Bathroom Tile Cost in Swampscott MA: Real 2026 Prices for 9 Project Types
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Bathroom tile cost in Swampscott MA runs from $700 for a basic re-grout to $11,500 or more for a combined shower and floor project. These prices cover labor and setting materials only. Tile is not included — you buy your own. Swampscott's older colonial and coastal homes often need more substrate prep than newer construction. That keeps local rates at the higher end of the North Shore range. All prices on this page reflect current 2026 labor and material costs.
Key Takeaways
- Re-grout and re-caulk: $700–$1,800 depending on shower size and grout condition
- Bathroom floor (30–45 sq ft): $2,000–$2,300 with demo and uncoupling membrane included
- Full shower tear-out and rebuild: $5,000–$7,000+ for a standard shower; benches and stone sills push it higher
- Floor plus shower in one job: $7,500–$11,500; a heated floor drives the top end
- Tile is not included: Our price covers labor, waterproofing, thin-set, and grout — you buy the tile
- Timeline: Most Swampscott bathrooms take 2–5 working days from demo to final grout cleanup
Planning a shower or floor tile project in Swampscott? Send us photos of your bathroom for a free, detailed estimate — we price most projects from photos before scheduling a site visit. You get a scope-by-scope quote, so you can tile the shower now and the floor later if the budget calls for it.
How Much Does Bathroom Tile Installation Cost in Swampscott, MA?
Here are our real project ranges from recent Greater Boston work, as of 2026 pricing. Every number includes a two-person crew and all setting materials — thin-set, grout, waterproofing, and uncoupling membrane. Rip-out is included where listed. Tile is not in these prices.
Project Scope | Price Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Re-grout and re-caulk an existing shower | $700–$1,800 | Depends on size; heavy grout removal raises the price |
Repair a few cracked tiles | $700–$900 | Only when matching tile is available |
Bathroom floor, 30–45 sq ft, old floor removed | $2,000–$2,300 | Schluter Strata Mat included; customer-supplied tile |
Kitchen backsplash, 17–35 sq ft | $1,100–$2,500 | Includes removing the old backsplash |
Tile-only shower on walls and pan the homeowner prepped | $3,300–$3,800 | You or your GC completed the waterproofing |
Tub surround tear-out and retile, ~60–80 sq ft | $4,300–$5,000 | Add ~$400 for a recessed niche |
Replace leaking shower floor with Kerdi tray + curb (walls stay) | $4,100–$4,500 | Schluter Kerdi drain connection included; walls untouched |
Full shower tear-out and rebuild | $5,000–$7,000+ | Benches, stone sills, and larger showers push it higher |
Bathroom floor plus shower, one job | $7,500–$11,500 | Heated floor option drives the top end |
Rip-out jobs carry a $450 flat disposal fee for hauling away old tile. That covers a standard bathroom — not scaled by square footage.
As your tile contractor in Swampscott, we write each estimate by area. You can tile the shower this fall and the floor next spring — and pay only for what you're ready to do now.
What Affects the Price of Tile Work on the North Shore?
Several factors move the final number on a North Shore tile job. Swampscott's older housing stock plays a direct role in many of them.
Substrate and Prep Conditions
Older Swampscott colonials often have out-of-plumb walls and unlevel subfloors. We correct those before setting a single tile. That prep adds labor and sometimes materials. These can include Schluter Kerdi-Board strips, self-leveling compound, or extra cement backer board. The work is invisible in the finished project, but it shows up in the cost.
Tile Size and Pattern Complexity
A straight-stacked 4×12 subway tile sets fast. A 24×48 large-format porcelain needs back-buttering, precision leveling clips, and longer layout time. Herringbone, diagonal, and pinwheel patterns add cuts and wet-saw time. Expect 10–15% waste overage for straight patterns and up to 20% for diagonal layouts.
Extras That Add Line Items
- Recessed niche: ~$400 per niche (framing, backer board, waterproofing, and tile)
- Bench seat: Priced case-by-case based on size and substrate
- Anatolia Marmiline stone sill: ~$120 per piece at the threshold
- Heated floor cable: Schluter Ditra-Heat cable sized to the open floor area; replaces Strata Mat
- Scope combos: Doing a floor and shower together saves money compared to two separate visits
For a full breakdown of what drives bathroom tile costs across Greater Boston, see our bathroom tile cost guide for Boston.
How Much Does It Cost to Tile a Shower vs. a Bathroom Floor?
Showers cost more than floors. They require waterproofing, vertical surface work, and precise cuts around plumbing. Here is a direct comparison at typical Swampscott bathroom sizes, based on current 2026 Greater Boston rates.
Scope | Typical Size | Price Range | What Drives the Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
Bathroom floor only | 30–45 sq ft | $2,000–$2,300 | Old floor removal, Schluter Strata Mat, Mapei 254 Platinum thinset, Laticrete Permacolor grout |
Kitchen backsplash | 17–35 sq ft | $1,100–$2,500 | Demo, layout, cuts around outlets, grout |
Tub surround retile | 60–80 sq ft | $4,300–$5,000 | Demo, RedGard waterproofing on walls, back-buttered tile, caulk joints |
Shower floor replacement (walls stay) | Standard shower pan | $4,100–$4,500 | Schluter Kerdi tray, Kerdi drain connection, new curb |
Full shower tear-out and rebuild | Standard to large | $5,000–$7,000+ | Demo, Kerdi tray, RedGard walls, Kerdi-Band corners, drain connection, grout |
Floor and shower together | Full bathroom | $7,500–$11,500 | Both scopes in one visit; Schluter Ditra-Heat cable adds to the top end |
Our complete bathroom tile installation guide walks through every step — from substrate prep to final grouting.
Which Tile Materials Give You the Best Value in a Swampscott Home?
The tile you choose is the biggest cost variable you control. Swampscott's coastal humidity and salt air make material selection more than a style decision. Low water-absorption tile performs best near the ocean. According to TCNA (Tile Council of North America) standards, impervious and vitreous tiles are the right choices for wet areas.
Tile Type / Brand Example | Absorption Rate | Best Use | North Shore Suitability |
|---|---|---|---|
Rectified porcelain (Daltile Perpetuo, MSI Arterra) | <0.5% (impervious) | Shower walls, floors, tub surrounds | Excellent — resists humidity and salt air; no sealing needed |
Glazed ceramic (Daltile Rittenhouse Square, American Olean Subway) | 3–7% (semi-vitreous) | Tub surrounds, backsplashes, dry bathroom floors | Good for interior; not ideal for steam showers |
Natural marble (Anatolia Marmiline Calacatta) | 0.4–0.8% (vitreous) | Accent walls, stone sills, floor details | Good when sealed; annual resealing recommended near coastal air |
Glass mosaic (Daltile Illuminate, Hirsch Glass Color) | 0% (non-porous) | Shower niches, accent strips, backsplashes | Excellent — no sealing needed; more grout joints add labor time |
Penny round porcelain (MSI Piece by Piece, Daltile Keystones) | <0.5% (impervious) | Shower pan floors — slip-resistant texture | Excellent — grout joints add grip; popular on the North Shore |
In our 15+ years installing tile across Greater Boston, rectified porcelain is the top choice for Swampscott bathrooms. It looks like stone and never needs sealing. It handles coastal humidity for decades without issue.
Natural marble is beautiful but needs more upkeep. Annual sealing matters more near salt air. Glass mosaic and penny round formats come on mesh sheets, but grout joints multiply fast. Expect those materials to land at the higher end of the labor range.
What Does Waterproofing Add to the Cost of a Tile Shower?
Waterproofing is built into every shower quote — it is not an add-on. Across 500+ completed projects on the North Shore, we have rebuilt dozens of showers that failed because waterproofing was skipped or done incorrectly.
What Is RedGard?
RedGard is a roller-applied liquid waterproofing membrane. We apply it to shower walls before any tile goes up. It dries pink and turns solid red when fully cured. That color change confirms full coverage. RedGard requires 24–48 hours to cure before tile can go on the walls.
What Is the Schluter Kerdi System?
The Schluter Kerdi system is a sheet-applied waterproofing membrane for shower floors. We install a Schluter Kerdi tray as a prefabricated shower base. We pair it with a Kerdi drain and make the drain connection ourselves. Only moving the drain or valve requires a licensed plumber. Kerdi-Band tape seals corner joints where the tray meets the wall.
Waterproofing System | Where We Use It | Included In |
|---|---|---|
RedGard liquid membrane | Shower walls, tub surround walls | Full shower rebuild; tub surround retile |
Schluter Kerdi-Band tape | Corner joints where Kerdi tray meets the wall | All Kerdi tray shower projects |
Schluter Kerdi tray + Kerdi drain | Shower floor (prefabricated base) | New shower builds; leaking shower floor replacement |
Schluter Strata Mat uncoupling membrane | Bathroom floor over wood subfloor | All bathroom floor projects; replaced by Ditra-Heat for heated floors |
All waterproofing materials are priced into the ranges above. There is no separate line item for waterproofing.
How Long Does a Tile Installation Take From Demo to Done?
Most Swampscott tile projects take 2 to 5 working days with a two-person crew. Cure times cannot be rushed — they add days to every shower job. We schedule around those windows to keep the total timeline short.
Project Scope | Typical Duration | What Takes the Most Time |
|---|---|---|
Re-grout and re-caulk | 1 day | Old grout removal with oscillating tool; cleaning and final caulk |
Bathroom floor, 30–45 sq ft | 1.5–2 days | Old floor removal, leveling, membrane, tile set, grout |
Kitchen backsplash, 17–35 sq ft | 1–1.5 days | Demo, layout, cuts around outlets and switches |
Tub surround tear-out and retile | 3–4 days | Demo, backer board, RedGard cure time (24–48 hrs), tile set, grout |
Full shower tear-out and rebuild | 3–5 days | Full demo, Kerdi tray, waterproofing cure, tile set, grout |
Bathroom floor + shower combined | 4–6 days | Both scopes; Ditra-Heat cable adds setup time |
According to Laticrete's installation guidelines, Laticrete Permacolor grout needs 24–72 hours before the shower can be used. Caulk joints at corners need similar time. We build those windows into the schedule upfront. No surprises on completion day.
Is It Worth Hiring a Local Swampscott Tile Installer vs. a General Contractor?
A dedicated tile contractor focuses on one trade. A general contractor manages many trades and marks up each one. For tile-only work, hiring a local specialist typically delivers better results at a lower total cost.
- No subcontractor markup: GCs typically add 15–25% on top of the tile sub's price. Hiring direct removes that layer.
- Direct communication: You speak with the installer setting your tile, not a project manager. Questions get answered on-site.
- Focused trade: A tile-only crew arrives with the right tools every day — wet saw, tile cutter, rubber float, spacers, and levels. No task switching.
- Liability insurance: We carry coverage and can provide a certificate of insurance to a condo association or GC on request.
- When a GC makes sense: Moving plumbing, adding electrical, or replacing a vanity? A GC coordinates those trades more efficiently.
Swampscott sits near Marblehead, Lynn, and Nahant — areas we serve regularly. When you compare estimates, check that each one lists the same scope: demo, waterproofing, setting materials, and grout. An estimate that skips waterproofing looks cheaper but is not a fair comparison.
Aguirre Modern Tile has completed over 500 tile projects across Greater Boston, including homes throughout the North Shore. We quote most jobs from photos first. Send us images and we write a scope-by-scope estimate before confirming measurements on-site.
Ready to get an accurate bathroom tile cost for your Swampscott home? Send us photos of your shower, floor, or tub surround — we'll put together a detailed estimate with real line items and no vague ranges.
Frequently Asked Questions
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