Air Conditioning · Updated August 2026
Kitchen Tiling Cost UK 2026
Kitchen tiling runs £45–£110 per square metre fitted, by tile type. A splashback is the exception: at around 3 m² it is mostly cutting around sockets and behind the hob, so most tilers price it against a half-day minimum of about £320 rather than by area.
Kitchen tiling cost per m² fitted — 2026
The rate is set by how hard the tile is to cut and handle, not by how it looks. Prep is added on top and is where two quotes for the same kitchen diverge.
| Tile or work | Cost fitted | Why | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic, standard size | £45/m² | Easiest to cut and fix | Budget splashbacks |
| Porcelain | £60/m² | Harder — better blades, more care | The usual choice |
| Large-format porcelain | £85/m² | Two-person handling, levelling system | Floors, feature walls |
| Mosaic or natural stone | £110/m² | Slow per metre; stone needs sealing | Feature splashbacks |
| Herringbone or chevron | +£22/m² | Heavy cutting and more waste | Any tile, laid on the diagonal |
| Strip old tiles first | +£14/m² | Strip, make good and dispose | Retiling over old work |
| Backer board or ply overlay | +£26/m² | Heat behind a hob; movement over joists | Behind hobs, timber floors |
Source: Best Builders 2026 quote data across 519 UK towns.
What changes the cost
| Cost factor | Typical impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe run length | +£150–400 | Runs over ~5m need extra refrigerant pipe, insulation and labour; long vertical runs in flats cost most |
| Condenser siting & access | +£100–600 | Ground level next to the room is cheapest; roof, height or scaffold access adds cost |
| Number of indoor units | +£700–1,500 each | Each extra head adds unit, pipework and commissioning time |
| Electrical work | +£150–500 | A dedicated spur, consumer-unit way or isolator may be needed |
| Capacity (kW / BTU) | +£200–1,200 | Oversizing wastes money up front and on running cost |
| Brand & range | +£400–800 | Premium Daikin/Mitsubishi designer ranges vs value Samsung/LG |
| Making good | +£0–300 | Trunking, core-drilling, plaster patching or repainting around the route |
Air conditioning cost by UK region — 2026
Labour rates and access drive most of the regional spread. Figures below are for a single-room split; the same percentages apply across the other system types.
| Region | Single-room split (installed) | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £1,900–3,600 | +25–30% |
| South East | £1,750–3,300 | +15–25% |
| South West & East | £1,550–3,000 | +5–10% |
| Midlands | £1,450–2,800 | Baseline |
| North of England | £1,400–2,700 | −5% |
| Wales & Scotland | £1,400–2,750 | −5% to baseline |
Getting it priced properly
1. Size it first
Capacity comes from room size, glazing and aspect — not from guesswork. An installer who quotes without asking about the room is guessing.
2. Check F-Gas registration
Anything touching the refrigerant circuit legally requires an F-Gas registered engineer. Ask to see it and check it on the register.
3. Compare like for like
Get three itemised quotes covering the same capacity, brand tier and pipe run, so you are comparing the job and not the wording.
Tiling & splashbacks — frequently asked questions
Around £320–£600 for a typical run between the worktop and the wall units. That is a minimum-charge job rather than an area job: about 3 m² of tile, but cuts around every socket, edge trim and a set-up, which is half a day whatever the area.
Yes, noticeably. One visit, one set-up and one minimum charge instead of two. If you are planning both, get them quoted together even if the work happens on different days.
Sometimes, if they are sound, flat and firmly stuck. It pushes the surface forward though, which matters behind a worktop and around sockets and switches. Stripping is about £14/m² and is usually the better job.
Often. Plasterboard behind a hob may need a heat-resistant backer, and the tile itself has to be rated for the heat. Ask what the quote assumes about the surface rather than discovering it afterwards.
Usually you. Order 10–15% more than the measured area for cuts and breakages, and buy it all in one go so the batch matches — shade varies between production runs.
Related air conditioning guides
Every system type priced side by side.
What it costs per hour and per summer.
When an external unit needs consent.
Tiling & splashbacks — guides and detail
The detail behind the number: what changes the price, the planning position, and how to check a quote before you accept it.
Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team on 9 August 2026 · Next scheduled review: November 2026 · See our editorial standards.