Most UK tilers charge £20–£50 per m² for labour, or a day rate of £200–£350 (around £300 is typical). Expect the top of the range in London and the South East, and for large-format, natural stone, mosaic or herringbone work.
Labour, adhesive and grout together usually come to £80–£130 per m², before the cost of the tiles.
There's no fixed rate for tiling labour in the UK. What you can charge depends on where you work, the tile, the surface and how much prep the job needs. The published price guides do agree on the general range, though, and it's useful to know where your own rate sits within it.
How much does a tiler charge per m² and per day?
| How it's charged | Typical UK range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Labour per m² | £20–£50 | The most common way to price. Checkatrade puts the average around £50/m². |
| Day rate | £200–£350 | Around £300 is typical. Used for awkward or uncertain jobs. |
| Hourly | around £40 | Mostly used for small repairs and call-outs. |
| Labour, adhesive and grout | £80–£130 per m² | Excludes the tiles themselves. |
How much tilers charge by region
Labour rates follow local living costs and demand. MyBuilder's 2026 guide gives these per m² labour ranges:
| Region | Labour per m² |
|---|---|
| London and the South East | £30–£40 |
| Midlands and the North | £20–£30 |
| Scotland and Wales | £18–£35 |
These are averages across many jobs. Experienced tilers with a full diary often charge above them, especially for bathrooms, where the job includes prep, tanking and finishing work as well as laying tiles.
Tiling prices by tile type
Harder-to-handle tiles take longer to cut and lay, so they cost more per m². MyBuilder's figures for labour, adhesive and grout combined (tiles not included):
| Tile | Fitted, per m² (excl. tiles) | Why it costs more or less |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic | £60–£95 | Light, easy to cut |
| Porcelain | £70–£110 | Harder to cut, heavier, needs a better adhesive |
| Natural stone | £80–£120 | Sealing, variation in thickness, careful handling |
| Mosaic | £90–£140 | Slow to set out and grout |
Large-format tiles (600×1200 mm and bigger) usually sit at the top of the labour range. They need a flatter substrate, more adhesive, levelling clips and often two people to handle.
How much a tiler can lay in a day
Checkatrade's guide gives typical output of 10–15 m² a day on walls and 8–12 m² a day on floors. Use this to check that your per m² rate and day rate agree with each other:
- 12 m² a day at £25/m² is £300 a day.
- 10 m² a day at £35/m² is £350 a day.
If your per m² rate works out well below your day rate on small or fiddly jobs, those jobs need a minimum charge or a day rate instead. Checkatrade notes that areas under about 10 m² often carry one.
Day rate or price per m²: which should you use?
| Price per m² | Day rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Clear, measurable areas: floors, full walls, repeat work | Unknowns: old buildings, heavy prep, repairs, patterns you haven't laid before |
| Customer sees | A fixed price they can compare | An estimate that depends on how long it takes |
| Risk sits with | You, if the job takes longer | The customer, if the job takes longer |
| Watch out for | Small rooms with lots of cuts: set a minimum charge | Customers comparing against fixed quotes |
Many tilers quote per m² for the main areas and use a day rate, or a fixed sum, for prep and anything uncertain. Whichever you use, check one against the other. Our labour cost calculator shows what a per m² price earns per day.
What's included in a labour rate
Say clearly in your quote what the rate covers. Customers compare quotes line by line, and a lower price that leaves out prep isn't really cheaper. Things that are often priced separately:
- removing old tiles and making good the wall or floor;
- levelling compound or screed on uneven floors;
- tanking in showers and wet rooms;
- backer board or plasterboard;
- trims, silicone sealing and boxing in pipes;
- waste removal.
Setting your own rate
Published averages are a starting point. Work your rate out from what you need to earn and how much you lay. Our guide to working out a self-employed tiler's day rate takes you through it step by step, and how to quote a bathroom tiling job shows the rate used in a real quote.
To price a particular job from your own rates, use the free tiling labour cost calculator.
Sources
- Checkatrade: How much does tiling cost in 2026? · updated June 2026; labour per m², day rate, output per day, bathroom figures
- MyBuilder: How much does tiling cost in 2026? · updated 21 August 2026; per m² by region and by tile type
- Checkatrade: Large format tile installation cost · 2026; large-format day rates and output
Prices change. Figures were checked on 23 October 2026; always check current costs and your own figures before quoting.