26 June 2026

Tiling a bathroom: the right order and the smartest moment

Tiling comes after the installer and before the sanitary fittings. Planning a bathroom renovation — and why winter is a smart moment.

In a bathroom renovation, tiling has a fixed place in the order: first the demolition, plumbing and electrical work, then the waterproof preparation and the tiling of floor and walls, and only then the mounting of shower, basin and toilet. Whoever has the sanitary fittings installed before the tiles pays twice later — almost all the breaking work sits in the first phase.

Expect several working days for the tiling itself. It is not just the setting that takes time: adhesive and grout have drying times you cannot speed up, and waterproof finishing around shower and bath (sealing band, tanking) must happen before the first tile. A good tiler plans those steps with the installer — so involve them early in the renovation.

The smartest moment to request quotes? Indoor work does not depend on the weather, so bathrooms are possible all year round. In spring and summer your job competes with patio and outdoor work; requesting in autumn or winter often gives the widest pick of schedules. On the cost side: wall tiling costs € 30 to € 60 per m² in labour, and the complete bathroom € 2,000 to € 6,000 including tiles.

Always set quotes against the price index and mind what happens underneath the tiles: preparation, waterproofing and levelling make the difference between sleek at delivery and sleek fifteen years on.