Tiler
Also advertised as: Bathroom Tiler, Ceramic Tiler, Self-employed Tiler, Tiler, Tiling Contractor, Wall and Floor Tiler
Fits ceramic, porcelain and stone tiles to walls and floors.
What the job involves
Tilers prepare surfaces and set tiles accurately to walls and floors, working out layouts in advance so cuts and joints look even. You mix adhesive and grout, cut tiles to fit around fixtures, and check that finished surfaces are level and watertight. Bathrooms and kitchens make up much of the work, alongside larger commercial floor tiling contracts.
Typical responsibilities
- Prepare surfaces and set out tiling layouts
- Cut tiles to fit around fixtures and edges
- Fix tiles using appropriate adhesives
- Apply grout and sealant for a finished, watertight surface
- Advise customers on tile selection and layout
Common employers
- Construction contractors
- Bathroom and kitchen fitting companies
- Self-employment
- House building companies
- Commercial fit-out contractors
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£21,000 – £26,000 a year
With experience
£28,000 – £38,000 a year
Typical hours
Standard daytime hours, flexible for self-employed work
Working environment
Domestic and commercial premises
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
steady
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Tile setting and cutting
- Surface preparation
- Layout planning
- Adhesive and grout application
- Customer communication
Transferable skills you may already have
- Attention to detail and symmetry
- Manual dexterity
- Working directly with customers
Requirements employers ask for
- Tile setting and cutting
- Surface preparation
- Layout planning
- Adhesive and grout application
- Customer communication
- Level 2 apprenticeship in wall and floor tiling, or equivalent experience
- CSCS card for site-based work
Useful but not essential
- Attention to detail and symmetry
- Manual dexterity
- Working directly with customers
- Level 3 qualification for large-format and specialist tiling
Helpful qualifications
- Level 3 qualification for large-format and specialist tiling
Licences and checks
- CSCS card for site-based work
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Wall and Floor Tiler (Level 2)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Design and technology
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Tiler
next
Self-employed Contractor
next
Bathroom Fitting Team Leader
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Strong self-employment earning potential
- Steady demand from bathroom and kitchen renovations
- Accessible entry without a degree
What people find hard
- Kneeling and bending for extended periods
- Mistakes on cuts can waste expensive materials
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a tiler?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a tiler earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £21,000 to £26,000 a year, rising towards £38,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Attention to detail and symmetry, Manual dexterity, Working directly with customers.
Related careers
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Heating and Ventilation Engineer
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Roofer
Fits and repairs roofs using tiles, slates, felt or flat roofing systems.
Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 16 September 2026.
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