How Much Does it Cost to Tile a Floor For Your Home?

Trying to determine the cost to tile a floor can often prove to be such a chore that it’s enough to put you off the very idea altogether. Talk to a handful of contractors, and the quotes you receive can range from as little as a few hundred dollars to in excess of $2,000.

Opt to go it alone and head straight to your local tile store, and the sheer number of options can be simply overwhelming.

Here’s the good news:

Setting a budget to retile a floor for your home doesn’t have to be such a hassle.

In today’s guide, we break down not only the average cost for tiling different rooms in your home, but also the prices you could expect to pay for many of the most commonly used floor tiles.

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The cost to tile a floor in an average home is between $3,000 – $5,000 depending on materials, size of the room and other key factors.To help you really get a firm idea of how much your project is going to cost you, we’ll also weigh up the pros and cons of paying a professional tiler versus going it alone, and answer your most frequently asked questions about tiling your floor.

How Much Does it Cost to Tile a Floor For Your Home?

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Smaller rooms like bathrooms tend to cost less to tile than kitchens, though the costs can increase depending on the type of tiles used. 

Across the United States, the cost to tile a floor typically works out at between $15 – $25 per square foot, including both materials and installation.

So, for an average 200 square foot room, you should expect to pay anywhere from $3,000 – $5,000.

As with other floor-related projects such as laying floorboards, the actual price you pay is going to depend on a number of key factors, including the actual materials you use, whether or not you hire a professional, and the size and complexity of the overall project.

The latter is often determined by the room you’re retiling, so let’s start with a look at the costs associated with retiling the floor in commonly tiled spaces such as the kitchen and bathroom.

Cost to Tile a Kitchen Floor: $1,500 – $11,200

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As one of the largest rooms in the modern home, kitchens can be among the most expensive to tile.

A major part of any kitchen remodeling project, tiling the floor in this room could set you back as little as $1,500 or as much as $11,000+.

Why such a large variation in prices? For the most part, it all comes down to the size of your kitchen.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the average size of a kitchen in a small home (under 2,000 square feet) is 218 square feet.

Multiply that by the $15 – $25 per square foot cost we looked at earlier, and you’re talking anywhere from $3,270 to $5,450.

Of course, we have to remember that these figures include the price to pay a professional, so if you took this on as a DIY project then you could expect to shave upwards of a thousand dollars off the cost of your project.

Meanwhile, the NAHB also tell us that in a large, 3,000+ square foot home, the kitchen could be as 479 square foot. Again, we only have to do a quick bit of math to figure out that a professional tiling job for a room this size could cost between $7,185 and $11,975.

Complexity also plays a part here. The layout of kitchen cabinets, appliances, and essential furniture may mean you need tiles with rectified edges. These are tiles that have been put through a grinding machine to ensure that every tile is precisely the same size as the next and that each one is cut to a perfect right angle.

As you can imagine, this process tends to add to your budget and will cost you more than if you simply buy a pack of off-the-shelf ceramic tiles.

Speaking of which, materials will also play a factor, with certain types of tile costing more than others. We’ll cover that in further detail later on in this guide.

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Cost to Tile a Bathroom Floor: $1,000 – $6,150

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Tiles are among the most popular options for bathroom floors and walls.

While it’s true that the cost to retile a bathroom floor can be reduced by tackling it as a DIY project, it’s often better to leave this one to the experts as modern bathrooms tend to require a premium quality tile and professional installation to prevent damp and moisture.

While this does influence the cost, even the biggest bathroom is usually smaller than a typical kitchen, so it’s reasonable to expect the costs to be lower, too.

Going back to our friends in the NAHB, they state that in a small, 2,000 square foot home, the average master bathroom size is 112 square feet, while a larger, 3,000+ home may boast a master bathroom of up to 246 square feet. With that in mind, we can say that the cost to tile a master bathroom floor should be between $1,680 and $2,800 for the former and between $3,690 and $6,150 for the latter.

As in most rooms, choosing non-standard tiles such as these hexagonal porcelain floor and wall tiles from Somertile will make a bigger dent in your budget than your average linoleum tile, but they’ll also create a much more attractive finish and provide that all-important protection from water damage.

