovations you can make to your home. However, understanding the costs involved with a bathroom renovation can be tricky without a clear breakdown. In this guide, we’ll outline everything you need to know about the costs of tiling a bathroom, from materials to labour, and we’ve even added in a few case studies too. We hope this helps you to make an informed decision before choosing your tiling contractor/builder.

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Tiling costs will vary according to a number of different key factors:

• Tile type, size and quality​​

The tiles you choose to use can have a significant role to play in the price of your bathroom renovation. Whether you’re using simple ceramics at $30p/m2 or high-end marble mosaics at $350p/m2, the tiles you decide to install can make a significant impact to the final cost.

• Bathroom Size​

This is an obvious one: the larger your bathroom, the more tiles and labour required to install your Epoxy grout, which increases the overall cost of the job. You can also decide to have minimal tiling in a large bathroom, fully tile a small bathroom, or even fully tile a large bathroom. The choice is yours to make.

• Design Complexity

The most enjoyable aspect of a bathroom renovation is the design process. This will play a huge part in the overall cost of the project and will need some careful negotiation between partners and contractors when deciding how they want the area to look, coupled with the practicality of using the bathroom in your day-to-day life.

• Preperation Work 

Things to consider when beginning your bathroom tiling are: council consent, demolition, and waterproofing

Council Consent

When thinking about going ahead with a bathroom renovation, it’s important to check whether you will need council consent for the work you are about to begin. If so, you may need to have plans drawn up by an architect to present to council. This is crucial and is a cost that should not be missed. If you are looking to replace an acrylic shower tray with a tiled shower floor, you will need approval from council. There are products on the market, such as the Atlantis tiled shower tray system, that can speed up the process as there is no need for consent when using them. Always check with your local council to confirm before proceeding.

Demolition

The demolition of your existing bathroom requires plumbers, electricians, and builders to turn off all power and water feeds into the bathroom before the demolition can begin. If walls are to be removed or installed, this will also increase the final price.

Waterproofing

Waterproofing is an essential step when beginning your bathroom tiling renovation. Whether you are using a liquid membrane or sheet membrane, this will be the barrier between the tiles and the structure of your home. Any company installing waterproofing must be an accredited installer and should offer a product warranty and PS3 form for the work completed.

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Although prices will differ based on the particulars of each job, we have provided a few examples of ours to help you get a sense of what they might cost.
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Case Study #1This was a 4mx2m ensuite in Christchurch city centre, using 60×60 porcelain tiles for the shower walls/floor, ensuite floor, skirting and vanity.

• 4m2 screeding with channel drain
• 500W under-floor heating system with LED thermostat
• 20m2 Liquid WPM with waterstop
• Tiled shower base
• Soap recess
• Window recess
• 25m2 of tiling
• Tiled hob-step
• Tiled skirting around perimeter
• Tiled vanity splashback

Labour And Materials Cost : $6495+
25m2 Tiles : $1875+
Total : $8370+

The cost of bathroom tiles can vary considerably. Whether you’re choosing ceramic subways at $30 per/m2 or importing gauged porcelain tile panels at $500p/m2, there is a large range to choose from. If you are wanting a solid, long-lasting tile, it’s hard to look past porcelain tile. Coming in a variety of shapes, sizes, and designs, they are the most popular tile on the market around the world. You can expect to pay above $100 per m2 for a good-quality Italian porcelain tile for your bathroom renovation.
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Here is a list of tips we feel will help you when looking to start your bathroom tiling.Use A Qualified Tiling CompanyWhen starting your bathroom renovation, it’s wise to be engaging with a tiling contractor that you trust and can view previous work of their’s online. This may be via a website, an online platform such as Google or Facebook, or from a friend or family member who has had a completed renovation that you have seen for yourself.Use Larger Tiles To Make Rooms Feel BiggerIf your bathroom is of a smaller size, say, under 4 m2 of floor area, and you are looking to make it feel more spacious, a useful tip is to use larger tiles stacked vertically. This will help make the room feel taller and wider than it is. Typically, a 1200 x 600 tile works best for this.Use Epoxy Grout In Wet Areas.

Epoxy grout is a must when tiling inside of a shower area. Due to it’s impervious nature, it won’t absorb water like cement grout does over time. This can escalate into a significant problem, potentially reducing the durability of your bathroom over time. Not only does it help protect from water ingress through the grout joints, it’s also highly resistant to stains, again due to its impermiability. So the mouldy grout that drives you crazy won’t be an issue.