Splashbacks and tiling · Highlands
Splashbacks and tiling in Thurso
Whether your Thurso kitchen is a narrow galley or an open-plan room, splashbacks and tiling follow the same careful order: survey, written scope, fit and a final check together.
Is splashbacks and tiling right for your Thurso kitchen?
Some households in the Highlands want tiling taken up to the ceiling behind a range cooker or open shelving, turning one whole wall into a practical feature that is easy to wipe down.
Homeowners in Thurso 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. Our Highlands coverage reaches every part of Thurso (KW14) and out towards Wick.
What do splashbacks and tiling in Thurso include?
Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:
- 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
- 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
- Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
Splashbacks and tiling prices in Thurso
These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in Scotland. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Prices in Scotland usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.
| 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%.
Fitting kitchens in older and newer Thurso homes
You will find stone crofthouses, Victorian villas, post-war council-built houses and timber-framed kit houses throughout the Highlands. Older crofthouses often have a small kitchen in a lean-to, while Victorian villas in Inverness and Nairn tend to have separate kitchens with room to open up.
Mains water across the Highlands is soft, though many remote homes rely on private supplies, which may need testing and filtering before a boiling water tap goes in. Long distances, single-track roads and winter weather can affect delivery and fitting days, so lead times and worktop lengths need planning well in advance.
Regulations for kitchen work in Thurso
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.
Homes in the Cairngorms National Park, listed buildings and conservation areas may need consent for a new external vent or changes to historic features.
Practical advice for Thurso homeowners
- 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.
- Ask to see where the tiling will start before the first row goes on in your Thurso kitchen, so narrow cut tiles end up in corners rather than on show.
- 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 Thurso
How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Thurso?
Splashbacks and tiling in Thurso typically cost £140 to £380 including VAT for a tiled splashback, based on prices in Scotland. Larger or more involved jobs cost more, and your price is fixed in writing after a free survey visit.
Which parts of Thurso do you work in?
All of them. Our Highlands coverage takes in the whole of Thurso, including the KW14 postcode district, as well as surrounding towns such as Wick. If you are unsure, send us your postcode.
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.
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
The same service is available a short drive from Thurso, including: