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Tile Work Cost Guide

If there's one thing homeowners crave in their houses, it's symmetry. And there's no more satisfying feeling than seeing a totally symmetrical pattern in tile for household flooring. There are a wide variety of materials to work with, all with their own separate pros and cons. Also the homeowner's taste is a gigantic factor when selecting which tile work you'll want to have done. Be it natural stone, ceramic, or porcelain, you can find the right flooring tile for you. It has other applications as well, being able to be fit to the walls or ceiling. Furthermore, when looking at bathroom tile application, the Coefficient of Friction (COF) rating is important because it will determine how slippery your flooring is, especially after a shower (1). While you can put tile anywhere in your home, bathrooms are almost always the number one room (2).

On this page:

Tile Work
Tile Installation
Tile Removal
Tile Repair
Ceramic Tile
Porcelain
Natural Stone
Granite
Slate
Marble
Travertine

Tile Work

Commonly found in bathrooms but easily installed elsewhere in a home, tile work simply refers to any type of natural stone or ceramic tiling fit into a pattern along the floor. Alternatively, some terracotta structures can be outfit to roofing for a unique western look (3). Otherwise tile work can come in many different shapes and styles, ranging from patterned to asymmetrical, intricate to plain (4). Whatever style and color you want can happen at an affordable rate. Some of your options include, but are not limited to (5):

Granite
Porcelain
Ceramic
Slate
Marble
Travertine

Tile Installation

It's easy to put tile down over most surfaces. Tile installation can be done in any home with whichever tile you're comfortable working with. Because most bathrooms already come with tile installed, this will usually apply to a different room in the house. Perhaps a backsplash to the kitchen (6)? In any case, different tiles have different price ranges, especially for backsplashes. Here's just a brief look at what those different materials can cost:

• Ceramic - $2 per sq. ft.
• Porcelain - $6 per sq. ft.
• Slate - $5 per sq. ft.
• Glass - $7 per sq. ft.
• Granite - $42 per sq. ft.

Tile Removal

Before you can lay down a new floor, you must first remove the old tile. Therefore tile removal another professional service that experts can offer as part of the total package. Ripping up tile doesn't cause damage to your flooring, and can be made to look good as new. The average costs for removing tile are about $2.50 per sq. ft. The price may increase depending on the material at hand.

Tile Repair

If your tiles are becoming cracked, chipped, or simply worn down from traffic, there are professionals who can help. Tile repair can heal any damage done to your flooring. This can be from cracking, moisture, or just natural wear and tear. There's nothing that can't be fixed.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is essentially a clay that has been manufactured into a mold (7). Ceramic tile installation is just taking those molds and essentially "gluing" them in with grout. It looks fantastic and feels great. Ceramic can cost around $8.50 per sq. ft. It will last a lifetime.

Porcelain

The real difference between ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles is that the porcelain material is actually fired at a higher rate than ceramic, causing it to become more moisture resistant and more dense of a substance (8). While this makes it perfect for bathroom fixtures, it also becomes a good tiling material for the same reasons. Studies show that it has a water absorption rate of less than 0.5% (9). Porcelain is most commonly found in home kitchens (10).

Natural Stone

Certainly one of the more expensive options, natural stone is a high quality crafting material that will last several lifetimes. It can be outfitted anywhere in the home, namely bathrooms, poolside patios, or walkways. Stone also takes far, far longer to dull in color or erode (11). There are several types of natural stone, so select the one that best suits your home.

Granite

Granite is an incredible material that looks fantastic, feels great, and is nearly impervious to damage. The only thing that really affects granite is acidic food. That being said, granite is also at the top of the price range, ranging from $10 to $40 dollars per sq. ft. Nearly all homeowners love their granite tile, however. Thus, most people agree that it's well worth the price tag.

Slate

Natural stone slate is slightly more difficult to work with, but skilled professionals can make anything happen. Traditionally found in the foyer, stone has quickly gained popularity in many household rooms, bathroom included (12). Natural stone slate also has a very long lifespan far extending beyond a generation, making this the perfect addition to family houses. Stone tiles can cost anywhere between $4 - $10 per square foot. While larger tiles work well in larger rooms, be careful, because they can be loud and dominating in smaller rooms (13).

Marble

For the most refined households, nothing quite looks as good as marble tiles. Marble flooring just screams decadence in a household, regardless of size. For each square foot in question, marble tiling can cost between $10 and $20. Marble also has the unique ability of being polished to restore life into the material. Marble polishing can rejuvenate even the oldest and most worn of floors. The total cost of polishing an entire marble floor can fall between $400 and $1,200 dollars.

Travertine

Another form of limestone, this porous material is commonly used as a building material due to its ease of crafting abilities. As such, it's easy to turn the material into tiles for any home. Given the unique look and course feel of travertine, it tends to do better as a walkway or driveway. Travertine pavers make for exactly these purposes. Not only do they look amazing, they work fantastically, giving real grip and traction to anything on the path.