Ask three tilers what a bathroom costs and you will get three very different numbers, because "a bathroom" is not a unit of measurement. What actually matters is the square metreage of wall and floor being covered, the state of what is underneath, and the tile you have fallen for. Here is how the money breaks down for a typical Burnley terrace or semi, so you can read a quote properly rather than just squinting at the total.
A standard three piece bathroom in an older Burnley property is usually somewhere between 4 and 6 square metres of floor. Fully tiled walls in a room that size comes to roughly 20 to 25 square metres once you account for the ceiling height, minus the window and door. Half height tiling with a boxed in shower area is nearer 10 to 14 square metres.
Labour is commonly priced either per square metre or by the day. Across Lancashire, expect roughly £35 to £60 per square metre for wall tiling and £30 to £50 for floors, or a day rate of about £180 to £260. A tiler will usually manage 5 to 8 square metres a day on straightforward large format wall tiles, and considerably less on mosaic, herringbone or anything needing a lot of cutting round pipework.
Materials are where the range gets wide, and it is the one part you control completely. Buy around 10 per cent more than your measured area to cover cuts, breakages and the odd replacement in five years time.
The quote gap between two tilers is often nothing to do with their rate and everything to do with what they have included. Stripping old tiles off plaster frequently pulls the plaster with it, so a reskim or overboarding adds £250 to £500. Tanking a shower enclosure properly, with primer, tape and waterproof membrane, is another £150 to £350 in materials and time, and it is not optional if you want to avoid a damp landing ceiling later.
Waste is a real line item too. A bathroom's worth of broken tile is heavy and awkward, and a small skip locally runs around £150 to £250. Some tilers will take it away themselves, others expect you to sort it. Also budget for a plumber to disconnect and refit the basin, loo and shower if tiling behind them, which is typically half a day.
Pulling that together, a small fully tiled bathroom with mid range porcelain and no nasty surprises tends to land between £1,400 and £2,600 all in. Half height walls with a tiled floor is more like £700 to £1,400. Grand designs with stone, underfloor heating and a wet room former can comfortably pass £4,000.
To keep it under control, tile floor to ceiling only in the wet zone and paint the rest, choose a larger format tile with fewer grout lines, and avoid tiny mosaics anywhere except a feature strip. Get three written quotes that state the square metreage, whether tanking and waste removal are included, and who is supplying materials. Ask to see photos of previous bathrooms rather than just kitchens, and check whether the tiler is comfortable working around the older, slightly out of true walls common in Victorian and Edwardian stock around Burnley and Padiham, because level walls are a luxury round here.
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