How Much Does Tiling Cost in Sydney? (2026 Price Guide)

In 2026, professional tiling in Sydney costs between $40 and $150 per square metre installed, or $60 to $120 per hour for labour. Where your job lands in that range depends on the tile you choose, the condition of the surface underneath, and how complex the layout is. This guide breaks down what Sydney homeowners actually pay for floors, walls, bathrooms, pools and outdoor areas, based on three decades of quoting real jobs.

Ranges reviewed August 2026. They are a market guide for Sydney, not a quote. NHK Tiling prices every job after an inspection, and the written quote is the number that counts.

What does tiling cost per square metre in Sydney?

Most tilers price by the square metre, with the rate covering labour and standard adhesives and grout. Tiles themselves are usually priced separately. Typical Sydney labour rates in 2026:

Small or awkward jobs sit at the top of these ranges because setup and cutting time is the same whether the room is large or small. Large, open floors with straight lines sit at the bottom. If a tiler quotes by the hour instead, expect $60 to $120 per hour depending on the work.

For what is involved in each service, see our floor tiling Sydney, wall tiling Sydney, outdoor tiling Sydney and pool tiling Sydney pages.

How much does it cost to tile a bathroom in Sydney?

Bathrooms are the most common tiling job in Sydney and the hardest to price from a table, because waterproofing, fixture removal and surface preparation vary so much between homes. As a working guide for tiles plus labour in 2026:

Most full bathroom retiles, once waterproofing and preparation are included, land between $2,000 and $6,000. Two costs catch people out:

• Waterproofing. Wet areas must be waterproofed to the Australian Standard AS 3740 before a tile goes down. Budget $600 to $1,400 depending on the size of the room. It is usually itemised separately on the quote, and it is not the place to save money.
• Removing old tiles. Stripping the existing tiles and preparing the surface runs $25 to $60 per square metre, more if the old bed is thick or the substrate needs repair.

The full scope of a bathroom job, including waterproofing and layout advice, is covered on our bathroom tiling Sydney page.

What do the tiles themselves cost?

Tile supply is the other half of the budget, and the spread is wide. As a rule of thumb per square metre: ceramic is the budget option at roughly $40 to $80, porcelain sits in the middle at $50 to $100 and handles high-traffic areas well, and natural stone such as marble, travertine and slate is the premium tier at $80 to $150 or more. Mosaics are sold by the sheet rather than the square metre, typically $30 to $80 per sheet. Buying a cheaper tile rarely saves as much as it seems, because labour, preparation and waterproofing cost the same regardless of what goes on top.

What actually moves the price?

• Surface condition. A flat, sound substrate tiles quickly. Old adhesive, cracked screeds or water damage all add preparation time, and preparation is where quotes genuinely differ.
• Tile size and layout. Large-format tiles, herringbone and diagonal patterns, and feature niches all take longer to set out and cut.
• Access. Upstairs bathrooms, apartments with lift bookings, and tight sites slow down material handling.
• Wet areas. Anything involving waterproofing carries the AS 3740 requirement and the cost that goes with doing it properly.
• Demolition. Retiling over an existing room costs more than tiling a new build, because the old finish has to come out first.

Can you save money by tiling it yourself?

For a laundry splashback, maybe. For floors and wet areas, DIY is usually a false economy. The tiles are the visible part of a system that includes surface preparation, falls to drains, movement joints and waterproofing, and mistakes in that system show up as drummy tiles, cracked grout or leaks long after the job looks finished. Fixing a failed DIY bathroom means paying for the job twice: once for the materials you used, and again for the strip-out and redo. In wet areas, waterproofing also needs to be done by a licensed installer for the work to be compliant and insurable.

How to get an accurate tiling quote

A per-metre rate from a table will never match a written quote from someone who has seen the room. To get a number you can actually budget on:

• Measure the area, or have the room sizes handy.
• Know your tile choice, or at least the material and size you are leaning toward.
• Mention anything already known about the surface: previous leaks, cracked tiles, or past renovations.
• Get the quote in writing, itemised across preparation, waterproofing, supply and laying.

NHK Tiling has quoted and laid tiles across Sydney since 1995, holds $20 million in public liability insurance, and carries a 5.0-star Google rating from 66 reviews. Quotes are free and itemised. Call 0402 462 570 or request a quote online.

Sydney tiling cost FAQ

How much does a tiler charge per square metre in Sydney?

Between $40 and $150 per square metre installed in 2026. Straightforward floor tiling sits at the lower end, wet areas and pools at the upper end. Labour-only rates for standard floors are typically $40 to $70 per square metre.

How much do tilers charge per hour?

Sydney tilers charge roughly $60 to $120 per hour in 2026. Most quote by the square metre for full rooms and reserve hourly rates for small jobs and repairs.

How much does it cost to tile a bathroom?

Tiles and labour for a typical bathroom run $1,200 to $4,500 depending on size. A full retile including waterproofing and preparation usually lands between $2,000 and $6,000.

Does waterproofing cost extra?

Yes. Waterproofing a wet area to AS 3740 typically costs $600 to $1,400 and appears as its own line on a proper quote. It is legally required before tiling a shower or bathroom floor.

Is it cheaper to tile a floor or a wall?

Floors are usually cheaper per square metre. Walls take longer because of cutting around fixtures, maintaining level lines over larger visible areas, and working vertically, so wall rates run $10 to $20 per square metre higher.