Wall levelling after tile removal

Once old tiles are knocked off a kitchen or bathroom wall, it looks like it has been hit with a sledgehammer: lumps of adhesive, torn plaster, deep holes and leftover grout. Neither paint nor new tiles will go on that. Levelling walls after tile removal means clearing the old adhesive, filling the holes and bringing the wall back to a flat plane.

The price is per square metre. Tile removal and taking away rubble are separate items.

How levelling works

• grinding or chipping off lumps of old adhesive;
• checking the plaster underneath is still sound;
• a deep-penetrating primer;
• filling holes with mortar or plaster;
• ruling the wall flat for paint or new tiles.

For paint or for tiles

For new tiles the wall must be flat and sound but not smooth; the adhesive takes up small differences. For paint it also needs a skim coat and sanding. In a shower area, waterproofing goes on before tiling. Say in the request what will go on the wall afterwards.

What to prepare

The tiles already off and rubble cleared, or a note that removal is part of the job. Appliances disconnected and wires at sockets protected. Give the area and photos of the wall after removal.

Common questions