Splashbacks and tiling in Southampton

Why splashbacks and tiling for a Southampton home?

If the kitchen in your Southampton 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.

When a Southampton kitchen is getting stone worktops, upstands or a matching splashback are usually planned at the same time, so they are templated in one visit. We work throughout Southampton (SO15) and across the wider Hampshire area.

What is included in the work?

The exact scope is agreed after the survey, but a typical job in Southampton covers:

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
Grout and sealant chosen for easy cleaning, with flexible sealant at the worktop joint
Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop

What do splashbacks and tiling cost in Southampton?

Typical splashbacks and tiling prices for homes in Southampton, including VAT and adjusted for the South East. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. Labour in the South East generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.

What do splashbacks and tiling cost in Southampton?
Typical project	Guide price
Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units	£170–£460
Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting	£340–£920
Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in	£290–£690
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%.

Fitting kitchens in older and newer Southampton homes

You will find Victorian terraces, 1930s semis, post-war estate houses and thatched and brick cottages throughout Hampshire. Terraces in Southampton and Portsmouth often have a narrow back kitchen, while post-war estate houses tend to have a compact rectangular room suited to an L-shape.

Water across Hampshire is mostly hard, largely from chalk sources, so limescale on taps and boiling water taps is common and a filter can help. Dense terraced streets can be very tight for parking, and New Forest lanes and village roads may limit the size of delivery vehicle.

Building regulations, electrics and gas in Southampton

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.

Homes within the New Forest or South Downs national parks, listed cottages and conservation areas may need consent for a new extractor vent or alterations to historic features.

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.
Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Southampton kitchen, in daylight and under the kitchen lights, before ordering the full quantity.
Clear the worktop and empty the nearest wall cupboards before the tiler arrives at your Southampton home, as cutting dust and adhesive travel further than you expect.
Toughened glass cannot be cut once it is made, so it is measured after the worktops are fixed and every socket position is final.

Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Southampton

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Southampton?

Guide prices in Southampton are about £170 to £460 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 cover all of Southampton?

Yes. We work across Southampton, including the SO15 postcode district, and nearby towns such as Hythe, Hampshire and Totton. Book a free survey visit and we will arrange a time that suits you.

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.

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.

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.

Also covering nearby towns

We also carry out splashbacks and tiling in these towns near Southampton: