Splashbacks and tiling in Westminster

When do splashbacks and tiling make sense in Westminster?

Homeowners in Westminster 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 your Westminster home is an older property with uneven walls, the splashback may start with patching, skimming or boarding so the tiler has a flat surface to work from. If your home is in Westminster or close by in Pimlico or Chelsea, the same survey, quote and fitting process applies.

What does the job involve?

Here is what usually goes into splashbacks and tiling, adjusted to your Westminster kitchen after we have measured it:

Toughened glass splashback measured after the worktops are fitted, with socket cut-outs
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
Stone upstands and splashbacks templated and fitted alongside a stone worktop
Old tiles removed and walls prepared, patched or boarded where needed
Socket and switch plates refitted by an electrician once the tiling is finished

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Westminster

As a starting point for Westminster, these ranges include VAT at 20% and allow for typical labour costs in London. Prices in London usually run above the national guide, mainly because labour and parking cost more.

Guide prices for splashbacks and tiling in Westminster
Typical project	Guide price
Tiled splashbackBetween worktop and wall units	£200–£520
Kitchen wall tiling, 4–6 m²Preparation, tiling and grouting	£390–£1,000
Toughened glass splashback behind the hob, fittedMade to measure after the worktops are in	£320–£780
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 Westminster?

The housing mix across Greater London includes Victorian and Edwardian terraces, conversion flats, mansion block flats and 1930s semis, so no two kitchen fits are quite alike. Victorian terraces often have a narrow galley beside the side return, while conversion flats and mansion blocks usually fit the kitchen into a small room or along one living-room wall.

London's mains water is hard, so limescale builds quickly on taps and boiling water taps, and a scale-reducing filter is worth planning in. Permit parking, red routes and flats without lifts are common, so parking suspensions, stair carries and lift bookings may need arranging before delivery day.

Do you need approval for splashbacks and tiling in Westminster?

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.

Conservation areas are widespread across London, so a new extractor vent on a front wall may need permission, and leaseholders usually need the freeholder's written consent first.

Tips before you start

Clear the worktop and empty the nearest wall cupboards before the tiler arrives at your Westminster home, as cutting dust and adhesive travel further than you expect.
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 Westminster kitchen, so narrow cut tiles end up in corners rather than on show.
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 Westminster

How much do splashbacks and tiling cost in Westminster?

Guide prices in Westminster are about £200 to £520 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.

Which parts of Westminster do you work in?

All of them. Our Greater London coverage takes in the whole of Westminster, including the SW1 and W2 postcode districts, as well as surrounding towns such as Pimlico. If you are unsure, send us your postcode.

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.

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.

Nearby places we cover

Neighbouring towns where we offer splashbacks and tiling: