Splashbacks and tiling in Stockton-on-Tees

Who usually needs splashbacks and tiling in Stockton-on-Tees?

If the kitchen in your Stockton-on-Tees 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.

If the units in your Stockton-on-Tees kitchen are already fitted and only the walls are unfinished, we can take on the tiling or splashback as a job on its own. Stockton-on-Tees sits about 10 miles east of Darlington, and our County Durham coverage takes in everything in between.

What does the job involve?

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
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
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
Tiled splashbacks between the worktop and wall units, set out from a centre line

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Stockton-on-Tees

Typical splashbacks and tiling prices for homes in Stockton-on-Tees, including VAT and adjusted for the North East. Your own figure depends on the size of the kitchen, the layout and what is moving. Prices in the North East usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Stockton-on-Tees
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%.

What kind of kitchens do we fit in Stockton-on-Tees?

Typical homes in this part of County Durham include colliery terraces, 1930s semis, post-war council-built houses and stone-built village houses. Colliery terraces often have a small back kitchen in the rear offshoot, while 1930s semis usually have a square kitchen that can open into the dining room.

Older terraced streets often have back lanes that help with deliveries, but rear yards and narrow gates may still limit how long worktops get in. Hardness varies across County Durham and the Tees area, from fairly soft to hard in places, so check with your water supplier before choosing a filter.

Building regulations, electrics and gas in Stockton-on-Tees

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 homes and houses in conservation areas, such as the historic centre of Durham, may need consent for a new external vent or for removing original features.

Tips before you start

Clear the worktop and empty the nearest wall cupboards before the tiler arrives at your Stockton-on-Tees home, as cutting dust and adhesive travel further than you expect.
Choosing stone worktops for a Stockton-on-Tees kitchen? Ask for upstand and splashback heights to be confirmed before the template visit, not after.
If you are renting out a flat in Stockton-on-Tees, a single glass panel or large plain tiles cut down the grout that needs cleaning at each check-out.
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 Stockton-on-Tees

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Stockton-on-Tees?

For a tiled splashback, budget around £140 to £360 including VAT in Stockton-on-Tees. That reflects typical costs in the North East; we confirm the actual figure in writing once we have measured up.

Do you work near Stockton-on-Tees as well?

Yes. As well as Stockton-on-Tees itself, we cover the rest of County Durham and nearby towns such as Billingham and Thornaby-on-Tees. 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.

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.

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.

Splashbacks and tiling near Stockton-on-Tees

We also carry out splashbacks and tiling in these towns near Stockton-on-Tees: