Tile Installation Cost Calculator 2026 — Floor & Backsplash
Tile installation cost by type and surface: porcelain floors run $10–$22 per sq ft installed, backsplash tile $12–$35 (Fixr). Add tear-out and backer board.
Tile Installation Cost Calculator
Floor: length × width. Wall: width × height. 10–5,000 sq ft.
Wall tile costs more per sq ft: more cuts, slower setting.
Natural stone covers marble, travertine and slate.
Adjusts the labor share by local construction wages (BLS, May 2025).
Add-ons:
homeprojectestimator.com · · https://homeprojectestimator.com/calculators/tile-installation-cost/
Estimated tile installation cost
$3,200
Typical range $2,000 – $4,400
Cost per sq ft
$16.00
Where the money goes
- Porcelain tile floor, installed (materials + labor) $10–$22 per sq ft × 200 sq ft$2,000 – $4,400
National average. Pick your state and metro area to adjust the labor share (about 43% of this job) to local wages. Get three written quotes before you commit to a budget.
Installed prices from Fixr's tile flooring and backsplash cost pages; mosaic material from This Old House. Order about 10% extra tile for cuts and breakage.
How to use this calculator
The calculator multiplies the area you tile by an installed price per square foot for the tile type and the surface, then adds the prep work you select.
- Area to tile (sq ft). For a floor, measure length × width of each room and add them. For a wall or backsplash, measure width × height of each tiled section: a backsplash 15 ft long and 18 inches tall is 15 × 1.5 = 22.5 sq ft. Measure the actual tiled area; the installer adds the overage.
- Where the tile goes. Floor uses Fixr's tile flooring prices. Wall, backsplash or shower wall uses Fixr's backsplash prices, which are higher per square foot.
- Tile type. Ceramic, porcelain, natural stone (marble, travertine, slate) and mosaic. Mosaic sheets of glass or stone are priced as material plus setting labor, because neither Fixr page gives an installed mosaic price.
- Remove old tile. Tick it if existing tile has to come off first.
- New cement backer board. Tick it if the substrate is being replaced or added — for example over a wood subfloor or behind a new shower wall.
- Your state. Adjusts the labor part of the estimate to local construction wages.
The default — 200 sq ft of porcelain on a floor — comes to about $3,200, with a range of $2,000 to $4,400, or $16 per sq ft. If you are re-doing the whole floor of a house rather than one room, the flooring cost calculator compares tile against wood, vinyl and carpet.
Tile installation cost in 2026
Floor tile, installed
| Tile type | Per sq ft, installed | 200 sq ft, installed |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic | $4 – $22.50 | $800 – $4,500 |
| Porcelain | $10 – $22 | $2,000 – $4,400 |
| Natural stone (marble) | $15 – $25 | $3,000 – $5,000 |
| Mosaic (material $35 – $60 + labor $12 – $14) | $47 – $74 | $9,400 – $14,800 |
| All tile floors, typical | $8 – $14 | — |
Source: Fixr, Tile Flooring Installation Cost, January 31, 2025 (200 sq ft prices, $8–$14 typical, mosaic labor). Mosaic material: This Old House, Shower Tile Installation, December 12, 2025.
Today's Homeowner (September 3, 2025) gives a national average of $10 to $15 per sq ft, with ceramic $7–$45, porcelain $12–$40, marble $15–$24 and granite $15–$30. Its ranges are wider at the top because they include premium tile; the calculator keeps to Fixr's narrower figures.
Wall and backsplash tile, installed
| Tile type | Per sq ft, installed |
|---|---|
| Ceramic | $12 – $30 |
| Porcelain | $13 – $35 |
| Natural stone (travertine) | $13 – $40 |
| Granite | $20 – $47 |
| Marble | $30 – $150 |
| Glass | $18 – $43 |
| Mosaic (material $35 – $60 + labor $10 – $25) | $45 – $85 |
Source: Fixr, How Much Does It Cost to Install a Backsplash?, August 29, 2025. Mosaic labor: Fixr, Shower Tiling Cost, August 29, 2025; mosaic material: This Old House, Shower Tile Installation, December 12, 2025.
The calculator uses the travertine row for natural stone on walls. Marble backsplashes can cost several times more; if you are pricing marble, treat the high end of the range as the likely figure.
What drives the price
- Tile size. Fixr prices floor labor at $7 to $9 per sq ft for 8- to 14-inch tile and $10 to $12 for 18- or 24-inch large-format tile. Glass and mosaic labor runs $12 to $14.
- Material grade. Fixr's material ranges are very wide — ceramic $1 to $30 per sq ft, porcelain $3 to $30, marble $3 to $50 — so the tile you pick moves the total more than anything else.
- Pattern. Fixr advises 10% extra tile for cuts on a straight lay and another 10% to 20% for complex patterns such as herringbone or diagonal.
- Surface. Walls cost more per square foot than floors: Bob Vila puts floor labor at $5 to $14 per sq ft and backsplash or countertop labor at $20 to $35.
- Tear-out and prep. Removing old tile and replacing the substrate can add as much as the tile itself on a small job — see the add-on lines.
- Grout and setting materials. Today's Homeowner prices grout at $2.50 to $5.50 per sq ft including labor and thinset mortar at $15 to $50 a bag covering about 24 sq ft. Fixr's installed prices are labor and material together, so do not add them on top.
Cost breakdown
- Installed tile line (ceramic, porcelain, natural stone): Fixr's installed price, which covers tile, mortar, grout and labor. Fixr does not split material and labor here, so the calculator uses the labor share from Fixr's own examples: about 43% for floors ($1,400–$1,600 of a $3,500 job) and 50% for walls (the midpoint of Fixr's 30%–70%).
- Mosaic material and mosaic setting labor: two lines, from This Old House (material) and Fixr (labor).
- Remove old tile: $1 to $5 per sq ft on floors and $2 to $5 on walls (Fixr).
- Cement backer board, installed: $5 to $9.13 per sq ft. The low end is Bob Vila's $5–$8; the high end is Homewyse's May 2026 figure of $8.18–$9.13, which includes screws, seam tape, thinset and disposal. Its labor share is not published, so the calculator assumes 50%.
Not included: waterproofing membranes in showers, heated-floor mats, leveling compound, new trim or baseboards, sealing natural stone, plumbing or electrical work, and repairs to framing found when the old tile comes off.
Prices by state and metro area
Only labor moves with the state you choose:
factor = (1 − labor share) + labor share × state wage index
The index is each state's mean hourly wage for construction and extraction occupations divided by the national mean ($31.42), from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. For the default porcelain floor, labor is 43% of the job:
| State | Wage index | 200 sq ft porcelain floor |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 1.25 | $3,550 |
| National average | 1.00 | $3,200 |
| Texas | 0.84 | $3,000 |
| Mississippi | 0.78 | $2,900 |
Mosaic moves least, because most of its cost is material; a ceramic backsplash moves most, at a 50% labor share. Our regional cost guide covers the method.
Metro areas spread wider than states. With the default settings, this estimate is $3,200 at the national average, $3,500 in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area and $3,000 in Birmingham, AL (BLS construction wage index 1.20 and 0.84). Pick your metro area under the state to use the local figure.
Floor or backsplash: worked examples
- Kitchen backsplash, 30 sq ft of ceramic. $12 to $30 per sq ft gives $350 to $900, typical $650. Fixr's average backsplash costs $1,000 within a $500 to $1,500 range; glass or stone pushes you toward the top.
- Bathroom floor, 50 sq ft of porcelain with tear-out and new backer board. Tile $500–$1,100, removal $50–$250 and backer board $250–$457 bring it to about $800–$1,800.
- Open-plan floor, 500 sq ft of porcelain. $5,000 to $11,000 installed, typical $8,000, before any tear-out.
Can you tile it yourself?
A small ceramic backsplash is the most forgiving first project: the area is small, nothing walks on it and mistakes are cheap to redo. Floors are harder — a tile floor needs a flat, stiff substrate, and lippage or hollow-sounding tiles show up within months. Large-format tile, natural stone and shower walls are best left to a tile setter: large tile needs a near-perfect substrate, stone needs sealing and careful cutting, and a shower depends on waterproofing you cannot inspect once the tile is on. On a 200 sq ft porcelain floor, labor is roughly $1,400 to $1,600 of the cost on Fixr's example — that is the most you can save.
