Good tiling looks simple, but flat floors, straight grout lines and tiles that stay stuck for decades depend on preparation and the right materials. If you need tiling contractors for a new house, a bathroom, a kitchen splashback or a patio, BuildingContractors.co.za can help. We don't lay tiles ourselves. Tell us the area in m², the rooms and the tiles you have in mind, and we pass your request to independent tilers working in your area. They quote you directly, the request is free and there is no obligation to accept any quote.
What tiling contractors do
Experienced tilers handle far more than setting tiles. A typical job covers:
- Checking and preparing the base: screed, plaster or existing tiles
- Levelling low spots and fixing cracks before work starts
- Waterproofing showers, wet rooms and balconies under the tiles
- Setting out so cut tiles fall at edges, not in the middle of a room
- Laying floor and wall tiles, then grouting, sealing and fitting trims
- Movement joints at doorways, large floors and where tiles meet walls
Some tilers also lift old tiles and dispose of the rubble. Ask whether this is included.
Tile adhesive, grout and waterproofing
Most South Africans still call adhesive tile cement, but there are several grades. Standard adhesive suits small ceramic tiles on a sound floor. Porcelain, large-format tiles, heated floors, outdoor areas and tiling over old tiles need a flexible or polymer-modified adhesive. Large tiles should be back-buttered so there are no hollow spots that crack later. Showers and balconies need a proper waterproofing membrane under the tiles, with reinforcing tape at corners and drains. Ask each tiler which adhesive, grout and membrane they plan to use, so quotes compare like with like.
Floors, bathrooms and outdoor tiling
Floor tiling depends on a flat screed. Large tiles show every dip, so levelling may be priced separately. Bathroom tiling is detailed work around baths, niches and falls to the drain, and often runs alongside a bathroom renovation. Outdoor patios and pool surrounds need tiles with a non-slip finish, frost and UV resistance, and falls so water drains away. On the Highveld, where clay soils move, tilers should leave movement joints and avoid bridging cracks in the slab.
How tiling is priced
Tiling labour is usually quoted per m², with extras for skirtings, steps, diagonal or herringbone layouts, small mosaics and large-format tiles that need two people to handle. Materials may be included or supplied by you. Clarify who buys tiles, adhesive, grout, trims and waterproofing, and allow about 10% extra tiles for cuts and breakages. Agree a written quote with the scope, payment stages and a short guarantee on workmanship before work begins.
Comparing quotes for tiling contractors
The lowest price is not always the best value. When your quotes arrive, check:
- Scope: what is included item by item, and which materials the contractor supplies.
- Payment: a deposit and payments in stages as work is completed, never most of it upfront.
- Time: the start date, how long the work will take and what happens if it runs late.
- Compliance and guarantee: approvals and certificates needed for the job, and the guarantee on workmanship.
What to include in your request
- Area to tile in m² per room, and floor or wall
- Tile size and type (ceramic, porcelain, stone), and who supplies them
- Whether old tiles must be lifted and the rubble removed
- Layout: straight lay, diagonal, herringbone or feature walls
- Photos of the existing floor or walls and your preferred start date
Frequently asked questions
Do you lay tiles yourselves?
Should I buy the tiles or let the tiler supply them?
Can new tiles be laid over old tiles?
How long does a tiling job take?
Tiling Contractors by province
- Tiling Contractors Gauteng
- Tiling Contractors Western Cape
- Tiling Contractors KwaZulu-Natal
- Tiling Contractors Eastern Cape
- Tiling Contractors Free State
- Tiling Contractors Limpopo
- Tiling Contractors Mpumalanga
- Tiling Contractors North West
- Tiling Contractors Northern Cape
Tiling Contractors by city and town
- Tiling Contractors in Johannesburg
- Tiling Contractors in Pretoria
- Tiling Contractors in Centurion
- Tiling Contractors in Sandton
- Tiling Contractors in Midrand
- Tiling Contractors in Randburg
- Tiling Contractors in Roodepoort
- Tiling Contractors in Alberton
- Tiling Contractors in Boksburg
- Tiling Contractors in Kempton Park
- Tiling Contractors in Benoni
- Tiling Contractors in Germiston
- Tiling Contractors in Krugersdorp
- Tiling Contractors in Vereeniging
- Tiling Contractors in Vanderbijlpark
- Tiling Contractors in Soweto
- Tiling Contractors in Edenvale
- Tiling Contractors in Umhlanga
- Tiling Contractors in Cape Town
- Tiling Contractors in Bellville
- Tiling Contractors in Somerset West
- Tiling Contractors in Paarl
- Tiling Contractors in Stellenbosch
- Tiling Contractors in George
- Tiling Contractors in Mossel Bay
- Tiling Contractors in Worcester
- Tiling Contractors in Durban
- Tiling Contractors in Pinetown
- Tiling Contractors in Pietermaritzburg
- Tiling Contractors in Richards Bay
- Tiling Contractors in Ballito
- Tiling Contractors in Margate
- Tiling Contractors in Newcastle
- Tiling Contractors in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha)
- Tiling Contractors in East London
- Tiling Contractors in Bloemfontein
- Tiling Contractors in Welkom
- Tiling Contractors in Polokwane
- Tiling Contractors in Tzaneen
- Tiling Contractors in Nelspruit (Mbombela)
- Tiling Contractors in Witbank (eMalahleni)
- Tiling Contractors in Middelburg
- Tiling Contractors in Secunda
- Tiling Contractors in Rustenburg
- Tiling Contractors in Klerksdorp
- Tiling Contractors in Potchefstroom
- Tiling Contractors in Kimberley
- Tiling Contractors in Hermanus
- Tiling Contractors in Knysna
- Tiling Contractors in Plettenberg Bay
- Tiling Contractors in Jeffreys Bay
Related services and supplies
- BC-05Bathroom RenovationsStrip-out, plumbing, waterproofing, tiling and fittings
- BC-06Kitchen RenovationsNew cupboards, doors, countertops and splashbacks
- TR-04WaterproofingFlat roofs, parapets, box gutters, sheeted roofs, balconies and showers
- TR-05PlasteringInternal and external cement plaster on brick and block walls
