Splashbacks and tiling in Durham

Thinking about splashbacks and tiling in Durham?

Landlords around County Durham often prefer plain tiles with mid-grey grout or a glass panel, since both stand up to heavy use and are quick to clean between tenancies.

Some households in County Durham want tiling taken up to the ceiling behind a range cooker or open shelving, turning one whole wall into a practical feature that is easy to wipe down. We work throughout Durham (DH1) and across the wider County Durham area.

What is in a typical job?

Here is what usually goes into splashbacks and tiling, adjusted to your Durham kitchen after we have measured it:

Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
Tiled splashbacks between the worktop and wall units, set out from a centre line
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

Splashbacks and tiling prices in Durham

These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in the North East. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Costs across the North East tend to sit under UK averages, which these ranges reflect.

Splashbacks and tiling prices in Durham
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%.

What kind of kitchens do we fit in Durham?

Typical homes in this part of County Durham include colliery terraces, 1930s semis, post-war council-built houses and stone-built village houses. 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.

Do you need approval for splashbacks and tiling in 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.

Tips before you start

Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Durham kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Choosing stone worktops for a Durham kitchen? Ask for upstand and splashback heights to be confirmed before the template visit, not after.
Ask to see where the tiling will start before the first row goes on in your Durham kitchen, so narrow cut tiles end up in corners rather than on show.
Toughened glass cannot be cut once it is made, so it is measured after the worktops are fixed and every socket position is final.

Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Durham

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Durham?

Splashbacks and tiling in Durham typically cost £140 to £360 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in the North East. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.

Can you measure up in Durham before quoting?

Yes. Every quote starts with a free, no-obligation survey visit to your home in Durham. 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 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.

Splashbacks and tiling in neighbouring towns

The same service is available a short drive from Durham, including: