Guide
What to ask a tiler before you hire one
Before you hire a tiler, ask what the price includes, how the walls or floor will be prepared, how a shower will be waterproofed, who buys the tiles, how long it will take and how you pay. The answers tell you more than the price does, and they make quotes comparable.
Updated
What does the price include?
Ask for a written quote that lists what is in and what is not. The usual gaps are taking off old tiles, making good the wall or floor, tanking, levelling compound, trims and silicone, and taking the waste away. Ask too whether the price is labour only or includes tiles, adhesive and grout. A labour-only quote and a supplied-and-fixed quote are not comparable, and the cost guides this site uses mix both, so check which you are looking at.
How will you prepare the surface?
Most tiling failures start underneath. For a wall, ask what it is and whether it can carry the weight of your tile with its adhesive. For a timber floor, ask how it will be made rigid: which board goes down, how thick it is, and how closely it is screwed. For an older floor, ask whether the old tiles will come up or be tiled over, and why. A tiler who has not looked at the surface cannot answer these properly, so be wary of a firm price given over the phone.
How will the shower be waterproofed?
Tiles and grout are not waterproof. Ask which tanking system the tiler uses, whether it is one maker's system throughout, and how corners, pipes and the drain are sealed. Ask whether they will photograph the tanking before tiling over it and give you a note of the product. That record is useful if anything goes wrong later, for you and for them.
Who buys the tiles, and how many?
If you are buying, ask the tiler to measure and tell you how many square metres to order, including spare for cuts and breakages; patterns such as herringbone need more. Order from one batch so the shade matches, and keep a few spare tiles after the job for future repairs. If the tiler is buying, ask whether there is a mark-up and when it has to be paid.
Timing, payment and credentials
Ask how many days the job will take and when the room can be used again; adhesive and grout need curing time before a shower or floor is used. Ask about payment: a deposit for materials is normal, but paying most of the price before work starts is not. Ask whether they hold public liability insurance. If a tiler says they belong to The Tile Association or TrustMark, both publish directories you can check by name. A CSCS card can be checked online with CSCS's card checker; an NVQ has no public register, so ask to see the certificate. In a house built before 2000 with old vinyl or thermoplastic floor tiles, ask them to wait until the floor has been tested.
Common questions
Should I get more than one quote for tiling?
Yes, ideally two or three, each for the same area, the same tile and the same preparation. Ask each tiler to list what is included so you compare like with like.
Is it normal for a tiler to ask for a deposit?
A deposit to cover materials or to hold a date is common. Paying most of the price up front is not; stage payments tied to finished work are safer.
Should a tiler look at the job before quoting?
For anything beyond a simple splashback, yes. The state of the wall or floor changes the price more than anything else, and only a visit shows it.
What should a tiling quote include?
The area, the tile, who supplies materials, preparation, tanking where needed, trims, silicone, grouting, waste disposal, the number of days and the payment terms.