How to Quote a Tiling Job in Australia

Tiling is one of those trades where the gap between a good quote and a bad one is not obvious until you are three days into a job, you have run short on tiles, the bathroom floor has a low spot that needs 20kg of levelling compound, and you are doing the maths on what you actually quoted versus what this job is now costing you.

Most tiling quotes that go wrong do not go wrong because the rate was wrong. They go wrong because the waste allowance was too tight, the subfloor prep was not accounted for, or the wet area work got lumped into the same rate as a dry floor. Here is how to build a quote that holds up.

1. Start with an accurate measure

This sounds obvious, but it is where a lot of quotes fall apart before anything else happens. A floor plan sketch from the client, or a quick look at photos, is not a measure. You need to be on site with a tape measure.

Break each area down separately - main floor, shower recess, bathroom floor, feature wall, splashback. Each surface has different labour complexity and potentially different tile supply, so keeping them separate in your measure means you can price them separately in your quote.

For irregular rooms - L-shapes, alcoves, anything with a lot of cut edges - add 5% to your area calculation before you even apply the waste allowance. The geometry alone will eat into your material buffer if you do not account for it.

2. Waste allowance - and why getting it wrong is costly

Every tiling job wastes tile. The question is how much, and whether you have priced for it or are absorbing it out of your margin.

A rough guide by pattern type:

• Straight lay, regular room: 10%
• Offset or brick pattern: 10-12%
• Diagonal lay: 15%
• Herringbone: 15-20% depending on tile size
• Large format tiles (600x600 and above) in an irregular room: 15% minimum

Large format tiles deserve special mention. A cut on a 600x600 tile might give you one usable piece and an offcut you cannot use anywhere else on the job. On a 200x200 tile, the same cut gives you two pieces you can probably use somewhere. Factor that in before you order.

If the client is supplying the tiles, make sure your quote specifies the quantity they need to order based on your waste calculation. If they order short and run out, you are the one standing on a half-finished floor waiting on a delivery - or worse, trying to match a tile that is out of stock or a different batch.

3. Labour rates by surface type

Not all tiled surfaces are the same rate, and quoting them all at the same per-square-metre figure is a reliable way to lose money on certain parts of a job.

As a general guide for how to think about relative pricing:

Dry floor, straight lay: your base rate. Standard domestic floor tile in a regular room with good subfloor condition.

Wall tiling: more time than floor work - working vertically, fighting gravity while the adhesive sets, more precise cuts around fixtures. Price it higher than your floor rate.

Wet areas: shower recesses and bathroom floors require waterproofing membrane before tiling. That is additional labour and material that does not show in the finished job but absolutely shows in your time on site. Price it as either a separate line item or a higher per-square-metre rate - just do not absorb it.

Feature walls and complex patterns: herringbone, basketweave, mosaic - anything that requires careful layout, frequent cuts, or pattern matching should be priced by the hour or at a significant premium on your standard rate. These jobs look great in your portfolio and take three times as long as a straight lay.

If you are not sure what the market rate is in your area, the guide on how to set your labour rate as a tradie covers how to work backwards from your costs to a rate that actually covers your business, not just your time on the tools.

4. Materials as separate line items

Bundling materials into your labour rate creates two problems: you lose visibility of where your margin is going, and the client cannot see what they are paying for. Keep them separate.

Standard material line items for a tiling quote:

• Tiles - quantity based on your measured area plus waste allowance, at the supply price. If the client is supplying tiles, note this as excluded.
• Adhesive - coverage varies by product and tile format, but a standard 20kg bag covers roughly 4-5m² at standard bed thickness. Price accordingly.
• Grout - depends on tile size, joint width, and surface area. Unsanded grout for joints under 3mm, sanded for wider joints. If the client has chosen a feature grout colour, price for the premium product.
• Waterproofing membrane - wet areas only, priced by area and product. Do not skip this line item even if the build cost seems tight.
• Trims and edge profiles - often forgotten in quotes. Any exposed edge, step nosing, or transition between surfaces needs a trim. They add up faster than expected on a bathroom renovation.
• Subfloor prep allowance - see below.

5. Subfloor prep - quote it as a conditional

This is the line item that causes the most grief when it is handled wrong.

You cannot know the full extent of subfloor prep required until you have removed the existing floor covering and had a proper look. Grinding high spots, applying levelling compound, fixing deflection in a timber subfloor, treating existing adhesive residue - all of these are time and material that cannot be accurately priced from a site visit on top of existing flooring.

The clean way to handle it: include a stated basic allowance in your quote (for example, "$150 allowance for minor subfloor preparation") and add a clear note that subfloor conditions beyond that allowance will be charged at your hourly rate, with the client notified before the additional work proceeds.

This is not a gotcha clause. It is honest, and most clients appreciate knowing upfront rather than getting a surprise on the final invoice. If they push back on it, that is a conversation worth having before you start the job, not after.

6. Exclusions - as important as what you include

A tiling quote without clear exclusions is an open invitation for scope creep. Spell out exactly what is not included:

• Removal and disposal of existing tiles, if not in scope.
• Subfloor repairs beyond the stated allowance.
• Tile supply, if you are quoting labour only.
• Cuts around fixtures not yet installed - toilets, vanities, appliances. If they are not on site when you tile, you cannot cut accurately around them, and returning to cut in later is a separate job.
• Matching existing tiles in other areas of the property. If the client wants something tiled later and expects it to match, that is their problem to solve with their tile supplier, not yours.
• Making good to adjacent surfaces - walls, skirtings, trims - after tiling.

If a variation does come up on site, document it and get approval before you do the work. The guide on how to write a variation covers exactly how to handle that without it turning into an argument at the end of the job.

7. Putting the quote together

A quote that is just a single total figure does not protect you and does not build confidence with the client. Break it down:

• Labour - by area and surface type, with a rate and quantity for each.
• Materials - itemised as above.
• Subfloor prep allowance.
• Waterproofing if applicable.
• Total including GST.
• Exclusions listed clearly.
• Quote validity period - 30 days is standard. Material prices move.

A professional, itemised quote also makes it much harder for a client to compare you purely on price against someone who has sent them a one-line total. When they can see what they are getting, the conversation shifts from "yours is more expensive" to "yours includes more."

The Proposal and Quote Builder in Smart Tools handles the layout and structure - you plug in your line items and rates, it builds a professional PDF you can send from your phone.

The takeaway for tilers

Measure properly, apply the right waste allowance for the pattern, price wet areas and complex work at a higher rate, keep materials as separate line items, make subfloor prep conditional, and list your exclusions clearly. Do all of that and you will rarely end up out of pocket on a tiling job.

The quotes that go wrong are almost always the ones that were done quickly, from memory, without a proper site measure. Take the extra time upfront - it costs nothing compared to absorbing a bad job.

Frequently asked questions

What waste allowance should I use for tiling?

Straight lay on a regular floor: 10%. Offset or brick pattern: 10-12%. Diagonal lay: 15%. Herringbone: 15-20% depending on tile size. Large format tiles in irregular rooms: 15% minimum. When in doubt, go higher - running short mid-job and trying to match a batch is a far bigger problem than having a few tiles left over.

How do I price wet area tiling differently?

Wet areas require waterproofing membrane before tiling, which adds both material cost and labour time. Price it either as a separate line item or at a higher per-square-metre rate than dry areas. Either approach works - just do not bury it in your overall rate or you will be absorbing the cost every time.

Should I charge separately for subfloor preparation?

Yes, always. Subfloor prep is highly variable and you cannot price it accurately until you have seen the substrate. Include a basic allowance and note that anything beyond that will be charged at your hourly rate after notifying the client. This protects you and gives the client fair warning - most will appreciate the transparency.

What should I include in my tiling quote exclusions?

At minimum: removal and disposal of existing tiles if not in scope, subfloor repairs beyond your stated allowance, tile supply if you are labour-only, cuts around fixtures not yet installed, and matching existing tiles elsewhere in the property. The clearer your exclusions, the less room there is for a dispute when the invoice goes out.