How Much Does Bathroom Tile Repair Cost?
3 tile installers!
Is paying to replace and regrout bathroom tile worth it?
A broken bathroom tile allows moisture to seep below the surface and cause real damage. Homeowners should always fix a broken tile, but experts say it may require more than yanking out one to set another in its place.
Floor, shower and wall tile repair
Replacing a single cracked or chipped tile is like surgery, says Michael Yazbeck, project manager for Elite Tile Systems in Raleigh, North Carolina. Technicians must dig out grout around the broken bathroom tiles and pry them up without damaging adjacent tiles, he says. Then they must repair the backer beneath and any waterproof membrane before setting the new tile and regrouting.
Finding matching tiles is key, says Jeremy Waldorf of Legacy Floors in Howell, Michigan. If the homeowner doesn’t have spare tiles, it will be difficult to find a match that’s the same size and thickness, especially with older, likely discontinued tiles.
Sometimes, installers can remove a portion of the floor or shower and use a different type of tile as an accent, Yazbeck says. But homeowners can avoid the trouble entirely by setting aside extras during the initial tile installation.
The challenge of regrouting tile
Matching grout also poses problems since colors fade and mixtures at the hardware store might be off, Waldorf says.
“I never use the word ‘match’ because it’s misleading,” he says. “Even if you find a sample that’s close, the actual batch may be slightly different.”
However, the tile company could color seal the grout, staining the repair to match, says Justin Miskawitz, owner of Prestige Grout, Tile & Stone in La Grange Park, Illinois. “We can always color seal the entire floor or shower so that all the grout matches if there are a lot of replacements,” he says.
The cost to replace and regrout tile
Matching grout during bathroom tile repairs can prove difficult. (Photo by Robert Mang)
As with any home repair, the price varies depending on the tile, the bathroom size, the type of waterproof membrane and other factors, Yazbeck says.
Many tile companies charge an hourly rate plus materials with a minimum cost per job. “You might pay anywhere from a $150 minimum to a $400 per day rate, plus materials,” Waldorf says. “My personal hourly rate is $55 plus materials, with a minimum of $150.”
Miskawitz agrees $150 is average to replace one bathroom tile, adding a $250 to $350 minimum will probably exist to replace more than one.
If you want to regrout the entire bathroom, expect to pay more. Angie’s List members nationally report an average price of $411 to regrout an area of ceramic tile.
Bathroom tile repair vs. replacement
A simple bathroom tile repair might be the wrong choice. Broken tiles look unappealing, but the damage beneath is probably worse. “Think of a tile problem like the side view of an iceberg,” Waldorf says. “What you see on top is usually about 10 percent of what you’ll find underneath.”
Surface issues usually indicate improper tile installation. Seeping water has likely damaged the subfloor or framing and could be feeding mold. This happens most often with busted shower tiles, Miskawitz says, requiring the installer to replace the entire area.
Determining the problem's extent may prove impossible before cutting in, making some installers wary of such jobs, Waldorf says. “Some tile setters will repair individual tiles with no warranty, but many won't bother,” he says. “A full replacement is the right choice, especially in a shower.”
It’s always important to hire a knowledgeable professional, preferably one with certifications from tile organizations. Bathroom tile experts will tell you if the problem requires more than a patch — or, better yet, do it right the first time.
Are you deciding between repairing a damaged bathroom tile or replacing the entire area? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Editor's note: This is an updated version of an article originally published on March 25, 2016.
