Tiles - B&Q or something a bit more pricey?

feral

I am torn between a tile at B&Q which is cheap at £12 a sq metre, or a tile that I can get through work for £24 a sq metre (which usually sells to the trade at £40 a sq metre). I like both equally, and obviously price plays a part…but I realise that even at £24 a sq metre I am getting a deal on a quality tile.

So my question is, what is the general consensus on B&Q tiles, are they decent quality, hard-wearing? I will be using them in bathroom, walls and floor.

Thanks!

phill99

Something tells me you may not be comparing like for like.

At £12 a metre, these are likely to be ceramic. At £40 ametre, these are likely tobe porcelain.

Porcelain is a much harder and morerobust product than ceramic.

feral

Yes, I just realised after you pointed this out…thank you

The more expensive tile is from a company that generally sells to architects and designers and is widely used in commercial settings. But is that overkill for my bathroom in a 1 bed flat?

I really like both tiles, and could just about afford the more expensive one…but is to justified, are B&Q tiles poor quality and will look crap after a few years?

Cheers

kerri_gt

It also depends on the reason for tiling. Is this for a property you're planning to tart up and sell on, rent out or live in yourself?

feral

i intend to stay living in it (have been for the past 18 years), but might also need to rent it out within the next few years. my bathroom and kitchen desperately need some TLC, and i would like to enjoy their nice new surroundings for a few years at last

flashg67

I've fitted various cheaper end B&Q ceramic tiles over the years, all are still going strong and looking good, the oldest have been down 11 years in my bathroom

jm2926

I have porcelain tiles, they are much harder to drill through. There was a definite extra cost in drill bits (regular tile bits did nothing), also they needed to be sealed etc. They look superb, and I got them in the sale, but there were extra costs in fitting/sealing.

I bought two types of tile from homebase, both indoor/outdoor rated. One was ok to drill, the other seriously hard on drills. Unfortunately the difficult one was on the walls where bathroom fixings had to be attached. They do look amazing though, think luxury hotel bathroom.

southcoastrgi

Natural stone need sealing when fitted & every couple of yrs, plus be prepared for the fitting costs to double