Splashbacks and tiling in Swanley

Why splashbacks and tiling for a Swanley home?

Homeowners in Swanley 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 Swanley 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. Kitchens in every part of Swanley are covered, and the survey visit is free wherever you are in Kent.

What is included in the work?

Your written quote lists everything included. For splashbacks and tiling, that normally means:

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
Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
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

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Swanley

Use these ranges to plan your budget. They include VAT, reflect costs in the South East, and are firmed up once we have seen your Swanley kitchen. Labour in the South East generally costs more than the UK average, which lifts these ranges a little.

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Swanley
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%.

What kind of kitchens do we fit in Swanley?

In and around Swanley, homes range across Victorian terraces, weatherboarded cottages, 1930s semis and oast house conversions. Victorian terraces in the Medway towns and along the coast often have a narrow back-addition kitchen, while 1930s semis usually have a small kitchen beside a separate dining room.

Seaside terraces, permit parking and narrow village lanes can each make deliveries slower, so the route for long worktops is best checked at the survey. Water across Kent is hard, so limescale builds up quickly on taps and boiling water taps, and a scale-reducing filter is worth considering.

Regulations for kitchen work in Swanley

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 weatherboarded and timber-framed cottages, oast conversions and homes in conservation areas such as historic Canterbury may need consent for new external vents.

Planning ahead

Hold a few of your chosen tiles against the wall in your Swanley 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 Swanley home, as cutting dust and adhesive travel further than you expect.
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.
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.

Questions about splashbacks and tiling in Swanley

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Swanley?

Guide prices in Swanley 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 Swanley?

Yes. We work across Swanley, including the BR8 postcode district, and nearby towns such as Bexley and Orpington. 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.

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.

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 near Swanley

The same service is available a short drive from Swanley, including: