How to quote a tiling job in Australia so you win the work and keep your margin

Quoting a tiling job in Australia means measuring on site, pricing labour and materials per square metre, separating waterproofing as its own line item, and sending the quote fast. Tiling labour rates typically sit between $45 and $150 per square metre before GST¹. The tilers who win more work quote quickly and follow up the ones that go quiet.

Updated 22/09/2026

What should a tiling quote include?

A clear, itemised tiling quote shows the customer exactly what they are paying for and reduces the disputes that eat your time. Every tiling quote should cover these items:

• Area measured on site. Square metres of floor, walls, splashback, shower niche and any feature areas, with the measurement method noted (laser or tape).
• Tile supply. Whether you are supplying the tiles or the customer is. If you supply, name the product, format, colour and unit cost. If the customer supplies, note you are not responsible for breakage allowance.
• Labour rate. Per square metre or a fixed price for the defined scope. Tiling labour rates in Australia typically sit between $45 and $150 per square metre, with most residential work falling in the $50 to $120 range before GST¹. Wall tiling generally costs more than floor because of gravity, more cuts around fixtures and slower progress.
• Materials. Adhesive, grout, silicone, trims, backer board, levelling compound and a waste allowance (typically 10% for standard layouts, 15% or more for diagonal or herringbone patterns).
• Waterproofing as a separate line. If wet-area waterproofing is in scope, quote it as its own line item with the membrane system named. Never bundle it into the tiling rate (see the waterproofing section below).
• Exclusions. What is NOT included: demolition, rubbish removal, plumbing, electrical, painting, any structural work. A missing exclusion is a future argument.
• Payment terms. Deposit amount, progress claims for larger jobs, final payment on completion. State the terms clearly so there is no ambiguity.
• Licence and insurance details. Your licence number (where applicable) and confirmation of public liability cover.

How much do tilers charge per square metre in Australia?

Most residential floor tiling sits between $50 and $120 per square metre before GST. Tiling labour rates across Australia typically range from $45 to $150 per square metre before GST, with most standard residential floor tiling sitting between $50 and $120 per square metre¹. The actual rate depends on the tile format, the substrate condition, the pattern and whether walls or floors are being tiled.

Factors that push rates higher:

• Large-format tiles (600x600 mm and above). Heavier, need two-person handling on walls, require full-bed adhesive application and tighter substrate tolerances.
• Mosaics and feature patterns. Herringbone, chevron and basketweave layouts take longer per square metre than a straight stack or brick bond.
• Wall tiling. Gravity, more cuts around windows and fixtures, and the need for temporary support on large-format wall tiles all slow progress.
• Substrate preparation. Uneven concrete, old adhesive removal, or backer board installation adds time before the first tile goes down.
• Metro premium. Sydney and Melbourne rates typically run 15% to 25% above regional areas².

For a practical comparison of quoting approaches across trades, see our tradie quoting tips guide.

Why should waterproofing always be a separate line item?

Waterproofing is the single most common source of disputes on tiling jobs, and the most common serious defect in Australian residential construction. Waterproofing is the number one serious defect in NSW Class 2 apartment buildings, accounting for 42% of serious defects in 2023³.

Quoting it as a separate line item protects you in three ways:

• Compliance visibility. Wet-area waterproofing must meet AS 3740:2021. A separate line makes it clear what membrane system you are using, where it is being applied, and that it was scoped and priced as a distinct step, not buried inside the tiling rate.
• Scope changes. If the customer adds a niche, extends the shower, or changes the layout, the waterproofing adjustment is visible and billable. Bundled waterproofing hides variations.
• Licensing. In QLD, waterproofing is a standalone QBCC licensed trade. In NSW, waterproofing work above $5,000 (labour and materials including GST, per NSW Fair Trading) requires a contractor licence. Waterproofing costs in Australia typically range from $40 to $110 per square metre, with most residential wet-area work sitting between $40 and $80 per square metre before GST⁴. If you hold the waterproofing licence, showing it as a separate line is a trust signal. If you subcontract it, the line makes the handoff clear.

For more on why waterproofing compliance is a competitive advantage, see our guide on getting more tiling jobs in Australia.

