Find a tiler for your Melbourne property
In short
Find a tiler who services your Melbourne suburb and can show comparable work. Describe the surface, tile choice and any leaks, then agree who handles removal, preparation and waterproofing. Check registration requirements against the whole job, compare written quotes for the same scope, and resolve owners corporation requirements if you live in an apartment.
Step 1
Explain the surface and the finish you want
Send photos of the whole area, approximate dimensions and close-ups of cracks or dampness. Include the proposed tile product, size and layout if you have chosen them. Ask for a site inspection where the condition beneath existing tiles is uncertain.
Details that help a tiler assess your job
| Tiling job | What to include in your brief |
|---|---|
| Kitchen splashback | Wall condition, tile size, pattern, exposed edges and cuts around power points. Identify who will arrange any electrical work. |
| Bathroom or laundry | Leaks, tile removal, floor levels, drains and waterproofing. Say whether fittings or plumbing will move. |
| Apartment living area | Existing floor covering, proposed tiles, door clearances and owners corporation requirements for noise reduction. |
| Balcony or outdoor steps | Rain exposure, cracks, drainage and wet-weather grip. Ask whether repairs need a waterproofing or building assessment. |
Step 2
Check experience and registration for the whole job
Consumer Affairs Victoria lists wall and floor tiling alone as an exception to the builder registration requirement for work over $10,000. That exception does not settle the requirements for a broader bathroom renovation or separate waterproofing work. Ask the Building and Plumbing Commission, Victoria's building regulator, if you are unsure how your scope is classified.
The regulator describes the limited wall and floor tiling registration class as including surface preparation, basic levelling and internal wet-area waterproofing appropriate to the tiling installation. It also has a separate waterproofing class. Where registration is required, check the practitioner's current status, class and conditions against the work on your quote, including any balcony or remedial waterproofing.
Ask for examples using your tile type, particularly natural stone, mosaics or large tiles, and contact a previous customer where possible. Confirm the business name, who will attend and relevant insurance details.
Step 3
Settle apartment requirements and site access
For a Melbourne apartment, read the owners corporation rules and contact the manager before booking. Victorian owners corporations can have rules restricting floor coverings to reduce noise and requiring prior written approval for certain structural or exterior alterations, including balconies. Ask which approvals, notices and acoustic details your proposed work needs.
For a Southbank apartment, explain loading access, lift bookings, permitted work hours and where tiles can be stored. For an older inner-suburban home, mention narrow access and any uneven floors needing assessment. Include protection of shared areas and removal of rubble in the agreed plan.
Step 4
Compare preparation and waterproofing in writing
Give each tiler the same brief and ask them to confirm measurements and tile quantities before you order. Compare removal, disposal, surface repairs, preparation, waterproofing where relevant, tile supply, laying, trims, grout, sealant and clean-up. Agree the layout, grout colour and prominent cuts. A price per square metre may leave substantial preparation unresolved.
Ask whether the quote is fixed or an estimate, what remains unknown until tiles are lifted and how extra work will be priced and approved. Record who installs the waterproofing and what product information, photos and handover records they will provide.
Consumer Affairs Victoria recommends a written contract for all property work, although tiling-only jobs are exempt from the domestic building contract requirement. If domestic building work involves more than one trade and is worth more than $10,000, a major domestic building contract is required before work starts. Confirm which rules apply to your complete project, then record dates, payment terms, inclusions and changes in writing.
Step 5
Plan when you can use the area and check the finish
Before work starts, ask when you can walk on the floor, use the shower and clean the tiles, based on the products being installed. Arrange another bathroom if your only one will be unavailable.
At handover, inspect the layout, cuts, trims, grout and agreed drainage work together. Record concerns in writing. Keep the accepted quote, approved changes, invoices, tile details, care instructions and agreed waterproofing records. Ask for spare tiles and a contact for any problems that appear later.
Sources and useful links
Sources checked 7 October 2026
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: builders and tradespeople
The single-trade tiling registration exception, credential checks and references.
- Building and Plumbing Commission: domestic building work
Scope of limited tiling and waterproofing registration classes; the former VBA page redirects here.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: owners corporation rules
Floor-covering restrictions for noise and prior-approval rules for certain alterations.
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: building contracts
Written agreements, the tiling-only exception and the major domestic building contract requirement for work involving multiple trades.
