Splashbacks and tiling in Washington

What prompts splashbacks and tiling in Washington?

Many people in Tyne and Wear choose a single panel of toughened glass behind the hob because it wipes clean quickly and has no grout lines to hold grease.

Landlords around Tyne and Wear often prefer plain tiles with mid-grey grout or a glass panel, since both stand up to heavy use and are quick to clean between tenancies. If your home is in Washington or close by in Chester-le-Street or Felling, the same survey, quote and fitting process applies.

What is included in the work?

Every kitchen is different, so we confirm the scope in writing. Most jobs of this kind include:

Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
Free survey visit to check the walls, agree the layout and give an itemised quote
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
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished
Full-height or feature tiling behind the hob, sink or open shelving

Splashbacks and tiling prices in Washington

These guide ranges include VAT at 20% and are adjusted for prices in the North East. We confirm your price in writing after a free survey visit. Prices in the North East usually come in below the national guide, as labour rates are lower than in the South East.

Splashbacks and tiling prices in Washington
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 Washington?

The housing mix across Tyne and Wear includes tyneside flats, Victorian terraces, 1930s semis and post-war council-built houses, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Tyneside flats often have a narrow kitchen in the rear offshoot, while 1930s semis and ex-council houses tend to have a small square kitchen at the back.

Back lanes behind terraced streets can help deliveries, but upper Tyneside flats have their own internal stair, so long worktops need careful handling. Hardness varies across Tyne and Wear, from fairly soft around Newcastle to harder in parts of Sunderland, so check with your supplier before choosing a filter.

Regulations for kitchen work in Washington

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.

In conservation areas and listed buildings, such as parts of central Newcastle and Tynemouth, a new external vent or changes to historic features may need consent.

Before you book splashbacks and tiling in Washington

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.
If your Tyne and Wear kitchen has a gas hob, check the hob instructions for splashback clearances before choosing glass or tiles for the wall behind it.
Clear the worktop and empty the nearest wall cupboards before the tiler arrives at your Washington home, as cutting dust and adhesive travel further than you expect.
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 Washington

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Washington?

Guide prices in Washington are about £140 to £360 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 work near Washington as well?

Yes. As well as Washington itself, we cover the rest of Tyne and Wear and nearby towns such as Chester-le-Street and Felling. The process is the same wherever the kitchen is.

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.

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.

Nearby places we cover

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