Splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena

What prompts splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena?

Homeowners in Ballymena often add a splashback as the final stage of a new kitchen, once the worktops are in and the bare wall above them needs a washable finish.

Many people in County Antrim choose a single panel of toughened glass behind the hob because it wipes clean quickly and has no grout lines to hold grease. Ballymena sits about 23 miles north-west of Belfast, and our County Antrim coverage takes in everything in between.

What we cover for splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena

After the survey visit we write the scope down. For splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena it usually covers:

Grout and sealant chosen for easy cleaning, with flexible sealant at the worktop joint
Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished

What should you budget for splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena?

The figures below are guide prices for Ballymena, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across Northern Ireland. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Labour rates in Northern Ireland are generally lower than in London and the South East, so these ranges are a little below the national guide.

What should you budget for splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena?
Typical project	Guide price
Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units	£130–£350
Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting	£260–£700
Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in	£220–£530
Stone upstands and splashbacksTemplated with the worktop	Priced with the worktop

Tiling guide ranges cover preparation, adhesive, grout, trims and fixing, with the tiles themselves confirmed once chosen; the glass range includes a made-to-measure panel, and stone upstands are priced with the worktop. Prices include VAT at 20%.

Kitchens in homes around Ballymena

In and around Ballymena, homes range across red-brick terraces, Victorian villas, post-war estate houses and rural bungalows. Red-brick terraces in Belfast often have a narrow kitchen in the return, while estate houses and rural bungalows tend to have a separate kitchen with room for a table.

Mains water across most of County Antrim is soft, so limescale is less of a problem and taps and boiling water taps tend to stay cleaner. Terraced streets with entries at the back, city flats with booked lifts and country lanes can each affect deliveries, so the route for worktops is checked at the survey.

Regulations for kitchen work in Ballymena

In Northern Ireland, fitting a splashback or retiling a kitchen needs no planning permission or building control application. Domestic electrical work does not have to be notified, but sockets moved to suit the tiling should still be installed and tested to BS 7671 and certified. In a listed building, removing historic tiles or other original features may need listed building consent, so check with the council before work starts.

Listed buildings and conservation areas in older parts of Belfast and the county towns may need consent for new vents, and apartment owners usually need management consent.

Planning ahead

Clear the worktop and empty the nearest wall cupboards before the tiler arrives at your Ballymena home, as cutting dust and adhesive travel further than you expect.
If you are renting out a flat in Ballymena, a single glass panel or large plain tiles cut down the grout that needs cleaning at each check-out.
If your County Antrim kitchen has a gas hob, check the hob instructions for splashback clearances before choosing glass or tiles for the wall behind it.
Order spare tiles from the same batch to cover cuts and breakages, and keep a few back so a later repair matches.

Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Ballymena?

Splashbacks and tiling in Ballymena typically cost £130 to £350 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in Northern Ireland. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.

Which parts of Ballymena do you work in?

All of them. Our County Antrim coverage takes in the whole of Ballymena, including the BT42, BT43 and BT44 postcode districts, as well as surrounding towns such as Antrim. If you are unsure, send us your postcode.

Which grout and sealant are easiest to keep clean?

A darker or mid-tone grout in narrow joints is usually the easiest to keep looking clean in a kitchen, and an epoxy or stain-resistant grout helps behind the hob and sink. Where the tiles meet the worktop, a flexible sealant is used rather than grout, because that joint moves slightly. The sealant can be cut out and renewed later without disturbing the tiles.

Can a glass splashback go behind a gas hob?

Yes, usually, as long as the glass is toughened and the hob maker's instructions allow it. Toughened glass handles heat far better than ordinary glass, but a gas hob must still keep the clearances set out in its installation instructions, so we check those before ordering. The panel is measured after the worktops are fitted and made with cut-outs for sockets, because it cannot be cut once toughened.

Can you tile over existing kitchen tiles?

Sometimes, but it is rarely the better choice in a kitchen. Tiling over old tiles adds thickness, so sockets, switches and the edge against the wall units may no longer line up, and the new tiles rely on the old ones staying firmly bonded. If the existing tiles are sound and flat it can work for a small area; otherwise we remove them and prepare the wall.

Nearby places we cover

Close to Ballymena? We cover these nearby towns too: