Splashbacks and tiling · Scotland
Splashbacks and tiling in the Highlands
Our splashbacks and tiling work covers the whole of the Highlands, including Inverness, Fort William and Nairn.
Why splashbacks and tiling for a Highlands home?
If the units in your Highlands kitchen are already fitted and only the walls are unfinished, we can take on the tiling or splashback as a job on its own.
Some households in the Highlands 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.
What do splashbacks and tiling in the Highlands include?
Here is what usually goes into splashbacks and tiling, adjusted to your Highlands kitchen after we have measured it:
- 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 the Highlands?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in Scotland. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Costs across Scotland tend to sit under UK averages, which these ranges reflect.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £140–£380 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £280–£750 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £240–£560 |
| 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 the Highlands
Across the Highlands you will often find stone crofthouses, Victorian villas, post-war council-built houses and timber-framed kit houses, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Older crofthouses often have a small kitchen in a lean-to, while Victorian villas in Inverness and Nairn tend to have separate kitchens with room to open up.
Mains water across the Highlands is soft, though many remote homes rely on private supplies, which may need testing and filtering before a boiling water tap goes in. Long distances, single-track roads and winter weather can affect delivery and fitting days, so lead times and worktop lengths need planning well in advance.
Many rural Highland homes are off the gas grid, so the kitchen may be planned around induction, LPG or an oil-fired range. Crofthouses and older cottages tend to have thick walls and small windows that shape the layout and lighting.
Rules for splashbacks and tiling in the Highlands
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.
Homes in the Cairngorms National Park, listed buildings and conservation areas may need consent for a new external vent or changes to historic features.
Before you start
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Order spare tiles from the same batch to cover cuts and breakages, and keep a few back so a later repair matches.
- Keep the tile boxes until the job is finished and note the batch number, so matching replacements can be found if a tile cracks later.
- Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Highlands kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in the Highlands
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in the Highlands?
Guide prices in the Highlands are about £140 to £380 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.
Do you cover the whole of the Highlands?
Yes, across the mainland Highlands, including Inverness, Fort William, Thurso and Wick. We do not currently cover Skye or the other islands. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.
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.
Splashbacks and tiling in towns across the Highlands
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Splashbacks and tiling in Inverness
- Splashbacks and tiling in Fort William
- Splashbacks and tiling in Nairn
- Splashbacks and tiling in Thurso
- Splashbacks and tiling in Wick
- Splashbacks and tiling in Alness
- Splashbacks and tiling in Dingwall