If you want to install tile flooring for your home, you must have an idea of the cost to install ceramic tile.
The ceramic floor tiles give a long-lasting, gorgeous, and enhancing covering. Ceramic tile floor has various shades, sizes, and shapes.
The traditional and classic appearance of this flooring makes it ideal for bathrooms and halls. They come with an extensive range of prices, with many designs, shapes, and sizes.
The average price ranges from $800 – $4,500. Most people pay nearly $3,474 for 200 square feet of 12-inch ceramic tile installation.
Ceramic Tile Installation Cost Guide
Some of the most common factors that affect the cost price are as follows:
Shop Around
You must go to different shops to get the cost information from different areas. This is a great tip to save money. In this way, you will get information about cheap prices.
Challenging Installations
The cost of installing the ceramic tiles depends on the area. If the area has a difficult design and is damaged, the labor price will increase.
Overages
Always buy 10% or 15% more tiles than the required tiles. If any damage happens during installation, you can replace the tile quickly.
After completing your installation, keep the leftover tiles. If any tile breaks, you will be able to replace it.
It’s a good idea to keep an extra tile with you because the same color and shape of the tile are difficult to find after some time. In case of damage, you will not find the exact match of your flooring tile.
Ongoing Maintenance
Usually, ceramic tiles require low maintenance, but they should be cleaned regularly. The grout of these tiles needs whitening, cleaning, or replacing, like others.
All these things are the least expensive, but you should keep them in your mind. If any damage occurs to a tile, especially in humid areas like the bathroom, it must be replaced as soon as possible.
Hiring a professional will cost nearly $15 per sq. ft. or $60 – $120 per hour. If you call any expert to replace only one or two tiles, the cost will be according to the hourly work.
Additional Cost to Install Ceramic Tiles
When making financial arrangements for tile installation, many additional price factors are considered.
Additional Materials
To install a wood subfloor, you should install a backer board. Wood is not an ideal subfloor for the ceramic tiles because it will wrap by exposure to water.
The backer board provides a solid cement layer for laying ceramic tile.
These boards are usually used in bathrooms. Its price ranges from $5 – $8 per sq. ft. This cost is also included in the overall labor cost to install ceramic tile.
Subfloor Repair
The average cost of repairing the existing subfloor ranges from $40 to $65 per sq. ft. An additional cost range of $3 – $10 is required to resurface the subfloor.
To make the floor smoother, an additional cost of labor hours and materials is required. The installer makes it flat and fills the cracks and holes to get a smooth result, to prepare the surface for installation.
Subfloor preparation also includes a latex primer to apply on the subfloor. At last, the installer checks the floor level by using a self-leveling compound.
Subfloor Installation
A broken and too damaged subfloor must be changed by installing a new floor. This can cost around $10 – $20 per sq. ft.
Geographic Location
Laying floor tile cost also depends on geographical location. Urban areas directly affect labor costs because the cost of living is high.
Due to the high moisture level in the seaside places, tile installation becomes difficult.
Ceramic Tile Flooring Cost by Type
There are many types of ceramic tiles, and every type of this tile is not suitable for flooring. These tiles are denser than wall tiles. Floor tiles are anti-slippery because they have a lusterless and textured finish.
All types of ceramic tiles are made from wet mud. Tiles made from clay have a finish and give color and style to their appearance. All ceramic tiles are fired and glazed. These glazed tiles are fired again.
The tiles fired twice are called bicottura, and the tiles fired only once are called monocottura. Monocottura tiles are used mostly on walls.
Machine-Made Ceramic Tile
The ceramic tiles that are glazed, pressed, and cut by machine are called machine-made.
Tiles made from the machine have smooth shapes, clear corners, and good shape. They come with little variation in glaze.
They are low-cost, ranging from $1 – $10 sq. ft. Sizes of floor tile start from 6 inches.
