Splashbacks and tiling · Greater Manchester
Splashbacks and tiling in Manchester
Splashbacks and tiling in Manchester start with a free survey visit: we measure up, check the walls, floor and service positions, and explain what the job involves before anything is priced.
Why splashbacks and tiling for a Manchester home?
If your Manchester 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.
Homeowners in Manchester 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. Our Greater Manchester coverage reaches every part of Manchester (M1, M2, M3, M4, M9 and M11) and out towards Salford.
What does the job involve?
Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:
- Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
- Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
- Grout and sealant chosen for easy cleaning, with flexible sealant at the worktop joint
- Free survey visit to check the walls, agree the layout and give an itemised quote
- Tiled splashbacks between the worktop and wall units, set out from a centre line
- Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Manchester?
The figures below are guide prices for Manchester, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across the North West. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Prices in the North West usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £140–£380 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £280–£760 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £240–£570 |
| 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 around Manchester
In and around Manchester, homes range across Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, converted mill and warehouse flats and post-war estate houses. Two-up two-down terraces often have a small back kitchen or a galley in the rear outrigger, while 1930s semis usually have a separate kitchen beside the dining room.
Terraced streets with back alleys, city-centre flats with booked lifts and permit parking can all affect delivery timing and how long worktops are carried in. Mains water across Greater Manchester is mostly soft, so limescale is less of a problem and taps and boiling water taps tend to stay cleaner.
What rules apply to splashbacks and tiling in Manchester?
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 mill conversions and homes in conservation areas may need consent for new external vents, and apartment owners usually need the freeholder's or managing agent's consent.
Worth knowing before the fit
- 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 for a Manchester kitchen? Ask for upstand and splashback heights to be confirmed before the template visit, not after.
- Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Manchester kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
- 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.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Manchester
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Manchester?
Guide prices in Manchester 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 work near Manchester as well?
Yes. As well as Manchester itself, we cover the rest of Greater Manchester and nearby towns such as Salford and Failsworth. The process is the same wherever the kitchen is.
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.
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.
Nearby places we cover
Close to Manchester? We cover these nearby towns too:
- Splashbacks and tiling in Salford
- Splashbacks and tiling in Failsworth
- Splashbacks and tiling in Droylsden
- Splashbacks and tiling in Stretford
- Splashbacks and tiling in Eccles
- Splashbacks and tiling in Prestwich
- Splashbacks and tiling across Greater Manchester