Splashbacks and tiling in Derry/Londonderry

When do splashbacks and tiling make sense in Derry/Londonderry?

If your Derry/Londonderry home is an older property with uneven walls, the splashback may start with patching, skimming or boarding so the tiler has a flat surface to work from.

If the units in your Derry/Londonderry kitchen are already fitted and only the walls are unfinished, we can take on the tiling or splashback as a job on its own. Our County Londonderry coverage reaches every part of Derry/Londonderry (BT47 and BT48) and out towards Strabane.

What is in a typical job?

Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:

Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
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
Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop

What should you budget for splashbacks and tiling in Derry/Londonderry?

Use these ranges to plan your budget. They include VAT, reflect costs in Northern Ireland, and are firmed up once we have seen your Derry/Londonderry kitchen. 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 Derry/Londonderry?
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%.

What kind of kitchens do we fit in Derry/Londonderry?

Typical homes in this part of County Londonderry include red-brick terraces, Georgian townhouses, rural bungalows and post-war estate houses. Terraced houses in the city and in Coleraine often have a narrow kitchen in the return, while rural bungalows tend to have a larger kitchen with space for dining.

County Londonderry's mains water is generally soft, so limescale is rarely a big problem and taps and boiling water taps tend to stay cleaner. Steep streets in the city, terraces with limited parking and long country roads can each affect deliveries, so the route for worktops is checked at the survey.

What rules apply to splashbacks and tiling in Derry/Londonderry?

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.

The historic walled city is a conservation area with many listed buildings, so new external vents or changes to historic features there may need consent first.

Worth knowing before the fit

Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Derry/Londonderry kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Choosing stone worktops for a Derry/Londonderry kitchen? Ask for upstand and splashback heights to be confirmed before the template visit, not after.
Give fresh grout and sealant the full curing time shown on the packaging before scrubbing them or letting water sit on the joint at the back of the worktop.
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 Derry/Londonderry

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Derry/Londonderry?

Guide prices in Derry/Londonderry are about £130 to £350 including VAT for a tiled splashback. The final price depends on the size of the kitchen and what is moving, and is set out in an itemised written quote.

Can you measure up in Derry/Londonderry before quoting?

Yes. Every quote starts with a free, no-obligation survey visit to your home in Derry/Londonderry. We measure the room, check the walls, floor and service positions, then send an itemised written quote.

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.

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 neighbouring towns

Close to Derry/Londonderry? We cover these nearby towns too: