Searching tilers near me gives you a list of names and almost no way to tell them apart. Price is the easiest thing to compare and the worst thing to choose on, because the parts of tiling that fail are the parts you never see.
This guide gives you the questions that actually separate a good tiler from a cheap one, and the answers you should expect to hear.
What tilers near me results do not tell you
A directory listing tells you someone tiles. It does not tell you whether they prepare a substrate properly, waterproof a shower correctly, or set out a room so the cuts land somewhere sensible.
Nearly every tiling failure traces back to one of three things: a substrate that moved, waterproofing that was skipped or rushed, or a floor that was never levelled. None of them are visible on the day the job finishes.
Ask about the substrate first
- What are you tiling onto, and is it sound?
- Does the floor need levelling before laying, and what will that cost?
- Which adhesive will you use, and why that one for this surface?
- Is a decoupling membrane needed over a slab that may move?
A tiler who answers these confidently has done the job before. One who says the floor will be fine without looking at it has not measured anything.
Waterproofing questions that matter
In a bathroom or shower, waterproofing is the single most important thing you are buying. It sits under the tile, so you can never inspect it afterwards.
- What membrane system will you use? Cementitious tanking runs R150 to R220 per m², liquid rubber R180 to R280, and sheet membrane R250 to R350.
- How far up the wall does it go in the shower, and does it cover the floor-to-wall junction?
- How many coats, and how long between them?
- Will you flood-test or leave it to cure before tiling?
- Is the waterproofing on the quote as its own line?
Vague answers here are the strongest warning sign in the whole conversation. Our guide to bathroom tiling Cape Town explains what a correct wet-area build-up looks like.
Levelling, setting out and the details you will live with
Two tilers can use the same tile and the same adhesive and produce visibly different rooms. The difference is setting out.
- Where do the cut tiles land? Good setting out puts them in the least visible place, not always at one wall
- How wide will the grout joints be, and what colour grout
- How are external corners finished — trim, or mitred edges
- How will the floor fall to the drain in a shower
- What lippage will you accept between adjacent tiles
Lippage is the small height difference you can feel with a bare foot. On large-format tiles it is the number one complaint, and it comes from an uneven substrate more often than from bad laying.
Ask to see finished work, not a gallery
Photographs are easy to borrow. Ask for one recent Cape Town job you can look at, or a client who will take a call. A tiler with several years of local work will have both without hesitating. Tile and adhesive standards are published by the South African Bureau of Standards.
Getting a quote you can compare
Written quotes only help if they are structured the same way. Ask every tiler to split theirs into the same lines.
- Measured area, with openings and cabinet footprints deducted
- Labour per m², stated separately for floors and walls
- Tiles, adhesive and grout, supplied by whom
- Strip-out and rubble removal, priced or excluded
- Levelling and waterproofing, each as its own line
- Waste allowance, normally 10% straight lay and 15% for patterns
For the current market rates behind those lines, see our tiling Cape Town price guide and the breakdown of what a tiler near me quote should include.
Agreeing terms before work starts
Get the boring things in writing. They are what you fall back on if something goes wrong.
- Start date and realistic duration
- Payment terms, with a deposit that covers materials rather than most of the job
- Who protects and cleans the rest of the house
- What happens to leftover tiles, which you should keep for future repairs
- The workmanship guarantee, and what it covers
Keep the spare box. Tile ranges get discontinued and dye lots vary, so those offcuts are the only guaranteed colour match in two years’ time. For a full pre-hire checklist, see our tiling contractors near me guide.
Working with us
We tile across Cape Town and quote after measuring on site, not over the phone. We tell you upfront if a floor needs levelling or a shower needs a proper membrane, because those are the costs that surface later on someone else’s quote. Free assessment and no call-out fee.
See our flooring and tiling services or send us the details of your room for a written quote.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a good tiler?
Ask about the parts you cannot inspect later. What is the substrate, does it need levelling, which adhesive and why, and exactly what waterproofing system goes into a wet area. Then ask to see a recent local job or speak to a client. A tiler who answers those clearly has done the work before.
What questions should I ask a tiler before hiring?
What am I tiling onto and is it sound; does the floor need levelling and at what cost; which adhesive and membrane will you use; how far up the shower wall does the waterproofing go; where will the cut tiles land; what grout joint and colour; and what workmanship guarantee do you give in writing.
Should the tiler or I supply the tiles?
Either works, but decide before quoting so you compare like with like. If you supply, you carry the risk of ordering short or getting a different dye lot. Add 10% waste on a straight lay and 15% on a diagonal or patterned layout, and keep the leftovers for future repairs.
What is lippage in tiling?
Lippage is the small height difference between the edges of two adjacent tiles, which you can feel underfoot and see in raking light. It is most obvious on large-format tiles. The usual cause is an uneven substrate rather than poor laying, which is why levelling before tiling matters so much.
Do I need waterproofing before tiling a bathroom?
Yes, in the shower and around the floor-to-wall junctions. Tiles and grout are not a waterproof layer. Cementitious tanking costs roughly R150 to R220 per m², liquid rubber R180 to R280 and sheet membrane R250 to R350, or expect R4,500 to R7,500 as a flat rate for a standard bathroom.