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What's the Cost of Installing Floor Tiles?
We tell you how to calculate the exact quantity of tiles and materials required, and labour costs
Pooja Khanna Tyagi
11 June 2019
Houzz India Contributor. An Architect , Interior Designer, Valuer, a Marathon Runner, and love Writing Poetry and Creative Stories on Building Design. Have been practicing since the year 2000 with specialization in the field of Corporate Interiors with projects extensively published in journals of national repute. Recently honoured with the reputed A3 Foundation award for Journalism for the year 2016 an for architectural poetry in the year 2018. Currently practicing and residing in Delhi and Noida.
Website: www.khannaenterprise.com, Email: poojakhanna224@gmail.com, M:9891993392
Houzz India Contributor. An Architect , Interior Designer, Valuer, a Marathon Runner,... More
Use this guide to find out the cost-wise break up of different items of work that are involved during the installation of floor tiles.
Please note, the costs are approximate (as in the year 2019) and subject to change according to different regions.
Please note, the costs are approximate (as in the year 2019) and subject to change according to different regions.
1. Calculate the cost of the tiles
The first step towards calculating the floor tiles price is to calculate the exact quantity of tiles required for the flooring and skirting of your home. How?
Multiply the length of the room with its width to get the carpet area of the room. Repeat this process for the other open areas of the home that need to be tiled. Add all these individual areas to find out the square footage of floor tiles. For example, if the length of room is 10 feet and width of room is 12 feet, then the carpet area of the room is 120 square feet.
For the skirting, calculate the perimeter of the room by adding the length of all the four walls (minus the door openings) or just calculate the running length of the wall that will require floor skirting. The height of the skirting ranges between 4 and 6 inches. Multiply the running length of the walls by 6 inches to get the square footage of tiles required for the skirting.
Add at least 5–10 percent extra area of tiles to the calculated carpet area of the tiles and the skirting of the tiles. This extra quantity will take care of the wastage caused due to tile cutting or tile breakage.
Find a tile brand or a retailer for your home
The first step towards calculating the floor tiles price is to calculate the exact quantity of tiles required for the flooring and skirting of your home. How?
Multiply the length of the room with its width to get the carpet area of the room. Repeat this process for the other open areas of the home that need to be tiled. Add all these individual areas to find out the square footage of floor tiles. For example, if the length of room is 10 feet and width of room is 12 feet, then the carpet area of the room is 120 square feet.
For the skirting, calculate the perimeter of the room by adding the length of all the four walls (minus the door openings) or just calculate the running length of the wall that will require floor skirting. The height of the skirting ranges between 4 and 6 inches. Multiply the running length of the walls by 6 inches to get the square footage of tiles required for the skirting.
Add at least 5–10 percent extra area of tiles to the calculated carpet area of the tiles and the skirting of the tiles. This extra quantity will take care of the wastage caused due to tile cutting or tile breakage.
Find a tile brand or a retailer for your home
2. Cost of tile fixing material
Nowadays floor tiles are fixed with ready-made tile adhesive instead of the conventional sand and cement mortar.
The basic cost of material (tile adhesive) for fixing the floor tiles is ₹30–40 per square foot. Multiply the rate of material with the total square feet of tiles to find out the total material cost.
Note: The tiles must be laid on a clean and levelled floor surface. If the floor level is uneven or slanted, then the contractor will require extra material for levelling the floor surface, which will result in additional material costs.
Nowadays floor tiles are fixed with ready-made tile adhesive instead of the conventional sand and cement mortar.
The basic cost of material (tile adhesive) for fixing the floor tiles is ₹30–40 per square foot. Multiply the rate of material with the total square feet of tiles to find out the total material cost.
Note: The tiles must be laid on a clean and levelled floor surface. If the floor level is uneven or slanted, then the contractor will require extra material for levelling the floor surface, which will result in additional material costs.
