Find a trusted tiler in Sydney

Strata bathrooms, balconies and leaks downstairs

Sydney has a lot of red-brick walk-ups from the 1960s to the 1980s, and many still have their original bathrooms. When the shower waterproofing fails, the first sign is often a stain on the ceiling of the unit below, not anything in your own bathroom. Fixing it properly means stripping the tiles, renewing the membrane to AS 3740, the Australian standard for waterproofing domestic wet areas, and retiling.

That brings more paperwork than a house does. Under NSW strata law, work involving waterproofing is a major renovation, so the owners corporation must approve it by special resolution at a general meeting before work starts. Give your strata manager the tiler’s scope of work, licence and insurance details early. Balcony membranes are usually common property, which makes them the owners corporation’s job.

Terrace tiles, fibro walls and pool surrounds

Older homes need a careful eye before anything comes off the wall. Fibro houses and bathrooms built before about 1990 can have asbestos sheeting behind the tiles, so get suspect material tested before anyone takes a hammer to it. Victorian and federation terraces in Paddington, Glebe and Petersham often have tessellated tiles on the front verandah and path. Replacing them is the easy option, but a specialist can often lift, clean and relay them, or patch gaps with matching pieces.

Outside, tiles around pools and alfresco areas need a slip rating suited to wet bare feet, proper falls to the drains and movement joints so the summer sun doesn’t crack the grout. Ask what the tiler plans for each.

Tiling licences and waterproofing in NSW

In NSW, a tiling job over $5,000 including GST needs a contractor licence in wall and floor tiling, issued by Building Commission NSW. That class also covers waterproofing wet areas to get them ready for tiles, so the same licence holder can handle both. You can confirm the tiler’s licence on the Verify NSW licence check, and ask for a waterproofing certificate once the membrane is done. Our NSW licence checks page covers the other lookups.

Sydney tiling prices

Expect around $50–$120 per m² to have tiles laid in Sydney, slightly higher than the national range, and more for large-format porcelain or natural stone. Labour to retile a standard bathroom is typically $2,000–$5,500, before you buy any tiles. Waterproofing adds about $30–$70 per m², and lifting old tiles $20–$55 per m² plus a skip. A kitchen splashback is usually $400–$1,200. The tiler price guide has the full list.

One tiler, matched to your job

Tell us what you’re tiling and your suburb, and we’ll introduce one licensed tiler nearby, already vetted on licence, insurance, ABN and reviews. You compare their quote at your own pace.

For tiling in another city, see our tilers page. Renovating the whole bathroom? Our Sydney page lists the plumbers and electricians we match too. Get a free quote once you’ve measured up.