How Long Does Bathroom Tiling Take?

This is one of the most common questions I get asked before a job starts. People want to know how long to book the bathroom out of use, and whether they need to arrange alternative facilities. Fair question.

The honest answer is: it depends on the size of the room and what’s already there. But I can give you useful ballpark figures.

A standard bathroom re-tile

A typical UK bathroom — bath, basin, toilet, roughly 4–6 square metres of wall tiling — takes me two to three days to tile. That’s assuming:

• The old tiles have already been removed, or I’m tiling over a sound existing surface
• The substrate is flat and solid — no soft plasterboard patches, no movement
• The tiles are a standard format (300×600mm or similar) in a straight lay

If I’m removing the old tiles myself as part of the job, add half a day to a full day depending on how many layers there are and how hard they’re stuck. Victorian properties in particular can have tiles bonded with an old lime render that takes a while to clear properly.

What makes a job take longer

Preparation. Most of the time on a tiling job goes on the stuff you don’t see when it’s finished. Checking and preparing the substrate, applying waterproofing membrane in wet areas, setting out the tiles to get the cuts right before a single tile goes on the wall. This can easily be a full day on a bathroom that will then take a day and a half to tile.

Wet rooms take longer than standard bathrooms because the floor has to be graded to drain correctly, and the tanking needs multiple coats with drying time between each. Allow an extra day, sometimes two.

Large format tiles slow the job down. A 600×1200mm tile takes more time to cut, more care to lay level, and more adhesive preparation. The result looks exceptional, but it’s not quick.

Pattern laying. Herringbone, chevron, basketweave — any diagonal or pattern lay adds time. The setting out alone can take an hour or two before tiling starts, because getting the geometry right at the start is what prevents a crooked finish.

Marble and natural stone. Each piece needs to be checked before it goes on the wall. Natural stone has variation — veining, colour shift, occasional faults. You have to think about what’s going on the wall as well as how to stick it there.

When can the bathroom be used again?

Tiling needs time to cure before grouting, and grouting needs time to cure before the shower or bath gets wet. I generally advise 24–48 hours after grouting before use with water. Silicone joints need a minimum of 24 hours.

For a wet room or shower area that’s going to take direct water, I’d say 48 hours minimum. Some adhesives and grouts have longer working times — I’ll tell you on the job.

The short version

Job type	Typical duration
Standard bathroom re-tile (walls)	2–3 days
Including tile removal	Add 1 day
Wet room installation	4–6 days
Large format tiles	Add 1–2 days
Pattern or herringbone lay	Add 1 day

These are working days, not calendar days. I don’t leave a job half-finished and come back a week later — I see jobs through to completion before moving on.

If you want an accurate timescale for your specific bathroom, the only way to give it is to visit and see the room. Contact me for a free site visit and I’ll tell you exactly what to expect.

Related reading: How much does bathroom tiling cost in London? · Wet room vs shower tray — and why wet rooms take longer

Ready to plan your bathroom project? See the full bathroom tiling service or wet room service for what’s included.