Splashbacks and tiling · Scotland
Splashbacks and tiling in the Scottish Borders
Our splashbacks and tiling work covers the whole of the Scottish Borders, including Hawick, Galashiels and Peebles.
Why splashbacks and tiling for a Scottish Borders home?
Homeowners in the Scottish Borders 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.
If the kitchen in your Scottish Borders home is sound but the tiles are dated, cracked or stained, a new splashback is one of the simplest ways to refresh it without replacing units.
What do splashbacks and tiling in the Scottish Borders include?
Your written quote lists everything included. For splashbacks and tiling, that normally means:
- 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 the Scottish Borders?
The figures below are guide prices for the Scottish Borders, including VAT and adjusted for typical costs across Scotland. The fixed price comes after we have measured up. Costs across Scotland tend to sit under UK averages, which these ranges reflect.
| Typical project | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units | £140–£380 |
| Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting | £280–£750 |
| Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in | £240–£560 |
| 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 the Scottish Borders
Across the Scottish Borders you will often find stone mill-town terraces, Victorian villas, farm cottages and post-war council-built houses, and each shapes the kitchen differently. Stone terraces in Hawick and Galashiels often have a small kitchen at the back, while Victorian villas in Peebles and Kelso tend to have larger separate kitchens.
The Scottish Borders generally have soft mains water, though rural homes on private supplies may need testing and filtering. Rural roads and farm tracks can be narrow for delivery lorries, and older town centres may have limited parking, so delivery is planned in advance.
Stone terraces in the mill towns usually have small rooms and thick walls that suit a galley or L-shaped layout. Farm cottages are often off the gas grid, so cooking may be planned around induction, LPG or an oil-fired range.
Rules for splashbacks and tiling in the Scottish Borders
In Scotland, tiling and splashbacks do not need a building warrant or planning permission. If sockets or switches are moved to suit the new wall finish, the electrical work must meet the building standards and BS 7671, and you should receive an Electrical Installation Certificate or a Minor Works Certificate. In a listed building, removing historic tiles or panelling may need listed building consent, so check with the local authority first.
Older Borders towns often have conservation areas and listed buildings, so a new external vent or changes to historic features may need consent.
Before you start
- 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.
- Order spare tiles from the same batch to cover cuts and breakages, and keep a few back so a later repair matches.
- 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.
- Pale grout behind a hob or sink shows stains quickly; a mid-grey or stain-resistant grout in narrow joints is easier to keep looking fresh.
- If your Scottish Borders kitchen has a gas hob, check the hob instructions for splashback clearances before choosing glass or tiles for the wall behind it.
- Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Scottish Borders kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Questions about splashbacks and tiling in the Scottish Borders
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in the Scottish Borders?
For a tiled splashback, budget around £140 to £380 including VAT in the Scottish Borders. That reflects typical costs in Scotland; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.
Do you cover the whole of the Scottish Borders?
Yes. We carry out splashbacks and tiling across the Scottish Borders, including Hawick, Galashiels, Peebles and Kelso. Every job starts with a free survey visit and an itemised written quote.
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.
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.
Splashbacks and tiling in towns across the Scottish Borders
Choose a town for local guide prices and postcode coverage:
- Splashbacks and tiling in Hawick
- Splashbacks and tiling in Galashiels
- Splashbacks and tiling in Peebles
- Splashbacks and tiling in Kelso