Tiling in Dún Laoghaire

Yes — tiles and grout are not waterproof; the membrane behind them is. Most countries mandate or strongly standardize wet-area waterproofing, and it must cure before tiling. If a bathroom quote doesn't mention waterproofing, that is the question to ask before anything else.

Removal is priced per square metre and depends on what's underneath: tiles on board come off fast, tiles on thick sand-cement beds are slow, noisy demolition work. Budget for substrate repairs after removal — you rarely know the wall or floor condition until tiles are off.

Either works, but you usually choose and buy tiles yourself and the tiler supplies adhesive, grout and trims. Order 10-15% extra for cuts and breakage (more for patterns and large formats) and keep leftovers for future repairs. Have tiles on site before the tiler starts.

Tilers price labour per square metre (or square foot), with tiles, adhesive, grout and prep on top. Small-format ceramic on a flat floor is the base rate; large-format porcelain, natural stone, mosaics, herringbone patterns and wall work all cost more per unit because they are slower and less forgiving.

Ask tilers in Dún Laoghaire for photos of finished wet rooms and floor-to-wall junctions — lippage (uneven tile edges), crooked grout lines and bad cuts around fittings are where cheap work shows. Good tilers also talk about substrate prep and waterproofing before they talk about tiles.

Labour typically runs €35-60 per m², with Dublin at the higher end. A full bathroom retile including tanking commonly lands €1,800-4,000 before tiles.