Splashbacks and tiling in Shirley

Thinking about splashbacks and tiling in Shirley?

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

If your Shirley 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. Kitchens in every part of Shirley are covered, and the survey visit is free wherever you are in the West Midlands.

What do splashbacks and tiling in Shirley include?

Here is what usually goes into splashbacks and tiling, adjusted to your Shirley kitchen after we have measured it:

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
Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving
Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
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

What do splashbacks and tiling cost in Shirley?

Typical splashbacks and tiling prices for homes in Shirley, including VAT and adjusted for the West Midlands. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. For the West Midlands, these ranges are close to the national figures.

What do splashbacks and tiling cost in Shirley?
Typical project	Guide price
Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units	£150–£400
Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting	£300–£800
Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in	£250–£600
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 Shirley

In and around Shirley, homes range across Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war council-built houses and post-war flats and maisonettes. Victorian terraces often have a long galley behind the back room, while 1930s semis across Birmingham and the Black Country tend to have a small kitchen at the rear.

Birmingham's water is relatively soft, while much of the Black Country and Coventry is harder, so check your supplier's hardness figure before choosing a filter. Busy terraced streets, permit parking near town centres and blocks with shared lifts can each affect delivery times and how worktops reach the kitchen.

Regulations for kitchen work in Shirley

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.

Conservation areas and listed buildings, including parts of Birmingham and Solihull, may need consent for new vents, and flat owners usually need the freeholder's consent first.

Tips before you start

Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Shirley kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
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.
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.
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 Shirley

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Shirley?

Splashbacks and tiling in Shirley typically cost £150 to £400 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in the West Midlands. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.

Do you work near Shirley as well?

Yes. As well as Shirley itself, we cover the rest of the West Midlands and nearby towns such as Solihull and Birmingham. The process is the same wherever the kitchen is.

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 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 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 Shirley? We cover these nearby towns too: