Splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne

Why splashbacks and tiling for a Newcastle upon Tyne home?

Landlords around Tyne and Wear often prefer plain tiles with mid-grey grout or a glass panel, since both stand up to heavy use and are quick to clean between tenancies.

If the units in your Newcastle upon Tyne kitchen are already fitted and only the walls are unfinished, we can take on the tiling or splashback as a job on its own. We work throughout Newcastle upon Tyne (NE1) and across the wider Tyne and Wear area.

What is in a typical job?

After the survey visit we write the scope down. For splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne it usually covers:

Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop
Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
Free survey visit to check the walls, agree the layout and give an itemised quote
Grout and sealant chosen for easy cleaning, with flexible sealant at the worktop joint

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne

The figures below are guide prices for Newcastle upon Tyne, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across the North East. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Labour rates in the North East are generally lower than in London and the South East, so these ranges are a little below the national guide.

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne
Typical project	Guide price
Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units	£140–£360
Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting	£270–£720
Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in	£220–£540
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%.

Local homes and their kitchens

You will find tyneside flats, Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and post-war council-built houses throughout Tyne and Wear. Tyneside flats often have a narrow kitchen in the rear offshoot, while 1930s semis and ex-council houses tend to have a small square kitchen at the back.

Hardness varies across Tyne and Wear, from fairly soft around Newcastle to harder in parts of Sunderland, so check with your supplier before choosing a filter. Back lanes behind terraced streets can help deliveries, but upper Tyneside flats have their own internal stair, so long worktops need careful handling.

What rules apply to splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne?

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.

In conservation areas and listed buildings, such as parts of central Newcastle and Tynemouth, a new external vent or changes to historic features may need consent.

Planning ahead

If your Tyne and Wear kitchen has a gas hob, check the hob instructions for splashback clearances before choosing glass or tiles for the wall behind it.
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.
Choosing stone worktops for a Newcastle upon Tyne kitchen? Ask for upstand and splashback heights to be confirmed before the template visit, not after.
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.

Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Newcastle upon Tyne?

Splashbacks and tiling in Newcastle upon Tyne typically cost £140 to £360 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in the North East. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.

Can you measure up in Newcastle upon Tyne before quoting?

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

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.

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 in neighbouring towns

Neighbouring towns where we offer splashbacks and tiling: