THE SHORT ANSWER
Price a splashback from measured wall area, tile purchasing quantity, edges, penetrations and substrate condition. Keep material selections and installation labour visible so a tile change does not hide the rest of the scope.
Use this fictional 3.3 sq m kitchen splashback in Glasgow to plan the estimate. The agreed work is: Install 3.3 sq m of selected splashback tile on suitable existing walls. Allow 3.7 sq m of tile for purchase, 3.3 sq m for setting, 7.3 metres of edge finishing trim, socket-cut detailing, grout and clean-up. Electrical device work and wall reconstruction are excluded. The matching kitchen splashback installation example and PDF shows the same inputs. These quantities and rates are teaching examples; use your own site measurements, product selections, supplier information and labour figures for a customer job.
1. Measure the splash zones
Record height and length at every wall segment, including behind the range. Note where tile starts and stops at cabinets, windows and open ends; worktop length alone does not establish tile area.
2. Count cuts and exposed edges
Sockets and short returns affect layout work. Identify finishing trim length and penetrations separately so a simple field-tile area does not conceal the detailed portions of the job.
3. Confirm tile and substrate
The 3.7 sq m purchase allowance is an illustrative takeoff for 3.3 sq m installed. Verify the chosen tile, pattern and wall condition before converting it into an order.
4. Define the finish boundary
List grout, sealant, socket-cover handling and clean-up. Any wall repair, worktop change or electrical alteration should be a separate approved item.
Calculate the measured lines
The PDF uses 7 separate items. For example, Tile material allowance is 3.7 sq m × £77.50 = £286.75; Tile setting labour is 3.3 sq m × £163.60 = £539.88. Check that each unit describes the work being priced: area for a surface, metres for a run, and a count or defined lump sum for a discrete task. A material purchase allowance can differ from the installed quantity when product sizes, cuts or layout require it.
Adding the 7 rounded line amounts gives £1,364.95. The example PDF uses a 0% tax input and no markup; those settings do not determine how to price or treat an actual job. Do not copy the rates as a local price guide.
Check the scope before sending
- Measure each wall segment and end point.
- Record tile format and layout direction.
- Count sockets and exposed edges.
- Confirm wall suitability and device responsibilities.
Outside the base scope: No worktop replacement, wall reconstruction, electrical device relocation or specialty tile pattern beyond the described selection.
Confirm the site address, selected products, access, quantities, customer details and validity date. If opening the work reveals a different condition, record the change and update the relevant line before asking the customer to approve the revised work. Preview every page of the PDF so the written scope, line amounts and total tell the same story.
Common questions
Why buy more tile than the installed area?
Cuts and layout can require additional material. State the purchasing quantity as an example assumption and revise it for the selected tile and actual pattern.
Do socket cutouts belong in the splashback estimate?
Yes when they affect tile cutting. Distinguish tile cuts from electrical device work, which may require its own scope.
FROM SITE NOTES TO AN ITEMISED PDF
Make your own kitchen splashback installation estimate.
Enter the scope in Estimates on iPhone or Android, edit each quantity and rate in pounds, add your business and customer details, and review the PDF before sharing it.