How to compare tile quotes
- Tile supplied by whom? Some quotes are labor-only; others include tile at an allowance per square foot. Compare like with like.
- Substrate. Ask whether backer board, uncoupling membrane or leveling is included, and at what rate per square foot.
- Removal and haul-away. Fixr's backsplash prices exclude hauling away the old tile, which adds $100–$300.
- Pattern and tile size. Herringbone, diagonal and large-format layouts cost more labor; make sure every bid assumes the same layout.
- Overage. Fixr recommends ordering 10% to 15% more than measured, which also leaves spare tiles for future repairs.
More in how to compare renovation quotes.
Sources
- Fixr, Tile Flooring Installation Cost — $8–$14 per sq ft installed; 200 sq ft porcelain $2,000–$4,400, marble $3,000–$5,000, ceramic $800–$4,500; $3,500 average and $1,000–$5,000 range; labor by tile size; $1–$5 removal labor; waste allowances (updated January 31, 2025). link
- Fixr, How Much Does It Cost to Install a Backsplash? — installed price by material, $1,000 average, $500–$1,500 range, 30%–70% labor share, $100–$300 haul-away (updated August 29, 2025). link
- Fixr, Shower Tiling Cost — mosaic labor $10–$25 per sq ft; old tile removal $2–$5 per sq ft (updated August 29, 2025). link
- This Old House, Shower Tile Installation — at least $35 per sq ft for mosaic or glass material, glass $35–$60, removal $1–$4 (updated December 12, 2025). link
- Today's Homeowner, How Much Does Tile Floor Cost? — $10–$15 national average, prices by type, grout and mortar costs (updated September 3, 2025). link
- Bob Vila, How Much Does Tile Installation Cost? — backer board $5–$8 per sq ft, removal $2–$7, floor labor $5–$14, backsplash labor $20–$35 (updated September 19, 2023). link
- Homewyse, Cost to Install Backer Board — $8.18–$9.13 per sq ft installed and what it includes (May 2026). link
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — state wage index for construction and extraction occupations. link
Related
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does tile flooring cost with installation?
Fixr puts tile flooring at $8 to $14 per sq ft installed. For 200 sq ft of 12-inch porcelain, the national average is $3,500 with a range of $1,000 to $5,000, and labor is $1,400 to $1,600 of that. Today's Homeowner says most homeowners pay $10 to $15 per sq ft. Natural stone and mosaic cost more.
How much does it cost to tile a 200 sq ft floor?
On Fixr's figures, 200 sq ft costs $800 to $4,500 in ceramic, $2,000 to $4,400 in porcelain and $3,000 to $5,000 in marble, installed. The calculator's default, 200 sq ft of porcelain with nothing removed, comes to about $3,200. Tearing out the old floor adds $1 to $5 per sq ft, or $200 to $1,000.
How much does a tile backsplash cost to install?
Fixr's backsplash page gives an average of $1,000 and a typical range of $500 to $1,500. Per square foot installed, ceramic runs $12 to $30, porcelain $13 to $35, travertine $13 to $40 and glass $18 to $43. Labor is 30% to 70% of the total, and hauling away old tile adds $100 to $300.
Why does wall tile cost more per square foot than floor tile?
Walls need more cuts around outlets, windows and cabinets, and tile has to be held in place while it sets. Fixr prices porcelain at $10 to $22 per sq ft on a floor but $13 to $35 on a backsplash. Bob Vila puts floor tile labor at $5 to $14 per sq ft and backsplash labor at $20 to $35.
Do I need new cement backer board?
Fixr calls cement backer board the most common underlayment for tile floors and the best material behind shower tile. Bob Vila prices it at $5 to $8 per sq ft and notes it is usually included in labor; Homewyse gives $8.18 to $9.13 per sq ft installed in May 2026. Tick the add-on only when a quote prices it separately.
How much does it cost to remove old tile?
Fixr adds $1 to $5 per sq ft of labor to remove an old tile floor and gives $2 to $5 per sq ft to remove old wall tile in a shower. This Old House puts removal at $1 to $4 per sq ft, and Bob Vila at $2 to $7. Thick mortar beds and tile glued to concrete sit at the top of those ranges.