How to Choose the Right Tiler for Your Project

Why choosing right matters

Hiring the wrong tiler can cost you far more than the original job. Poor adhesion, uneven grout lines, or worse — a waterproofing failure — can mean ripping out an entire bathroom within 2–3 years. Sri Lanka's humid climate makes proper technique even more important than in drier countries. The few extra thousand rupees you spend vetting a professional upfront can save hundreds of thousands later.

1. Verify their specialisation

Tiling covers many different disciplines. A tiler who excels at large-format floor work may struggle with intricate mosaic patterns or wet-area waterproofing. Ask specifically: "What percentage of your jobs are bathroom renovations?" or "Have you worked with 60×120 format tiles before?" Specialists charge more — and are worth it.

2. Ask for photos and references

Any experienced tiler should immediately be able to show you 5–10 completed project photos from the last 12 months. Red flag: blurry photos, no recent work, or photos that look like stock images. Better still, ask for the contact number of a recent client you can call directly. A good tiler will welcome this — an unscrupulous one will stall.

3. Waterproofing knowledge is non-negotiable

Before tiling a bathroom, wet areas must be properly waterproofed with a membrane system. Ask the tiler: "Which waterproofing system do you use and how many coats?" Acceptable answers include brand names like Sika, Mapei, or local equivalents with at least 2 coats on floors and 1 up walls to 1.8m. If they say "I use cement plaster" and stop there — walk away.

4. Get at least three itemised quotes

Prices vary enormously in Sri Lanka. A basic bathroom tile job can run from Rs. 80,000 to Rs. 400,000+ depending on tile size, waterproofing inclusion, and grouting quality. Always get quotes broken down into: materials, waterproofing, labour, and grouting. Vague single-number quotes hide corners that will be cut. Use TilersHub to post your project and receive competitive bids directly on WhatsApp.

5. Red flags to watch for

Avoid any tiler who: cannot show any references or photos, skips any mention of waterproofing, asks for more than 50% payment upfront, provides a vague non-itemised quote, has no fixed address or verifiable business identity, or can start "immediately" without seeing the site first. Reputable professionals are usually booked 2–4 weeks out.

6. What "verified" on TilersHub actually means

Be precise about what any badge on any platform is telling you, ours included. A verified listing on TilersHub means our team has confirmed that the business exists and that the contact details reach the person who claims them. It is not a trade qualification, an insurance check, or a guarantee of workmanship on your particular job — no directory can promise that, and you should be sceptical of any that does. Treat verification as a filter that removes obvious fakes, then do your own reference checks on top. The badge narrows your shortlist; it does not replace the five steps above.

How much deposit is normal in Sri Lanka?

For a residential tiling job, 30–40% up front is the normal range, and it should be tied to materials rather than labour. A tiler needs to buy tiles, adhesive, grout and clips before starting, so an advance covering those is reasonable. What is not reasonable is paying most of the labour before any of it has been done. Structure it in three: an advance for materials, a stage payment when tiling is complete, and a final 10–15% released only after you have inspected grouting, silicone and levels. If a tiler insists on 70% or more before starting, they are either short of working capital or planning not to finish — either way it is your money at risk. Pay by bank transfer so there is a record; cash leaves you nothing to point at if things go wrong.

What should a written quote actually contain?

A quote you can hold someone to has separate lines for materials, waterproofing, labour and grouting, and it states quantities rather than just totals. Look for: the tile size and finish being installed, the area in square feet, the adhesive class (C1, C2 or C2TE S1 — the class matters, see our large-format guide), the number of waterproofing coats and the height it goes up the walls, the grout type and colour, whether levelling clips are included, and who removes the debris. A single figure with the word "tiling" next to it hides every decision that determines whether the job lasts. If a tiler cannot produce this, it is usually because they have not measured properly — which is itself the answer.

How long should the work take?

A standard 35–50 sq.ft bathroom, stripped and fully retiled, is a five to eight working day job for one tiler with a helper: a day to demolish and clear, a day for screed and levelling, two days for waterproofing including proper curing time between coats, two to three days to tile, and a day for grouting and silicone. Anyone promising to do all of that in two days is skipping the curing. Waterproofing membranes need time to cure before tiles go over them, and that wait is not padding — tiling onto an uncured membrane is one of the most common causes of failure. Floor-only work in a dry room is faster: 100 sq.ft of standard floor tiling is typically two to three days including preparation.

Who is responsible if tiles crack later?

It depends on why they cracked, which is why the cause matters more than the blame. Tiles that come loose in sheets, sound hollow when tapped, or lift at the edges usually point to poor adhesive coverage or the wrong adhesive class — that is workmanship. Cracks running in a straight line across several tiles usually follow a movement in the slab beneath, which is a building issue rather than a tiling one. Grout that crumbles within months is usually a wrong or badly mixed grout. Agree up front, in writing, that the tiler will return to fix adhesion and grouting defects within at least six months. Photograph the waterproofing membrane and the adhesive coverage on a lifted tile before the job is closed out; without evidence, a later dispute becomes one person's word against another's.

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