Splashbacks and tiling · England
Splashbacks and tiling in County Durham
Homeowners and landlords across County Durham can book us for splashbacks and tiling: tiled, glass and stone splashbacks and wall tiling, fitted once the worktops and sockets are in.
When do splashbacks and tiling make sense in County Durham?
Many people in County Durham choose a single panel of toughened glass behind the hob because it wipes clean quickly and has no grout lines to hold grease.
When a County Durham kitchen is getting stone worktops, upstands or a matching splashback are usually planned at the same time, so they are templated in one visit.
What do splashbacks and tiling in County Durham include?
The exact scope is agreed after the survey, but a typical job in County Durham covers:
- Free survey visit to check the walls, agree the layout and give an itemised quote
- Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
- Tiled splashbacks between the worktop and wall units, set out from a centre line
- Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
- Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
- Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop
- Grout and sealant chosen for easy cleaning, with flexible sealant at the worktop joint
- Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in County Durham?
Typical splashbacks and tiling prices for homes in County Durham, including VAT and adjusted for the North East. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. Labour rates in the North East are generally lower than in London and the South East, so these ranges are a little below the national guide.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £140–£360 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £270–£720 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £220–£540 |
| 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 across County Durham
The housing mix across County Durham includes colliery terraces, 1930s semis, post-war council-built houses and stone-built village houses, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Colliery terraces often have a small back kitchen in the rear offshoot, while 1930s semis usually have a square kitchen that can open into the dining room.
Hardness varies across County Durham and the Tees area, from fairly soft to hard in places, so check with your water supplier before choosing a filter. Older terraced streets often have back lanes that help with deliveries, but rear yards and narrow gates may still limit how long worktops get in.
Many colliery terraces have a cramped kitchen in the back offshoot, and knocking through to the living room is a common way to make a family kitchen. Ex-council semis more often need a full strip-out with new electrics, more sockets and a better layout.
Rules for splashbacks and tiling in County Durham
Tiling or fitting a splashback in England needs no planning permission or building regulations approval. If sockets or switches are moved to suit the new wall finish, that is electrical work to BS 7671; adding to an existing kitchen circuit is not notifiable under Part P, but a new circuit is. Behind a gas hob, follow the hob maker's clearance instructions, and in a listed building, removing historic tiles or panelling may need listed building consent.
Listed homes and houses in conservation areas, such as the historic centre of Durham, may need consent for a new external vent or for removing original features.
Before you start
- Pale grout behind a hob or sink shows stains quickly; a mid-grey or stain-resistant grout in narrow joints is easier to keep looking fresh.
- Choosing stone worktops? Decide on upstands or a full-height splashback before templating, so they can be cut from the same material and priced together.
- Order spare tiles from the same batch to cover cuts and breakages, and keep a few back so a later repair matches.
- Toughened glass cannot be cut once it is made, so it is measured after the worktops are fixed and every socket position is final.
- Choosing stone worktops for a County Durham kitchen? Ask for upstand and splashback heights to be confirmed before the template visit, not after.
- Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your County Durham kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in County Durham
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in County Durham?
For a tiled splashback, budget around £140 to £360 including VAT in County Durham. That reflects typical costs in the North East; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of County Durham?
Yes. We carry out splashbacks and tiling across County Durham, including Darlington, Hartlepool, Stockton-on-Tees and Durham. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.
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 heavy tiles or stone go on any kitchen wall?
Not always. Heavy tiles such as large-format porcelain or natural stone need a backing that can carry their weight and an adhesive suited to both the tile and the wall. Old plaster, painted plaster or plasterboard may need preparing, priming or replacing with a tile backer board first. We check the wall at the survey and follow the tile and adhesive makers' guidance.
Splashbacks and tiling in towns across County Durham
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Splashbacks and tiling in Darlington
- Splashbacks and tiling in Hartlepool
- Splashbacks and tiling in Stockton-on-Tees
- Splashbacks and tiling in Durham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Chester-le-Street
- Splashbacks and tiling in Billingham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Stanley
- Splashbacks and tiling in Consett
- Splashbacks and tiling in Newton Aycliffe
- Splashbacks and tiling in Bishop Auckland
- Splashbacks and tiling in Seaham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Peterlee