Find a trusted tiler in Perth

Slabs, render and what’s under the old tiles

Most Perth homes sit on a concrete slab, which suits floor tiling well: it’s stable and doesn’t flex the way a timber floor can. The catch comes when old tiles have to go. Tiles bonded straight to the slab take time to chip up, and the slab may then need grinding or a levelling compound before new tiles, especially large-format porcelain, can go down flat.

Walls are similar. In a typical Perth brick home, bathroom wall tiles are stuck to cement render over the brick, and lifting them often brings the render with them, so budget for re-rendering or new sheeting in a full retile. In homes built before 1990, wet-area walls can contain asbestos fibre cement sheeting, and removing more than 10 square metres of the non-friable kind needs a WorkSafe-licensed removalist.

Alfrescos, pools and summer heat

Outdoor tiling is a big part of the work here, from alfresco areas to pool surrounds and balconies. Tiles around a pool need a slip rating that suits wet, bare feet, and the surface needs a fall so water runs away from the house. Dark tiles in full summer sun get hot underfoot, so lighter colours are kinder near the pool.

Heat moves tiles too. Outdoor tiling needs movement joints so the tiles can expand without cracking or lifting, and adhesive dries fast on a hot, windy day. A good tiler plans outdoor work for the cooler part of the day. If your pool runs a salt chlorinator, ask about grout and sealer that can cope with splashed salt water, since salt drying out in porous stone and grout breaks them down over time.

Checking a tiler in WA

WA doesn’t license tilers or waterproofers. Builder registration only comes into it when tiling is part of building work that needs a permit and is worth $20,000 or more. So check the ABN on ABN Lookup, ask for public liability insurance, and look at photos of bathrooms they’ve finished. Ask which waterproofing membrane they use, whether the work follows AS 3740, and what warranty they give in writing. Our WA licence checks page explains the thresholds.

Tiling prices in Perth

Perth tiling rates are similar to Brisbane’s. As a guide, laying standard floor tiles costs around $45 to $100 per square metre with the tiles extra, and large-format tiles $60 to $130. Waterproofing adds roughly $30 to $70 per square metre and removing old tiles $20 to $55. A standard bathroom retile is usually $2,000 to $5,500 in labour, a kitchen splashback $400 to $1,200, and slip-rated outdoor tiling $60 to $120 per square metre. Small repairs are often charged at $50 to $100 an hour. Make sure each quote says whether waterproofing, tile removal and the skip are included, so you’re comparing the same job. The tiler price guide has more detail.

How we find your Perth tiler

Give us the room, its rough size and your suburb. We’ll pair you with one local tiler, ABN, insurance and reviews already checked. You deal with one tiler, not a queue of them.

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