3. Labour costs
The labour cost for laying the floor tiles on a new floor or an existing flooring in a simple straight line design ranges between ₹35 and ₹40 per square foot. This cost includes fixing the tiles with tile adhesive, followed by grouting, final cleaning of the tiles and disposal of waste generated during installation of floor tiles.
In case the floor tile design demands installation of borders, medallions or any curved design, then the contractor can demand for an additional labour cost depending upon the complexity of design.
Note: Tile installation for smaller areas such as the bathroom or kitchen cannot be calculated on the basis of square feet but will be calculated on a lump-sum basis. Although the scope of work is less in a smaller area, it is more time consuming and requires at least two people to complete the tile job.
Browse through images of floors in more living rooms
The labour cost for laying the floor tiles on a new floor or an existing flooring in a simple straight line design ranges between ₹35 and ₹40 per square foot. This cost includes fixing the tiles with tile adhesive, followed by grouting, final cleaning of the tiles and disposal of waste generated during installation of floor tiles.
In case the floor tile design demands installation of borders, medallions or any curved design, then the contractor can demand for an additional labour cost depending upon the complexity of design.
Note: Tile installation for smaller areas such as the bathroom or kitchen cannot be calculated on the basis of square feet but will be calculated on a lump-sum basis. Although the scope of work is less in a smaller area, it is more time consuming and requires at least two people to complete the tile job.
Browse through images of floors in more living rooms
4. Material for grouting
The quantity of the powdered tile-grout required can be determined by the tile installer or tile supplier based on the total area that needs to be tiled.
The cost of powdered tile-grout starts at ₹80 per kg. Brands like Myk Laticrete have such products on offer.
Total cost of tile installation
Add the cost of tiles, material (tile adhesive), labour charges and the cost of powdered tile grout to get the total cost of installation of tiles.
Tip: A good tile contractor should be hired to ensure a flawless installation of floor tiles. However, it is always good to take the estimate from two or three different contractors before awarding the job. Do note that the above-mentioned rates may vary depending on the location of the project, scope of work and type of contractor selected.
The quantity of the powdered tile-grout required can be determined by the tile installer or tile supplier based on the total area that needs to be tiled.
The cost of powdered tile-grout starts at ₹80 per kg. Brands like Myk Laticrete have such products on offer.
Total cost of tile installation
Add the cost of tiles, material (tile adhesive), labour charges and the cost of powdered tile grout to get the total cost of installation of tiles.
Tip: A good tile contractor should be hired to ensure a flawless installation of floor tiles. However, it is always good to take the estimate from two or three different contractors before awarding the job. Do note that the above-mentioned rates may vary depending on the location of the project, scope of work and type of contractor selected.
5. Miscellaneous expenses
Some miscellaneous expenses might be incurred during tile installation.
If the tiling is installed in an older home then the existing flooring needs to be removed. This will require demolishing the existing floor, which will cost around ₹15–25 per square foot. The debris will have to be disposed of by a vehicle on an as-per-actuals basis.
Some natural stone tiles, such as limestone or marble, need to be sealed at an additional cost or on an as-per-actual basis, depending on the type of stone.
Read more:
Tile Installation Tips: How to Have Flawless Floors
Which Tiles Are Perfect for Indian Floors?
10 Ways to Tile Floors
Tell us:
Are there any other expenses that are incurred during the installation of floor tiles? And What was your method to calculate floor tile cost? Share in the Comments section below.
Some miscellaneous expenses might be incurred during tile installation.
If the tiling is installed in an older home then the existing flooring needs to be removed. This will require demolishing the existing floor, which will cost around ₹15–25 per square foot. The debris will have to be disposed of by a vehicle on an as-per-actuals basis.
Some natural stone tiles, such as limestone or marble, need to be sealed at an additional cost or on an as-per-actual basis, depending on the type of stone.
Read more:
Tile Installation Tips: How to Have Flawless Floors
Which Tiles Are Perfect for Indian Floors?
10 Ways to Tile Floors
Tell us:
Are there any other expenses that are incurred during the installation of floor tiles? And What was your method to calculate floor tile cost? Share in the Comments section below.
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