Splashbacks and tiling · England
Splashbacks and tiling in Essex
We carry out splashbacks and tiling across Essex, from Southend-on-Sea to the smaller towns, with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote as standard.
Why splashbacks and tiling for an Essex home?
If the units in your Essex kitchen are already fitted and only the walls are unfinished, we can take on the tiling or splashback as a job on its own.
When an Essex 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 Essex include?
Your written quote lists everything included. For splashbacks and tiling, that normally means:
- 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 Essex?
The figures below are guide prices for Essex, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across the East of England. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Expect costs in the East of England to sit somewhat above UK averages, reflecting local labour rates.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £160–£430 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £320–£860 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £270–£650 |
| 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 Essex
The housing mix across Essex includes Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war new town houses and chalet bungalows, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. In Harlow and Basildon, new-town houses often have a compact galley, while chalet bungalows and 1930s semis tend to have a small kitchen next to the dining area.
Limescale is a fact of life in most of Essex because the water is hard, so a filter for a boiling water tap and regular descaling make sense. Busy commuter towns often have tight on-street parking, and estate houses with small front gardens can make it awkward to unload long worktops.
New-town houses from the 1950s and 1960s often have small, enclosed kitchens, so owners sometimes take out a partition wall. Many chalet bungalows need a full refit, including new electrics and a better layout that makes use of awkward corners.
Rules for splashbacks and tiling in Essex
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.
Most kitchen fits need no planning permission, but weatherboarded listed cottages and homes in village conservation areas may need consent for a new external vent.
Before you start
- Heavy tiles, such as large porcelain or natural stone, may need a stronger backing board and a suitable adhesive, so have the wall checked first.
- 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? Decide on upstands or a full-height splashback before templating, so they can be cut from the same material and priced together.
- If you are renting out a flat in Essex, a single glass panel or large plain tiles cut down the grout that needs cleaning at each check-out.
- Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Essex kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Essex
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Essex?
Splashbacks and tiling in Essex typically cost £160 to £430 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in the East of England. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.
Do you cover the whole of Essex?
Yes. We carry out splashbacks and tiling across Essex, including Southend-on-Sea, Basildon, Colchester and Chelmsford. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.
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 Essex
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Splashbacks and tiling in Southend-on-Sea
- Splashbacks and tiling in Basildon
- Splashbacks and tiling in Colchester
- Splashbacks and tiling in Chelmsford
- Splashbacks and tiling in Harlow
- Splashbacks and tiling in Grays
- Splashbacks and tiling in Braintree
- Splashbacks and tiling in Brentwood
- Splashbacks and tiling in Clacton-on-Sea
- Splashbacks and tiling in South Benfleet
- Splashbacks and tiling in Canvey Island
- Splashbacks and tiling in Billericay
- Splashbacks and tiling in Rayleigh
- Splashbacks and tiling in Stanford-le-Hope
- Splashbacks and tiling in Wickford
- Splashbacks and tiling in Witham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Pitsea
- Splashbacks and tiling in Maldon
- Splashbacks and tiling in Waltham Abbey
- Splashbacks and tiling in South Ockendon
- Splashbacks and tiling in Harwich
- Splashbacks and tiling in Hadleigh
- Splashbacks and tiling in Saffron Walden
- Splashbacks and tiling in Burnham-on-Crouch