Splashbacks and tiling · England
Splashbacks and tiling in Kent
We carry out splashbacks and tiling across Kent, from Maidstone to the smaller towns, with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote as standard.
Thinking about splashbacks and tiling in Kent?
Some households in Kent 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.
If your Kent 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.
What do splashbacks and tiling in Kent include?
Here is what usually goes into splashbacks and tiling, adjusted to your Kent 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 Kent?
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in the South East. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Labour in the South East generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £170–£460 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £340–£920 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £290–£690 |
| 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 Kent
The housing mix across Kent includes Victorian terraces, weatherboarded cottages, 1930s semis and oast house conversions, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Victorian terraces in the Medway towns and along the coast often have a narrow back-addition kitchen, while 1930s semis usually have a small kitchen beside a separate dining room.
Water across Kent is hard, so limescale builds up quickly on taps and boiling water taps, and a scale-reducing filter is worth considering. Seaside terraces, permit parking and narrow village lanes can each make deliveries slower, so the route for long worktops is best checked at the survey.
Many Victorian terraces have a narrow back kitchen that owners open into the dining room to make a family space. Oast and barn conversions can put the kitchen in an unusual room shape, which calls for careful planning of units, extraction and lighting.
Rules for splashbacks and tiling in Kent
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 weatherboarded and timber-framed cottages, oast conversions and homes in conservation areas such as historic Canterbury may need consent for new external vents.
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.
- Toughened glass cannot be cut once it is made, so it is measured after the worktops are fixed and every socket position is final.
- Order spare tiles from the same batch to cover cuts and breakages, and keep a few back so a later repair matches.
- 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.
- 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.
- If your Kent kitchen has a gas hob, check the hob instructions for splashback clearances before choosing glass or tiles for the wall behind it.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Kent
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Kent?
Splashbacks and tiling in Kent typically cost £170 to £460 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in the South East. 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 Kent?
Yes. We carry out splashbacks and tiling across Kent, including Maidstone, Gillingham, Chatham and Tunbridge Wells. 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 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.
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.
Splashbacks and tiling in towns across Kent
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Splashbacks and tiling in Maidstone
- Splashbacks and tiling in Gillingham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Chatham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Tunbridge Wells
- Splashbacks and tiling in Folkestone
- Splashbacks and tiling in Margate
- Splashbacks and tiling in Ashford, Kent
- Splashbacks and tiling in Canterbury
- Splashbacks and tiling in Sittingbourne
- Splashbacks and tiling in Gravesend
- Splashbacks and tiling in Dartford
- Splashbacks and tiling in Ramsgate
- Splashbacks and tiling in Dover
- Splashbacks and tiling in Tonbridge
- Splashbacks and tiling in Strood
- Splashbacks and tiling in Whitstable
- Splashbacks and tiling in Deal
- Splashbacks and tiling in Sevenoaks
- Splashbacks and tiling in Rochester
- Splashbacks and tiling in Herne Bay
- Splashbacks and tiling in Broadstairs
- Splashbacks and tiling in Faversham
- Splashbacks and tiling in Swanley
- Splashbacks and tiling in Longfield
- Splashbacks and tiling in Hartley
- Splashbacks and tiling in Swanscombe
- Splashbacks and tiling in Hythe, Kent
- Splashbacks and tiling in Edenbridge
- Splashbacks and tiling in Tenterden