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Cost to Tile a Hallway Floor in Your Home: $2,000 and $6,000

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A tiled hallway can add an elegant, stylish look to any home.

There once was a time when tiled hallways were reserved for stately homes, grand mansions, and other elaborate dwellings.

These days, taking up the hallway carpet and replacing it with a gloss-finish tile can be a quick and easy way to add a whole new sense of elegance and sophistication to your home.

So how much does it cost exactly?

Taking all the usual factors (size, material, and professional fees) into consideration, you should budget between $2,000 and $6,000.

Keep in mind that hallways tend to look their best when laid with the larger 12″ x 12″ tiles like than the smaller versions you might use for your bathroom or kitchen. While these tend to cost more off the shelf, you’ll generally use less of them, meaning you can keep your costs fairly low.

Cost to Tile a Floor by Material

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While ceramic tiles are the cheapest, natural stone offers the best durability and most unique finish.

After the size and location of the room, the next biggest factor influencing your budget will be the type of tile you use.

For most people, the decision to use porcelain instead of ceramic, or glass tiles instead of slate or natural stone all comes down to personal preference and aesthetic taste, with each different material lending its own unique look to your space.

Still, it has to be said that not all tiles are made equal, and there may well be some practical reasons why you choose one material over the other.

Below, we’ll look at the most common tile materials used in the modern home, and how much they’re likely to cost you per square foot.

Ceramic Floor Tile Costs: $1 – $15 per square foot

Go into any tiled room in any standard home in America, and there’s a 90% chance that those tiles will either be ceramic or porcelain.

There are a couple of good reasons for this:

  1. They look great
  2. They’re reasonably affordable.

Made from a mix of water, earth, and clay, ceramic floor tiles tend to be softer than porcelain. While this does make them much cheaper, it also makes them far less durable. In fact, you’ll even hear some home renovation specialists suggest that ceramic tiles simply are much better suited for walls than they are for floors.

There may be some truth in this, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still use them to create a beautiful-looking floor that’s built to last.

Though ceramics may not be quite as strong as porcelain, they’re still very tough, and a good quality ceramic floor tile produced by a reputable manufacturer can absolutely make an attractive, practical addition to low-mid traffic spaces such as bathrooms.

Speaking of bathrooms, ceramics boast a decent level of resistance to both water and humidity. While they tend not to be resistant enough for outdoor use, they are more than suitable for this part of your home’s interior.

What’s more, they’re a breeze to clean, usually requiring nothing more than your average cleaning soap, a decent sponge or mop, and a small amount of effort to keep in pristine condition.

This easy-clean finish also makes them a good option if you’re living with an allergy sufferer.

Thanks to their hard, solid surface, ceramic tiles don’t absorb dust, pollen and other allergens in the same way that other floor surfaces do. Giving your tiles a regular wipe down can stop these things spreading throughout your home, saving you hours of time in vacuuming and improving the air quality in your home.

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Porcelain Floor Tile Costs: $3 – $20 per square foot

Compared to ceramics, porcelain tiles tend to be more expensive, but they also come with a lot of benefits which more than justify the costs.

For one thing, they’re remarkably durable and incredibly resistant to heavy impact. This is one reason why they’re often the preferred choice for heavy-traffic areas such as kitchens and hallways.

When it comes to the kitchen, porcelain tiles also offer a number of other useful advantages. Not only are they fireproof, but they’re highly resistant to spills and stains in a way that most other floor types just aren’t, as well as offering an even greater level of water resistance than standard ceramic tiles. Naturally, it doesn’t take a big stretch of the imagination to realize what a game-changer this can be a busy family kitchen.

Finally, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention just how beautiful porcelain tiles can be. Whether you’re going for the usual smooth, glossy finish or a gorgeous glazed, textured look like the one on these blue porcelain floor tiles from Somertile, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to design options.

On the downside, however, porcelain tiles tend to be a little more cumbersome to install than other types and this can hinder the process, especially if you’re taking on the job yourself.

Other than that, you’re likely to find this a solid, value-for-money option that’s ideal for any space in your home.

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Stone Floor Tile Costs: $5 – $20 per square foot

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Each stone tile has a distinct appearance, meaning no two floors are ever identical.

While ceramic and porcelain tiles may look attractive in their own right, even they pale in comparison to the kind of aesthetic appeal you get with natural stone tiling.

An ideal choice for creating a natural look in any bathroom or kitchen, genuine stone tiles are cut in such a way that no two pieces are entirely alike. Whether it’s a slightly different color, texture, or veining, every time has such a distinct appearance that when you put them together, it creates a truly unique floor that is guaranteed to be a talking point for years to come.

If you’re the kind of homeowner who loves nothing more than having a one-of-a-kind design running throughout your property, then this makes natural stone tiles a serious no-brainer.

Be warned, however, they don’t come cheap.

At the higher end of the price scale, the one-off nature of stone means that not only will the tiles themselves typically cost you more but that you’ll also pay more to hire a professional stone tiler to ensure that each piece fits properly and securely.

That said, you really do get what you pay for with these kinds of tiles.

Looks aside, they’re also sturdier and more resilient than even porcelain tiles, easier to clean, and also tend to add value to a property once installed.

As if that wasn’t enough, stone tiles make for great heat conductors, so if you’re thinking of installing underfloor heating, this option should definitely be one worth considering.

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Paying a Professional Tiler vs. Doing The Work Yourself

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A professional tiler does more than just take the hassle and hard work out of tiling your room – they also bring a level of experience and expertise that can be invaluable. 

The prices we’ve used throughout this guide are intended to be “all-inclusive.” That is, they reflect the cost of both buying the tiles, and paying a professional tiler to lay them in your home.

If you need to keep your costs as low as possible, then you might be relieved to hear that tiling isn’t one of those jobs like removing a chimney breast which are so complicated and dangerous that taking the DIY approach is out of the question. No, the truth is that you technically can tile a floor yourself, though as the old saying goes, just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

Laying tiles requires pinpoint precision and a careful yet efficient operation, not to mention the kind of experience that often proves invaluable on complex projects or for non-standard room layouts.

When you pay a professional, this is what you’re really paying for more so than just their time and effort.

Still, even we have to admit that this expertise comes at a cost. Paying a professional usually costs anywhere from $10 – $35 per square foot more than going it alone, so it’s not an option you should rule out altogether.

If you do decide to do the work yourself, then keep in mind that on top of the tiles, you’ll also have to buy grout and certain tiling tools like a good quality grout float to get the job done.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Installing Floor Tiles

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Kitchens need tiles with a PEI Wear Rating of 3-4 in order to withstand the amount of foot traffic they receive. 

What is a PEI Wear rating?

PEI stands for Porcelain Enamel Institute and the PEI Wear Rating of a tile refers to the hardness of that tile’s glaze.

Glaze is the liquid glass that coats the surface of each tile, giving it its attractive finish as well as giving it that all-important strength and impact-resistance. As a general rule, the harder the glaze, the tougher the tile.

So that answers the question of what a PEI Wear Rating is, but perhaps a more important question should be “why does it matter?”

Simply put, the PEI rating of a tile determines its suitability for different services around your home.

For example, a tile with a Group 1 rating is really only suitable for walls and backsplashes as it would be too light to withstand much -if any- foot traffic.

A tile with a Group 2 rating may be OK in areas with light foot traffic, such as bathrooms, but most experts recommend using at least a three or a four for these areas, as well as kitchens and other living spaces. While a Group 5 rating exists, these tiles are often reserved for commercial premises with heavy foot traffic and thus tend to be more expensive.

To sum up then, when tiling a floor in your home, you want to be using tiles with at least a Group 3 rating, if not a Group 4. Most manufacturers will include information about their products’ PEI ratings on the packaging, but if not, it’s always best to check online or speak to a specialist at your local tile store to ensure you’re buying tiles that are fit for purpose.

How Long Does it Take to Tile A Floor?

It should take a professional no more than ten hours to tile an average-sized room, while DIYers may find that it takes them anywhere from 15 – 20 hours. To be on the safe side, allocate at least a day and a half per room for the job to be done properly.

What Tiles Should I use in a Shower Enclosure or Wet Room?

The very nature of wet rooms and shower enclosures mean that you have to think a little differently about how to tile them than you would with other spaces.

Obviously, there’s the potential for water damage, meaning any tiles you do use need to be exceptionally water-resistant. Then there’s the often-overlooked aspect of safety to consider. Glossy tiles can become slippery when wet, which makes them ill-suited for these types of environments.

With that in mind, the best tiles to use for your shower or wet room floor would be natural stone tiles. These are not only the most water-resistant option available, but also provide a textured surface for better grip. If stone proves to be too much for your budget, then opt for a porcelain tile with a textured finish.

Most ceramic tiles tend to be too slippy and absorb too much water to really be effective as a wet room floor.

What are the Best Tiles to Use for Underfloor Heating?

Stone tiles are better conductors of heat than any other option out there, so if you’re planning to use underfloor heating to keep your home warm, this is definitely the way to go.

When you’re shopping around, be on the look out for the largest tiles possible. Using smaller tiles means you’ll use more grout to hold them in place. Unlike the tiles themselves, grout isn’t so great at conducting heat, therefore the more grout you use, the less effective your underfloor heating is going to be.

How Do I Know How Many Tiles I Need to Buy?

Tech-savvy homeowners will be pleased to note that most tile suppliers and DIY stores offer a dedicated tile calculator that can be accessed either on their website or, in some cases, in-store.

You can also find free tile calculators independent of any one brand that you can use for this purpose. We actually prefer this one as it considers other factors such as the cost per tile and the gap size left for the grout.

To use a tile calculator, first measure the length and width of your room. If your room isn’t a standard square or rectangle shape, it helps to first draw the layout of the room on a sheet of paper and break it down into a series of boxes, then measure the area of each box.

You then add these measurements into the calculator. If you’re using a calculator at a tile or DIY store, you should then be able to select the exact tiles you’re thinking of using. If you’re working this out using an independent calculator (or doing it the hard way), then you’ll need the dimensions of the tiles too. To work out the cost, it’s also good to know how many tiles are in a box and how much each box will cost.

With all your data inputted, the calculator will tell you the square footage of your room, how many tiles you need, and the total cost to tile your floor.

Finally, most experts recommend buying an additional 10% more than what you need to cover any breakages or problems that may arise.

How to Reduce the Costs of Tiling a Floor in Your Home

If there’s any aspect of tiling a floor that we haven’t covered here, then frankly it isn’t worth covering. We’ve looked at the cost to tile a bathroom, we’ve discussed the costs to tile a kitchen floor, and we’ve even discussed the price variations for different tile materials.

If you’ve read all that, then you’ve probably reached the same conclusion we have:

Tiling a floor can be seriously expensive.

Not that it always has to be.

If you started reading this guide full of enthusiasm about your big tiling but now find that the numbers we quoted have put you off the whole thing, then it’s worth remembering that there are still a few ways you can get a quality tiled floor on a modest budget.

To do that, there are two things to consider – the kind of tiles you install, and who you get to install them.

In terms of the tiles themselves, buying ceramics will work out cheaper 99% of the time, though doing so means you sacrifice some of the strength and durability that you get with porcelain or stone.

If you can live with that, then the next area to cut costs is professional fees.

As we discussed earlier in this guide, hiring a professional tiler is likely to increase your budget by around $10 – $35 per square foot.

That means that, for a 250 square foot room, you could end up paying between $2,500 and an eye-watering $8,750 more than you’d spend if you took this on as a solo project.

Yet while there are significant savings to be made here, it still pays to consider whether those savings mean compromising the quality of the finished job.

Are you confident that you’ve got the necessary skills to finish that lay that new floor to a high standard?

Do you have the time and patience to lay each tile with careful precision?

Are you certain that you can get the whole job done without anything going wrong that you can’t quickly fix yourself?

If so, grab yourself some grout and whatever tools you need, and get to work.

If not, paying that professional tiler may well prove to be a smart investment.

How much does it cost to tile a floor for your home