Tile jobs are priced by the square foot, but two jobs with the same square footage can take very different time. This guide walks through measuring, materials, labor and the details that change the price.
The short version. Measure the area, add waste for your layout, round up to full boxes, then add backer board, waterproofing and setting materials. Price labor by tile size, layout and prep, not by square footage alone.
1. Measure the area
- Floors: length × width for each area. Break odd shapes into rectangles and add them up.
- Walls and showers: width × height for each wall. Subtract large openings like windows, but not small ones like valves.
- Trim pieces: measure bullnose, edge trim and base in linear feet, separately from the field tile.
2. Add waste for your layout
Waste covers cuts, breakage and a few spare pieces for future repairs.
| Layout | Waste many installers use |
|---|---|
| Straight lay, simple room | About 10% |
| Diagonal or lots of cuts | About 15% |
| Herringbone or complex patterns | About 15% to 20% |
Large-format tile, natural stone and rooms with many corners usually need the higher end.
3. Count boxes and materials
- Tile: divide the area with waste by the square feet per box (it's printed on the box), then round up.
- Backer board: a 3 × 5 ft sheet covers 15 sq ft.
- Waterproofing: showers and wet areas need a membrane. Use the coverage from the product you install.
- Thinset and grout: coverage depends on your trowel notch, tile size and joint width. Use the bag's coverage chart or the manufacturer's calculator.
- Extras: leveling clips, spacers, trim, sealer and caulk.
Example (illustrative): an 8 × 10 ft bathroom floor, straight lay, with boxes that cover 15.5 sq ft.
| Step | Math | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Floor area | 8 × 10 | 80 sq ft |
| Plus 10% waste | 80 × 1.10 | 88 sq ft |
| Boxes of tile | 88 ÷ 15.5 = 5.7, round up | 6 boxes |
| Backer board sheets | 80 ÷ 15 = 5.3, round up | 6 sheets |
4. Price the labor
Square footage is the starting point, but these details change how long the job takes:
- Tile size. Very small tile (mosaics) and large-format tile both take longer per square foot.
- Layout. Diagonal, herringbone and patterns mean more cuts.
- Prep. Tear-out, leveling a floor, or building a shower pan can take as long as setting the tile.
- Wet areas. Showers need waterproofing, niches, benches and careful slopes.
- Access. Stairs, tight rooms and working around fixtures slow everything down.
Price prep, setting and grouting as separate lines, so the customer sees what each part costs and you can tell which one ran over.
5. Figure the labor hours
Break the job into tasks and estimate the hours for each one. Typical hours for the 8 × 10 ft bathroom floor from above.
| Task | Typical labor hours |
|---|---|
| Tear out old floor and haul away | 3 |
| Cut and install backer board | 3 |
| Layout and set tile | 6 |
| Grout | 2.5 |
| Trim, caulk and clean up | 1.5 |
| Total | 16 hours |
Labor cost = total hours × your hourly labor cost. Your hourly labor cost is the wage plus burden — payroll taxes, workers' comp and insurance. For example, a $28 wage plus 25% burden is $35 an hour. If you work alone, use the wage you pay yourself. The free labor rates by state tool shows typical wages for your trade and area.
16 hours × $35 = $560 in labor.
These are typical hours for a straightforward job with an experienced crew. Specialty and custom design work adds hours — for example herringbone and other patterns, mosaics, large-format tile, shower niches, benches and curbs. Price those as their own lines, so the customer sees what the extra work costs. Your own times are the best guide: write down how long each task takes on every job, and your estimates get sharper each time.
6. Add overhead and profit
Add up materials and labor, then apply your overhead and profit. Remember that markup and margin aren't the same: a 20% margin needs a 25% markup. The free markup and margin calculator does the math.
Tip: Put the tile allowance in writing if the customer is choosing the tile. If they pick something more expensive or harder to set, that's a change order, not your loss.
See also: Trades HQ for tile and stone setters and Estimating Basics.