Cost guides › New flooring
Australia
Flooring installation cost
Taking up an old tiled floor and laying new porcelain tiles in a 25 m² room typically costs $4,500 including GST, with most jobs between $3,500 and $5,850. Basic ceramic tiles come in around $3,100, and glued-down engineered oak is about $6,700.
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mid-range, typicalCost by region
| Location | Basic | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | $3,300 | $4,750 | $7,050 |
| Western Australia | $3,200 | $4,600 | $6,850 |
| Northern Territory | $3,150 | $4,550 | $6,800 |
| New South Wales | $3,150 | $4,500 | $6,750 |
| Queensland | $3,100 | $4,450 | $6,650 |
| Victoria | $3,050 | $4,450 | $6,650 |
| South Australia | $2,950 | $4,300 | $6,450 |
| Tasmania | $2,850 | $4,150 | $6,250 |
What's included
Mid-range
- Old skirting removed
- Old tiles and their mortar bed broken up down to the slab
- Rubbish carried out and carted away
- New screed up to 5 cm to bring the floor back to level
- Self-levelling compound so 300 x 600 tiles sit flat without lipping
- Porcelain tiles, 300 x 600 or 400 x 400, with 10% extra for cuts
- Tiles laid with a flexible rapid-set adhesive and grouted
- Matching tile skirting cut from the same porcelain
- Brass trim strip at the doorway to the next room
What affects the cost
What's coming up
The estimate assumes old tiles on a thick mortar bed, which is the hardest floor to remove. Lifting carpet or a floating floor is much quicker, so the demolition part of a quote should be far smaller.
Slab condition
Large tiles and timber both need a flat floor. A slab with dips, cracks or moisture problems needs grinding, more levelling compound or a moisture barrier, which adds cost.
Floor type
Ceramic is the cheapest tile, porcelain is harder wearing, and engineered timber adds both material and glue-down labour. Hybrid and vinyl plank floors are not priced here.
Layout and cuts
A straight lay in a rectangular room is quickest. Herringbone or diagonal patterns, lots of doorways and built-in cupboards all add cutting time.
Furniture and doors
Moving furniture, protecting other rooms and trimming doors to clear a higher floor are not included. Ask whether your quote covers them.
How to save
- Empty the room yourself before the tiler arrives.
- Choose a straight lay with standard 300 x 600 tiles rather than a pattern or oversized slabs.
- Do several rooms in one job so setup and levelling are shared.
- If the existing tiles are flat and well bonded, ask whether new tiles can go straight over them.
Grants, tax and rules
GST
Quotes to households include 10% GST, and so do our figures.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to retile a floor?
Replacing an old tiled floor with new porcelain in a 25 m² room costs about $4,500 including GST, covering removal, levelling and skirting. Tiling onto a clean, flat slab with nothing to remove costs less.
Is hybrid flooring cheaper than tiles?
Usually, because hybrid planks click together over an underlay with no adhesive or grout. This estimate prices tiles and engineered timber; hybrid flooring is not included in these figures.
How long does it take to retile a room?
A single room usually takes three to five working days including removal, levelling, laying and grouting. A new screed has to dry before timber goes down, which can add a week or more.
Can you tile over existing tiles?
Sometimes, if the old tiles are flat, solidly stuck and the extra height won't foul doors and cabinetry. Drummy or cracked tiles have to come up first.
Why does removal cost so much?
Breaking out tiles and the bed underneath is heavy, dusty work, and the rubbish has to be carried out and disposed of. In older homes it can take as long as laying the new floor.
How this estimate is calculated
Work hours: 37.8 · Labour: $2,382 · Materials: $1,697
Sources: ABS Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia; Regione Toscana, Prezzario dei Lavori 2026 (CC BY 4.0); ECB exchange rates.