Retro Mosaic Ceramic Tile
Mosaic Ceramic tile is a type of mosaic tile made from particular designs such as octagon-and-dot, basket texture, and hexagon. Depending on the design of the tile, their sizes are 2 inches.
Mesh sheets have these tiles fixed and are ready to install. These tiles are best for traditional bathroom designs, and prices range from $2 – $5 per square foot.
Penny Mosaic Ceramic Tile
In this type of ceramic tile, the size and shape of the tile are like a penny. Its size is nearly 12 inches and is fixed on mesh sheets.
These tiles are famous for bathrooms and come in different shades. Their prices range from $2 – $5 per square foot.
Large Format Ceramic Tile
The sizes of these tiles are up to 16-inches per sq. ft., and some tiles have sizes of 12 x 24 inches. They are denser and are difficult to install. Additional steps are required to avoid edges from sticking.
The average cost of these tiles ranges from $5 – $10 per square foot.
Handmade Ceramic Tile
These tiles are used for bathrooms, kitchens, and high-traffic areas. They are formed and glazed manually. They come in many shades, sizes, and colors.
A wider grout joint is required to accommodate the difference in their sizes. The cost range from $15 – $30.
Other Mosaic Ceramic Tiles
There are many other mosaic ceramic tiles. Penny and Retro are also its types. They are available as fixed on mesh sheets with various shades. Their sizes are up to 2 inches.
Mosaic tiles come in rectangular and square shapes. Their cost ranges from $15 – $30 per square foot.
Cost to Install Ceramic Floor Tile in Kitchen
Kitchen Floor
The ceramic kitchen floor tile price ranges from $1,208 – $2,415 for a 161 sq. ft. The difference between the costs is due to the different material’s prices.
The shape and environment of the subfloor also affect the price.
Kitchen Countertop and Backsplash
The expected price range is $25 – $32 per sq. ft. for a kitchen countertop and backsplash. Installing these tiles is difficult because of the smaller tiles, making them more costly.
Ways to Save Money on Tile Installation Cost
It is very costly to install tiles, and the additional cost makes it more expensive. You can save money by buying the cheapest material. There are many other methods to save money.
Using Bigger Tiles
The cost of large tiles is low because low labor is required to install them.
Avoid Maze-Like Designs
Tiles with more patterns and heavy designs should be avoided because they are more costly. More expertise and time are required to install them.
Install Tiles in Selected Areas
Installing tiles in selected areas can cost less than installing the entire floor.
Remove the Old Flooring Yourself
You can save money by removing the old flooring yourself.
Get Multiple Estimates
Contact many contractors to know the cost of installing tiles. In this way, you will be able to know the best price.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
How Much is the Cost of Tile Installation per Square Foot?
The tile installation cost ranges from $10 – $15 per sq. ft. Many homeowners pay around $825 – $2,520 for porcelain and ceramic tiles.
The cost to install tiles in bathroom walls is $7 – $25 per sq. ft. The backsplash of tiles costs $23 – $35 per sq. ft.
What is the Price of Ceramic Floor Tile Installation?
The average cost of installing ceramic floor tiles is $886 – $2,855. You have to pay nearly $15 – $20 per sq. ft. for materials and installation.
What is the Price to Tile a 12 X 12 Room?
A 12 x 12-floor tile room costs $288 – $2016 for a tile, and the average cost is $2 – $14 per sq. ft. Additional materials will cost $300 more, like grout and mortar.
What is the Price of Tile 1000 Square Feet?
The average cost of a 1000 sq. ft. room ranges from $9000 – $214,000, including labor and other material prices.
Final Thoughts
Ceramic tile flooring is an everlasting and classic choice that is highly famous and requires low maintenance. It’s easy to justify the cost to install ceramic tile from the details given in this article.
Ceramic tile flooring is best for any location, from the living room to the bathroom. Due to its durability, resistance to moisture, and anti-slippery quality, ceramic tile is the ideal choice for homeowners.
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