Splashbacks and tiling · Scotland
Splashbacks and tiling in Edinburgh
Splashbacks and tiling in Edinburgh start with a free visit to measure up, then a written scope and quote before any work begins.
What prompts splashbacks and tiling in Edinburgh?
Landlords around Edinburgh 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.
If the units in your Edinburgh kitchen are already fitted and only the walls are unfinished, we can take on the tiling or splashback as a job on its own.
What do splashbacks and tiling in Edinburgh include?
The exact scope is agreed after the survey, but a typical job in Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in Edinburgh and Glasgow. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Prices across Edinburgh and Glasgow are broadly in line with UK averages.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £150–£410 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £310–£820 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £260–£610 |
| 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 Edinburgh
Across Edinburgh you will often find Victorian tenement flats, Georgian New Town flats, stone villas and post-war council-built houses, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Tenement flats often have a small kitchen off the hall, while Georgian flats may have kitchens in former bedrooms or reception rooms with tall ceilings.
Edinburgh's mains water is soft, so limescale is rarely a problem and taps, sinks and boiling water taps stay cleaner for longer. Common stairs without lifts, controlled parking and cobbled streets in older parts of the city mean deliveries and stair carries need planning before fitting day.
Tenement and Georgian flats often have kitchens in small rooms, and opening one into the living room needs a building warrant if the wall is load-bearing, and can need one even if it is not, where the change affects the escape route or fire separation in a flat. Stone villas and bungalows on the edge of the city more often suit a larger supply-and-fit kitchen.
Rules for splashbacks and tiling in Edinburgh
In Scotland, tiling and splashbacks do not need a building warrant or planning permission. If sockets or switches are moved to suit the new wall finish, the electrical work must meet the building standards and BS 7671, and you should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Works Certificate. In a listed building, removing historic tiles or panelling may need listed building consent, so check with the local authority first.
The Old and New Towns form a World Heritage Site with many listed buildings, so new vents or internal changes may need consent, and tenement neighbours may need to agree.
Before you start
- Order spare tiles from the same batch to cover cuts and breakages, and keep a few back so a later repair matches.
- 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.
- Agree socket, switch and cooker hood positions before tiling starts; moving them afterwards means cutting tiles out and patching in replacements that may not match.
- 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 an Edinburgh 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 Edinburgh kitchen, so narrow cut tiles end up in corners rather than on show.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Edinburgh
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Edinburgh?
For a tiled splashback, budget around £150 to £410 including VAT in Edinburgh. That reflects typical costs in Edinburgh and Glasgow; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of Edinburgh?
Yes. We carry out splashbacks and tiling across Edinburgh. 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.
When are splashbacks fitted during a kitchen installation?
Splashbacks go on near the end, once the worktops are fixed and the electrician has agreed where the sockets and switches will sit. Tiles need a finished worktop to start from, glass is measured off the fitted worktop, and stone upstands are templated at the same visit as the worktop. Faceplates go back on after tiling, so the sockets sit neatly against the new finish.