Splashbacks and tiling in Kettering

What prompts splashbacks and tiling in Kettering?

When a Kettering kitchen is getting stone worktops, upstands or a matching splashback are usually planned at the same time, so they are templated in one visit.

Homeowners in Kettering often add a splashback as the final stage of a new kitchen, once the worktops are in and the bare wall above them needs a washable finish. Kettering sits about 12 miles north-east of Northampton, and our Northamptonshire coverage takes in everything in between.

What does the job involve?

Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:

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

Splashbacks and tiling prices in Kettering

Use these ranges to plan your budget. They include VAT, reflect costs in the East Midlands, and are firmed up once we have seen your Kettering kitchen. Costs in the East Midlands sit close to the national guide.

Splashbacks and tiling prices in Kettering
Typical project	Guide price
Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units	£150–£390
Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting	£290–£780
Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in	£240–£580
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 Kettering and what they mean for a kitchen

The housing mix across Northamptonshire includes ironstone cottages, Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and post-war new town houses, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Victorian terraces in Northampton and Kettering often have a long galley behind the back room, while post-war houses in Corby tend to have a compact rectangular kitchen.

Terraced streets with on-street parking can make unloading slow, and village houses on narrow lanes may need a smaller delivery vehicle for long worktops. Water across Northamptonshire is hard, so limescale on taps, sinks and boiling water taps is likely, and a scale-reducing filter is worth considering.

What rules apply to splashbacks and tiling in Kettering?

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 ironstone cottages and homes in village conservation areas may need listed building consent or planning permission for new vents or changes to historic fabric.

Worth knowing before the fit

If your Northamptonshire kitchen has a gas hob, check the hob instructions for splashback clearances before choosing glass or tiles for the wall behind it.
Ask to see where the tiling will start before the first row goes on in your Kettering kitchen, so narrow cut tiles end up in corners rather than on show.
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.
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.

Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Kettering

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Kettering?

Guide prices in Kettering are about £150 to £390 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.

Can you measure up in Kettering before quoting?

Yes. Every quote starts with a free, no-obligation survey visit to your home in Kettering. We measure the room, check the walls, floor and service positions, then send 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.

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 near Kettering

The same service is available a short drive from Kettering, including: