Tile Installation Cost: What to Charge Per Square Foot in 2026
6 min read·Updated June 2026
The short answer
Tile installation labor runs about $7 to $25 per square foot, with most floor work in the $7 to $15 range. A backsplash usually runs $400 to $1,200, and a shower or wet area $1,200 to $4,000, because of the waterproofing involved.
Typical prices
- Floor tile (per sq ft, labor): $7 to $15
- Backsplash: $400 to $1,200
- Shower / wet area: $1,200 to $4,000
What changes the price
- Tile type and size (large format and mosaic are slower).
- Surface prep and waterproofing.
- Layout and pattern complexity (diagonal and herringbone add cuts).
- Demo of old tile.
Price prep, patterns, and waterproofing separately
The waterproofing behind a shower is what prevents the callback, and intricate patterns can double the cuts and the time. Itemize those rather than burying them in a single per-square-foot number. Use the free calculator to set your labor rate.
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