What Retiling a Bathroom Costs in 2026, Room by Room

Retiling a bathroom in South Africa costs between R230 and R800 per square metre in 2026, including materials and labour. A standard family bathroom, stripped and fully retiled, usually lands between R11,800 and R27,500. A guest toilet costs a fraction of that. A large porcelain en-suite costs a lot more.

The Quick Answer On 2026 Tiling Prices

Here is what the market looks like right now, per square metre of tiled surface:

• Labour only: R150-R300 per m². Wall tiling sits at the top of that range because it needs more setting out and more cutting than floor work.
• Ceramic tiles, supplied and fitted: R230-R500 per m².
• Porcelain tiles, supplied and fitted: R380-R800 per m².
• Waterproofing to wet areas: R150-R300 per m².
• Removing old tiles: R50-R180 per m².
• On-site assessment call-out: from R450.

Get one thing straight before you budget. Tilers price by tiled surface area, not floor area. A 5 m² bathroom floor with walls tiled to the ceiling is closer to 24 m² of work. That gap is where most budget shocks come from.

What You Are Actually Paying For

The tile is usually the smallest line on the quote. The rest is preparation, and preparation decides whether the job lasts fifteen years or fails in one rainy season.

A full retile covers stripping the old tiles, carting away the rubble, making good the plaster or screed, levelling anything out of tolerance, waterproofing the wet areas, then adhesive, tiles, trims, grout and silicone. Adhesive alone runs R50 to R150 per m². Standard cement adhesive under a large-format porcelain tile is a recipe for failure in a hot summer.

Retiling Costs Room By Room

These ranges assume a full strip-and-retile, waterproofing included.

Guest Toilet

Roughly 5 to 8 m², usually a small floor plus a splashback behind the basin. Expect R1,700 to R6,500. Little wet-area work, so waterproofing stays cheap.

Shower Cubicle Only

Roughly 8 to 10 m². Expect R3,900 to R11,500. The tiling is quick, but never cut the waterproofing budget here. The membrane goes in before the tiles, and you can't fix it afterwards without stripping the cubicle off the wall.

Standard Family Bathroom

Roughly 20 to 25 m², meaning a bath, a shower, a basin and walls tiled to 1.8 m or full height. Expect R11,800 to R27,500. Ceramic on a level, sound surface sits near the bottom. Porcelain over a floor that needs a self-levelling screed sits near the top.

Main Bedroom En-suite

Roughly 30 to 40 m², usually large-format porcelain. Expect R15,000 to R42,000. Big tiles look simple but aren't. They need a flatter substrate, a rapid-set adhesive and more care on the set-out, which is why the labour rate climbs.

What Pushes The Price Up

• Layout. Herringbone, diagonal and mosaic work need far more cuts.
• Tile size. Large-format porcelain needs a flatter base and stronger adhesive.
• Levels. An uneven floor means a self-levelling screed before anything gets laid.
• Services. Moving a shower mixer, a drain or an extractor fan adds a second trade.
• Access. A first-floor bathroom with a narrow stair costs more to strip out.
• Location. Gauteng prices run above the national average.

Standards, Compliance And Who Signs What

Tiling is not a regulated trade in South Africa. There is no licence to check and no COC for the tiling itself, which is exactly why vetting matters more here than in a trade with a statutory register.

There are still codes of practice a competent tiler works to. SANS 10107 covers the design and installation of ceramic tiling, including movement joints and substrate tolerances. SANS 10021 covers building waterproofing. Ask your tiler how they handle perimeter and movement joints. A Pro who answers that comfortably has done this properly before.

Where the job crosses into other trades, the rules change. Plumbing alterations need a registered plumber, and a plumbing COC is issued through the PIRB. Electrical work, including underfloor heating or a new extractor circuit, falls under SANS 10142-1 and needs a registered electrician with a valid Wireman’s Licence.

How To Read A Tiling Quote

Before you sign anything, check that the quote answers these five questions:

1. Is this labour only, or supply and fit?
2. Is waterproofing itemised separately, and if so, for what area?
3. Who removes the old tiles, and who pays to have the rubble removed from the property?
4. Are adhesive, grout, trims and silicone included?
5. What wastage allowance is built in, and are movement joints specified?

A quote that is one line with one number on it is not a quote. It is a guess, and you will be the one paying for it later.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a tiler charge per square metre in South Africa?

Labour only runs R150 to R300 per m² in 2026. Supply and fit, where the tiler provides tiles, adhesive and grout, runs R230 to R800 per m² depending on ceramic or porcelain.

Is it cheaper to tile over existing tiles?

Cheaper on the day, more expensive later. It skips the strip-out and rubble, but it raises your floor level, can foul doors, and hides any waterproofing failure underneath. In a wet area, strip it.

How long does retiling a bathroom take?

Two to three days of tiling, plus drying time. Waterproofing must cure before tiling starts, and adhesive needs about 24 hours before grouting. Plan on a week without that bathroom.

Do I need to buy extra tiles?

Yes. Order 10 to 15 percent above your measured area for straight layouts, and 15 to 20 percent for patterned work. That covers cuts, breakages and future repairs. Tile batches get discontinued fast.

Should I buy my own tiles?

On larger jobs, supplying your own tiles and paying labour only is usually better value. Ask your tiler what tile rating and adhesive the room needs before you order, not after.

Get The Numbers Right Before You Commit

Tiling is rolling out on Kandua soon. In the meantime, Kandua can help you work out your real tiled area, what preparation your bathroom needs and what a fair price looks like before you talk to anyone.

If your retile touches the plumbing or the electrics, sort that part out today. Get a quote from a vetted Pro on Kandua; all of them are put through insurance-grade vetting before they reach your door.

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