Tile labour calculator
Set and grout tile over prepared substrate, floors or walls.
Tile
Set and grout tile over prepared substrate, floors or walls.
Default 18 sq ft an hour, or $6.50 a foot. Mosaic and diagonal work halves production. Price excludes sales tax.
$2,014
$6.29 / sq ftPrice excludes sales tax.
How this calculator prices a job
Set and grout over a prepared substrate. Layout and tile size swing the rate more than any other trade on this list.
The formula
hours = quantity ÷ production rate base = hours × labour rate (or quantity × per-unit rate) burden = base × burden % cost = base + burden price = cost ÷ (1 − margin)
Assumptions and defaults
| Production | 18 sq ft/hr |
| Per-unit rate | $6.50 per sq ft |
| Labour rate | $65/hr default |
| Payroll burden | 22% of base labour |
| Crew | 3 people, eight-hour days |
| Target margin | 30% |
Pro tips
Mosaic and diagonal work halves production. So does anything that needs a wet saw for every piece.
Substrate prep is its own job. Large format punishes a floor that is not flat, and fixing that is hours you must price.
Burden is not optional. Payroll taxes, workers' comp, liability and paid time run 20 to 35 per cent on top of the wage you quote — a crew at $65 an hour costs you nearer $80 before a single overhead dollar.
Margin divides, it does not multiply. A 30 per cent margin on $1,000 of cost is $1,429, not $1,300 — the second number is a 30 per cent markup and only a 23 per cent margin.
Common questions
What is a fair tile setting rate?
About $6.50 a square foot for straightforward floor or wall tile. Mosaic, herringbone and large format all justify more.
Why does tile size change the labour?
Bigger tiles cover faster but demand a flatter substrate; small and mosaic tiles multiply the number of pieces you handle. Both ends of the range are slower than a plain 12 × 24.
How do I price labour to hit a target margin?
Divide, never multiply: price = cost ÷ (1 − margin). An all-in labour cost of $2,000 at a 30 per cent margin is $2,857. Multiplying by 1.30 gives $2,600, which is only a 23 per cent margin.
What is payroll burden?
Everything you pay on top of the wage: payroll taxes, workers' comp, liability insurance, holiday and any benefits. Twenty-two per cent is a reasonable starting point for a small crew — check yours against last year's numbers and change the field.
Does this include materials?
No. This tool prices labour only, so the number stays honest when material prices move. Work the quantities out in the material calculator and add them as their own line.