How do you actually build the cost breakdown for a tiling quote?

A profitable tiling quote starts with the site measure and works outward. Here is a step-by-step process:

1. Measure on site. Measure every surface being tiled: floor area, each wall height and width, niches, splashbacks, window reveals. Record the substrate condition (concrete slab, cement sheet, existing tiles, timber). Never quote from photos or customer-supplied measurements alone.
2. Calculate tile quantity. Total square metres plus waste allowance. Standard straight lay: 10% waste (assumption: industry-standard allowance for straight-lay residential tiling, directional). Diagonal, herringbone or large-format with narrow grout lines: 15% or more. If the customer supplies tiles, confirm the quantity before starting.
3. Price materials. Adhesive (coverage per bag varies by notch size and tile format), grout, silicone, trims, movement joints, backer board or levelling compound if needed. Get supplier quotes for the specific products, do not estimate from memory.
4. Price labour. Your rate per square metre for the specific tile format, pattern and wall or floor. Factor in travel if the job is regional. Add time for cuts around floor wastes, tap penetrations and fixtures.
5. Add waterproofing. If in scope, price the membrane system, primer, tape and application labour as a separate line. Include the flood test if required by the certifier or council.
6. Add overheads. Insurance, vehicle, tools and consumables, admin time, and your target margin. Healthy gross margins on residential tiling work typically sit between 25% and 40% (assumption: based on typical labour-to-materials ratios and waste factors across residential tiling job types, directional).
7. State the exclusions. Demolition, skip bin, plumbing, electrical, painting, structural work, anything outside your scope.

What licensing do tilers need by state?

Tiling licensing varies significantly across Australian states and territories. Here is the position for tiling and waterproofing. As NSW Fair Trading states: "You must have a contractor licence to carry out, advertise or contract for building or trade work that is valued at more than $5,000 in labour and materials (including GST)."

The common trap: a tiling job that includes wet-area waterproofing can cross a licensing threshold the tiling work alone would not. Scope and quote waterproofing separately so you can see when you cross the line. For a deeper look at the waterproofing component, see our guide to quoting waterproofing with a tiling job. If you advertise as "licensed" in a state where your class does not cover the work, that is a misleading representation under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL s29). For a broader look at how licensing affects quoting, see our building quoting guide.

How fast should you quote a tiling job?

Same-day quoting after the site visit is the target. A homeowner renovating a bathroom is typically getting two or three quotes. Firms that tried to contact potential customers within an hour of receiving a query were nearly seven times as likely to qualify the lead as those that tried even an hour later⁵.

Pre-built quote templates for common tiling jobs speed this up:

• Standard bathroom floor and wall tile. A template with your default labour rate per square metre, adhesive and grout rates, waterproofing line, and standard exclusions. Change the measurements and tile selection, send.
• Splashback only. Smaller scope, fixed-price template works well.
• Full wet-area renovation. A multi-section template covering demolition allowance, waterproofing, floor tile, wall tile, niche, trims and exclusions.

Quoting software like ServiceM8 or Tradify lets you build these templates once and fill them from the van. For more on how speed affects quote conversion, see our guide on not losing quotes to faster tradies.

What mistakes cost tilers money on quotes?

These are the quoting errors that erode margin or lose the job entirely:

• Quoting from photos. A photo does not show substrate condition, fall, out-of-square walls or access issues. Every tiling quote needs a site visit.
• Underestimating waste. Ten percent waste on a herringbone pattern is not enough. Diagonal and pattern layouts need 15% or more, and large-format tiles that break are expensive per unit.
• Forgetting to charge for preparation. Removing old adhesive, levelling a slab, installing backer board: these are billable items that get absorbed if they are missing from the quote.
• Bundling waterproofing into the tiling rate. It hides a compliance-critical cost, makes variations invisible, and creates arguments about what was included.
• No follow-up. Most tilers never follow up a quote. A short message two to three days after sending the quote, referencing the job and not the price, is enough to stand out. For a follow-up framework, see our guide on following up unanswered quotes.
• Vague exclusions. If the quote does not say "excludes demolition, plumbing and electrical", the customer assumes it is included. Be specific.

Frequently asked questions