Splashbacks and tiling in Ilfracombe

Who usually needs splashbacks and tiling in Ilfracombe?

If your Ilfracombe 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.

Many people in Devon choose a single panel of toughened glass behind the hob because it wipes clean quickly and has no grout lines to hold grease. If your home is in Ilfracombe or close by in Barnstaple or Bideford, the same survey, quote and fitting process applies.

What is in a typical job?

The exact scope is agreed after the survey, but a typical job in Ilfracombe covers:

Free survey visit to check the walls, agree the layout and give an itemised quote
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop
Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
Tiled splashbacks between the worktop and wall units, set out from a centre line
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Ilfracombe

The figures below are guide prices for Ilfracombe, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across the South West. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Prices across the South West are broadly in line with UK averages.

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Ilfracombe
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–£620
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%.

House types around Ilfracombe and what they mean for a kitchen

Across Devon you will often find cob and thatched cottages, Victorian terraces, post-war houses and flats and seaside bungalows, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Victorian terraces in Exeter and Torbay often have a narrow back kitchen, while post-war houses and seaside bungalows usually have a square room that suits an L-shape.

Much of Devon has soft mains water, which is kind to taps and appliances, though some eastern parts are harder, so check with your supplier. Single-track lanes, steep town streets and cottages with no parking can make deliveries slow, so long worktops and tall units need a planned route into the house.

What rules apply to splashbacks and tiling in Ilfracombe?

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.

Homes within Dartmoor or Exmoor national parks, listed thatched cottages and conservation areas may need consent before a new extractor vent goes through an outside wall.

Getting the most from your splashbacks and tiling

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.
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.
Ask to see where the tiling will start before the first row goes on in your Ilfracombe 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 Ilfracombe

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Ilfracombe?

Guide prices in Ilfracombe are about £150 to £410 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 all of Ilfracombe?

Yes. We work across Ilfracombe, including the EX34 postcode district, and nearby towns such as Barnstaple and Bideford. Book a free survey visit and we will arrange a time that suits you.

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.

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.

Splashbacks and tiling near Ilfracombe

We also carry out splashbacks and tiling in these towns near Ilfracombe: