What is reasonable labor for tile installation?

14 years ago

What is the typical labor cost for tile installation if you're not doing anything fancy just laying 12 x 12 or 6 x6 tile. Excluding the cost of the tile but including thinset and grout materials?

We got our estimate for tiling and it seems they are charging us $18-22/square foot. I'm pretty sure the tile cost about $2-3/square foot although they didn't break it down. Thats seems really excessive for the labor portion. I'm going to talk to my builder and the tile store b/c that is well over our budget. My builder had allocated $10-12 square foot for labor and $2-3/square foot for tile.

For example: In our basement bath-the cost to tile a 3x5 tub surround(about 78 sqaure feet) came in at $1818. I've chosen basic plain white 6 x 6 porcelain tile which I was told is pretty cheap. That is $23/sqaure feet.

Laundry room: is approx 75 square feet. Cost $1343. $18/square foot. The tile is 12 x 12, 2 colors in a checkerboard pattern. Now it's possible that the tile I choose is too expensive,although online I've found it for less than $3/sqaure foot.I also made it clear that I wanted to be in the $2-3/square foot during the selection process.

What am I missing?

Featured Answer

PRO

Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.

11 months ago

Welcome to 2023 and the absence of qualified trades to do the work and Huge increases to the cost of doing business, in this case the construction trades. Just to add a comment to this resurrected thread from 13 years ago, most qualified tile craftspeople will not provide a s.f. price as there are too many variables to consider. They will provide an estimate based on the job and the time and materials it will take to complete. Hire wisely: https://www.tile-assn.com/page/trade-professionals-consumers

Comments (8)

bill_vincent
14 years ago
What am I missing?

A couple more estimates. That sounds way high.
lazy_gardens
14 years ago
Definitely get more estimates! Unless you live in an extremely high-cost city, that's outrageous.

"In our basement bath-the cost to tile a 3x5 tub surround(about 78 sqaure feet) came in at $1818. I've chosen basic plain white 6 x 6 porcelain tile which I was told is pretty cheap. That is $23/sqaure feet."

I had a 3x5 tub surround tiled with 6" porcelain for way less than that. I don't have the break down at hand, but for 2 toilet replacements, two sink replacements, remove and replace old tub with new one, re-do surround walls with appropriate material and that pink glop, and tile new surround I paid I bought the visible parts myself ... toilets, tub, tile, grout, sinks, faucets. The contractor provided the supporting stuff like solder, pink glop, surround backing, etc. It's a good mix, because I knew what I wanted, and he knew what he needed to install it.
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Thanks so much for the responses! I thought I was losing my mind when I figured out his labor cost. He's getting the laminate from a kitchen shop -so the only cut he'll be doing is the sink cutout (unless he has the shop do that as well) and he would have to unhook the dishwasher, disposal and move the stove and that is soo time consuming..eye roll... We are doing this mainly for resale -thus the reason for a nice laminate vs a solid surface (and in our area granite would not give us an edge in selling) I was just thinking that when we put in hardwood floors 2 years ago the labor was just over a grand and THAT was time intensive!
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suburbanjuls: "It's like Linda Evangelista, only with a tool belt" - LOL! NorCal rates are always higher than SoCal's - we have friends there and they say I'm 'lucky'. (!) lascatx: I think you're correct - especially regarding the ceiling area. sanjuangirl: Your price is in the mid-range of what I was quoted - however, my prices are for tile installation only. The demo and hardie backer are being done by a drywall guy and my tile design is the most basic ( white subway with thin grey grout). Thanks for your good luck wishes - I'm going to need it. I feel so frazzled already and all these price variations for the same apples don't help! linelle: thanks for your input - it helps me to know what others paid.. plus I have a better ( more balanced) perspective of both "sides" , mine and the installer's. dilly_ny: Aw, sorry, I think you have me confused with someone else. I did post a pic of my cooktop area in its pre-demo days but no work has been done yet to the ceiling which used to be white. julesl: Wow! I didn't know prices could be so high in the Twin Cities :-( . Isn't it crazy to pay so much less for the tile than the actual installation? A large part of our kitchen budget has been consumed by labor costs. I know how you feel - I, too, just want it over and done with but it also bothers me that I have no idea of what a "reasonable" price is unless I call in several estimates - and that is such a time-consuming process in itself. We understand that people have to make a decent profit on the work they do and we think we are pretty generous, generally speaking, but when I get hit with such wide price swings, I feel kinda taken advantage of. ( Okay, I ended that sentence with a preposition... sigh).
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The national average 5 piece master bath renovation starts at about 35K and goes up. Way up. You are way way low for this project. It also requires permits and inspections, and that the labor be done from someone licensed and insured. Which doesn't sound like he case from your chuck in a truck hack. He ain't a licensed plumber, that's for sure. Or electrician. And both are REQUIRED. He is far far to cheap for what is being discussed here. Scary cheap. As in he may rot your house down from improper work. I'd be scared to look at that kitchen work! I think your cheap little project needs to upgrade or it is not worth wasting money doing at all. No one actually puts in builder grade crapola a second time once they've lived with it the first time. It's what they dream of getting rid of as soon as possible. Labor is the biggest part of any job, so moving to better materials will not be that costly on that front. And you will get a much better return by hiring someone with better qualifications.
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studio460
14 years ago
Those prices are insanely high! I live in an affluent zip code as well, and we get quotes into the stratosphere because of it. The poster above got a terrific deal, which I believe is fairly atypical. We had a bit more work done for a total of $1,650. Here's a breakdown:

Tile whole house floor (except bedrooms and baths), in 12" porcelain tile (purchased separately by homeowner) in straight-grid pattern:

Home Depot: $4.00/sq. foot (not sure what it includes, or if you have to buy their tile).
My tiler: $2.00/sq. foot, including labor, thin set, and grout.

Bath remodel:

Install Tyvek in surround area, R13 insulation, Hardibacker, backer sealant, install tile in 5'x 3' tub surround to ceiling, tile bathroom floor, plus, tile another small area in the living room: $1,000.

Demo and remove old tub, install new drop-in tub with mortared base, plumb new shower supplies, install shower valve/diverter, replace tub drain and in-ground tub trap, install tub spout, valve cover, shower head, install new Toto toilet, install vanity fixture, drain and supplies: $650.
PRO
D A Parsons Construction
5 years ago
Installing tile in a tub includes: Installing Durock, water proofing all seams. Was a niche involved? If so then that is extra, and that has to be water proofed. You wll need bullnose tile to go around the perimeter, and into the niche. That price is very reanonable.
millworkman
5 years ago
"That price is very reanonable."

In 2010 I am sure in was......................
richard michielli
2 years ago
$10 to $30 is what I see. Tiling is brutal on the knees and shoulders. If your doing a simple pattern it's not that hard.

I stagger tiles in half so nobody can see if my geout lines are straight.

I have tiled about 8 times. I posted some pictures.

Roll up your sleeves and get t done. You will make mistakes but so do the professionals

If I charged I would charge at least $10.a sq ft. There are not a lot of people who do it.
HU-507504649
11 months ago
I know this is an old thread but even today Labor should be around $12.50 to $14. That includes everything tpo finish the job the onlyt addition may be adding Niches

What is reasonable labor for tile installation?

Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.

Comments (8)

bill_vincent

lazy_gardens

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