Tile floors for kitchens north and west of Boston
Kitchen tile flooring, planned with the rest of your kitchen
Step 1 of 6
What do you want done in your kitchen?
Pick the closest one.
New tile underfoot in a cape, split-level, Victorian or condo galley. Know what is under the old floor before it comes up, then get a free estimate.
- Free estimates on every kitchen
- Tile floors and backsplashes
- Based in Stoneham
What a new tile kitchen floor involves
A tile kitchen floor is the course everything else stands on. It takes the dropped pan, the wet boots from a February driveway and the chair dragged out a thousand times. We lay new tile floors as part of your kitchen work, on their own or alongside new kitchen cabinets and counters.
Start with what is underneath
In older houses it pays to know what sits under the existing floor before anything comes up. Old 9x9 vinyl tiles and the black mastic beneath them may contain asbestos. Removal needs a licensed abatement contractor, and that work is arranged separately, not done by us.
Houses built before 1978 bring lead-safe rules into paid renovation work once painted surfaces are disturbed. The free estimate is where we talk through the age of your house and what the price should allow for.
Tile kitchen floor or something else?
Published installed prices from area installers, with how each floor handles water and New England weather. A guide, not a quote.
| Compared | Porcelain tile | Ceramic tile | Hardwood | Vinyl plank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installed price per sq ft (published) | $10 to $20+ | $10 to $20+ | $8 to $15 | $5 to $10 |
| Shrugs off spills and wet boots | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Moves with dry winters and humid summers | No | No | Yes | No |
| Hard and cool underfoot | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Grout lines to keep clean | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Prices are published ranges for installed flooring in Greater Boston and leave out removal of old floors, subfloor repairs, asbestos testing or abatement and lead-safe work. We lay tile; the other rows are there so you can compare.
What a kitchen floor price should spell out
Whoever you ask, a tile price should say what it covers. These are the lines to look for.
An estimate is not a fixed quote. Older houses can hide problems under floors and behind walls, so leave room in the budget.
Ask to see these in the price
- Taking up the existing floor
- Checking the subfloor before tile goes down
- Tile, setting materials and grout
- Floor size measured, not guessed
- Where the tile meets cabinets and appliances
- Thresholds into the next room
- Clean-up and removal of debris
Often priced separately or by others
- Asbestos testing of old vinyl tile and mastic
- Abatement by a licensed contractor
- Lead-safe work in pre-1978 houses
- Moving plumbing or electrical
- New appliances
From choosing samples to a finished floor
The kitchen remodel timeline for a floor depends on what else is changing. Here is the order it runs in.
Tell us about your kitchen
Use the form to give your town, the floor size if you know it, and whether cabinets or the layout change too.
Get your free estimate
We price the floor and any other kitchen work you want, at no cost to you, and talk through the age of the house.
Choose tile and grout
You pick the tile, its size, the grout colour and how it meets the rooms next door.
Test the old floor if needed
Old 9x9 vinyl and mastic get tested first. If abatement is needed, a licensed contractor handles it.
We lay the new floor
The floor goes down in the order the remodel needs, set and grouted before heavy traffic returns.
Kitchen layers
Where the floor sits in the kitchen
The floor is the first course. Each layer above it has its own page.
Floor
Tile underfoot, from the back wall to the doorway. You are on this page.
Cabinets
New cabinets usually take 8 to 14 weeks to arrive, so the order sets the calendar for the job.
Read about kitchen cabinet installationIsland
An island needs floor space, clearance and sometimes power or plumbing run through the floor.
Read about kitchen island installationCountertops and backsplash
Counters and kitchen backsplash installation follow the cabinets and tie the room's colours together.
See the full kitchen remodelSink and faucet
The last fixtures in. Sinks on outside walls of older houses can face frozen pipes in winter.
See what a remodel includes
Questions about kitchen tile flooring
Plain answers. Your free estimate covers the details for your house.
What is the best type of tile flooring for a kitchen?
Porcelain and glazed ceramic are the usual choices because spills and wet boots sit on the surface instead of soaking in. Porcelain is the denser of the two. The best one for you depends on how you cook, how much grout you want to clean and how the floor meets the next room, which we talk through at the estimate.
What type of stone flooring is best for a kitchen?
Natural stone can work in a kitchen but needs more care than porcelain, including sealing. If you like the look of stone, a stone-look porcelain gives a similar floor with less upkeep. Bring samples you like to the estimate and we will price them.
How much does a tile kitchen floor cost north of Boston?
Area installers publish installed tile floors at about $10 to $20 or more per square foot. That figure usually leaves out removing the old floor, subfloor repairs, asbestos testing and lead-safe work. Boston-area kitchen costs also run above national averages, so treat national figures with care.
Could my old kitchen floor contain asbestos?
Old 9x9 vinyl tiles and the mastic under them may contain asbestos. Have them tested before anything comes up. If removal is needed, it must be done by a licensed abatement contractor, which is arranged separately from our work.
Does the floor go in before or after new kitchen cabinets?
It depends on the job, the cabinets and the layout, and we plan that sequence with you. Because new cabinets usually take 8 to 14 weeks to arrive, the cabinet order often sets the calendar for the floor and everything else.
Can you tile the floor when we remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room?
Yes. Our full remodels include layout changes, and a 1970s split-level kitchen remodel often means opening that wall. Taking a wall out can be structural work, so the floor plan, the wall and the tile are priced together.
Is the estimate really free?
Yes. Every kitchen estimate is free, whether you want a new floor only or a full kitchen remodel. Send your town and what you want to change through the form.
Towns where we lay kitchen tile floors
We work from Stoneham across 25 towns north and west of Boston.
Not sure if your town is covered? See the full service area or include your town in the form.
Request my free estimate for a tile floor
Tell us your town, roughly how big the kitchen is and what is on the floor now. Photos help. We will come back to you with a free estimate.
- We read your request and the photos you send
- We arrange your free estimate
- You get a price for the floor and any other kitchen work
Step 1 of 6
What do you want done in your kitchen?
Pick the closest one.