How to Tile a Bathroom: A Step-by-Step UK Guide

The 7-step tiling process

Every proper bathroom tiling job follows the same sequence — skipping or reordering these steps is where most DIY jobs (and a few rushed trade jobs) go wrong.

1. 1. Prep the surface

   Remove old tiles and adhesive back to a sound surface. Fit cement board or tile backer board to any stud walls — this skips the plaster drying time entirely and gives a fully waterproof-ready base.

2. 2. Waterproof (tank) the wet areas

   Apply a waterproofing membrane to every wall and floor that gets wet — shower enclosures and bath surrounds especially. Liquid membranes need around 24 hours to cure per coat; sheet membrane systems (e.g. Schluter Kerdi) can often be tiled onto immediately once bonded, saving 2–3 days.

3. 3. Set out the tiling

   Mark centre lines and dry-lay a row before fixing anything. This is the step that determines whether you end up with slivers of cut tile in an awkward corner — five minutes here saves a wasted day later.

4. 4. Tile the walls from the second row up

   Tile from the second row up using a level timber batten or laser line, leaving the bottom row un-tiled. This protects the floor from falling tools and mortar while the walls go up.

5. 5. Tile the floor, then finish the bottom row

   Once the wall is done, tile the floor, and finish by cutting the bottom row of wall tiles so they sit neatly on top of the finished floor perimeter with a silicone expansion gap.

6. 6. Grout

   Leave tiling to cure per the adhesive manufacturer's guidance (usually 24–48 hours) before grouting. Use a flexible, waterproof grout in wet areas — standard grout can crack where tanking has allowed for slight movement.

7. 7. Seal

   Silicone seal every internal corner and the join between tiles and the bath/shower tray. This is the single most common bathroom leak point, and the cheapest five minutes of the whole job to get right.

How much to tile a bathroom

Professionally, a full bathroom tiling job costs £45 to £130 per square metre all-in, depending on the tile you choose. Labour alone is £25 to £75 per m² (roughly £25–£40/m² for floors, £30–£45/m² for walls), with tilers charging £150–£200 a day outside London and £250+ within the M25. The Midlands and North typically run 10–15% below the London rate — one practical upside of getting quotes locally in Leicestershire rather than a national chain's London-benchmarked price list.

A worked example: tiling a standard 6m² bathroom

A realistic breakdown for wall and floor tiling with mid-range porcelain, professionally fitted:

How long does it take to tile a bathroom?

Tiling alone takes 2 to 5 days, on top of any prep and waterproofing. A straightforward layout is quicker; pattern-laid or natural stone tiling takes longer.

A standard bathroom with straight-lay porcelain is usually at the faster end (2–3 days for the tiling itself); herringbone patterns, natural stone, or a mosaic feature wall push it to 3–5 days.

What affects the price and process

Property type

Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have uneven walls behind old plaster, which adds prep time to get a flat surface before tiling can even start — a spirit level has broken more hearts in a Victorian terrace than anywhere else in this trade. 1930s semis — common across Leicestershire — are generally more predictable. Modern builds with plasterboard stud walls are usually the quickest to prep, since tile backer board goes straight on.

• Tile size — large-format tiles look sharp but need a flatter substrate and more careful setting-out, adding time
• Pattern — herringbone, brick-bond, or mosaic all take longer than a straight grid layout
• Underfloor heating — adds a day for installation before tiling can begin
• Access — a first-floor bathroom in a terrace adds time for material handling

Local considerations for Leicestershire homes

Tiling labour in the Midlands typically runs 10–15% below London rates, so getting quotes from local Hinckley-area tradespeople rather than a national chain is usually the better-value route. The main local factor is property age — Leicestershire's mix of Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, and newer estate builds means wall flatness (and therefore prep time) varies more than the tiling itself.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping or under-curing the waterproofing membrane to save a day
• Not dry-laying tiles first to plan cut-tile positions
• Using standard (non-flexible) grout in a wet area
• Tiling the floor before the walls
• Forgetting to silicone-seal internal corners and bath/shower joins

Every one of those is cheap to avoid and expensive to fix once it's tiled over.

Frequently asked questions