How to Invoice Tiling Labour and Materials: Floor, Wall, Supply and Install

Tiling invoices that bundle labour and materials into a single line get queried. Clients cannot see what they paid for tile supply vs labour, and builders cannot reconcile the invoice against their own records. The correct approach is to list each component as a separate line item — labour by the m², tiles by the m² or piece, adhesive by the bag, grout by the kilo, waterproofing by the m².

This guide shows how to structure tiling invoices for floor, wall, supply-and-install, and labour-only jobs.

Labour line items for tiling invoices

Price labour by the square metre for each surface type separately:

Labour — floor tiles, ceramic 300×300, 22m² @ $38/m² = $836.00

Labour — wall tiles, subway 100×300, 15m² @ $48/m² = $720.00

Labour — splashback, feature tile, 3m² @ $65/m² = $195.00

This format shows the client exactly what rate applies to each area and prevents disputes when the invoice total seems higher than expected.

How to invoice tile supply

When you supply the tiles, list them separately from labour:

Tile supply — Pazzu Ivory 600×600 floor tile, 24m² + 10% waste = 26.4m² @ $48/m² = $1,267.20

Tile supply — Subway White 100×200 wall tile, 16m² + 10% waste = 17.6m² @ $32/m² = $563.20

Including the waste factor in the quantity protects you if clients later question why you ordered more than the net area.

How to invoice adhesive, grout, and waterproofing

Do not absorb these into a materials line. List them separately:

Adhesive — Ardex X77, 3 bags @ $42 per bag = $126.00

Grout — Mapei Ultracolor Plus, 2kg, Fog, 2 tubs @ $28 = $56.00

Waterproofing — Ardex WPM 155, 12m² wet area = $185.00

This level of detail protects your margin and makes it easy to see where material costs were higher than expected — useful information for quoting similar jobs in future.

Supply and install pricing

When you supply and install tiles, combine the rate into a single line:

Supply and install — Travertine 600×600 floor tile, 18m² @ $85/m² (supply + install) = $1,530.00

Supply and install — Subway 100×300 wall tile, 12m² @ $75/m² (supply + install) = $900.00

This simplifies the invoice for clients who are not interested in the materials breakdown, while still showing the scope clearly.

Labour-only invoicing when the client supplies tiles

When the client has purchased their own tiles:

Labour only — floor tile installation, 20m² @ $38/m² = $760.00

Labour only — wall tile installation, 15m² @ $50/m² = $750.00

Adhesive supplied by contractor — 3 bags @ $42 = $126.00

Note "tiles supplied by client" in the job description line. This protects you from liability if there is a tile defect or quantity shortfall — that is the client's responsibility.

How to invoice for tile removal

When stripping old tiles before the new installation:

Strip and dispose — floor tiles, 20m² @ $18/m² = $360.00

Tip disposal fee — tile waste, estimated 150kg = $85.00

Always add strip-and-dispose as a separate line. Clients often forget they approved it when they see a high invoice total, and having it itemised prevents disputes.

Avoiding margin leakage on tiling invoices

Common ways tilers lose margin on invoices:

• Adhesive absorbed into labour: 3 bags of adhesive is $120+ at trade. It should always appear as a line item.
• Under-quoting waterproofing: Waterproofing is a full wet-area job, not a small add-on. Price it as a percentage of the wall area, not as a flat add-on.
• Not charging for tile trim: Schluter strip, edge trim, and scotia adds up. Add it to your catalog.
• Labour rate applies to the wrong surface: Using your floor rate for wall work cuts your effective hourly rate significantly.

SMASH for tilers stores your rates by surface type and your materials catalog. A voice description applies the right rate and materials pricing automatically — no mental switching between rate cards in the middle of a long day.

Frequently asked questions

Should I charge different rates for floor and wall tiling? Yes. Wall tiling is more complex and physically demanding than floor work. A typical difference is $8–15/m² higher for walls. Always invoice them as separate line items.

How do I invoice for a bathroom renovation with multiple surface types? Create a separate line item for each surface: shower wall, shower floor, bathroom floor, bath surround. Each has its own m² area and rate. Then add materials underneath as separate lines.

Can I include a margin on tiles I supply? Yes. Most tilers add 10–20% to trade tile prices. Do not disclose your cost price — show the sell price on the invoice and describe the tile clearly.

What if the job requires more tiles than quoted? Invoice for the actual tiles used. If you identified the risk of extra tiles in the quote, reference that in the invoice description. If it was unforeseen, explain the reason in the notes field.

How do I handle tile defects when I supplied the tiles? If defective tiles cause re-work, you need to invoice the client for additional labour at your standard rate. The tile supplier is responsible for the tile cost, not the labour to re-lay them.