How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Tile Floor?

Average Cost of Removing Tile Floors

Cost to Remove Tile Floor per Square Foot

The typical cost of removing tile floors is $2.50 to $5.50 per square foot. Tile floor removal costs can go as high as $7 per square foot when opting for a dust-free process, cleanup, and disposal. Alternatively, you can DIY your floor removal for as little as $1 per square foot.

When considering a tile flooring professional near you, the contractor will likely offer you a quote regarding square footage. The table below breaks down the cost to demo tile floors by common room sizes, including kitchens and bathrooms:

Keep in mind that for smaller bathrooms, floor repair contractors may charge on the higher end of the spectrum to make the project worth their while. You may be able to reduce per-square-foot prices if the tile removal is a part of a larger floor installation project or kitchen or bathroom remodel:

• Installing new floors cost: $1,530–$4,700

• Bathroom remodel cost: $6,630–$16,650

• Kitchen remodel cost: $13,380–$38,430

Labor Cost to Remove Tile Floors

Labor is the most significant cost factor when hiring a pro to remove your tile floor, ranging from $2.50 to $5.50 per square foot. Prices can go as high as $7 per square foot, especially when paying for dustless tile removal. If you're remodeling your entire kitchen or bathroom, contractors may wrap the cost to remove tiles in their total interior demo costs.

Pros typically include using their tools and supplies in the project fee. Below, we list some common methods and the tools needed to remove tile floors.

Manual Removal

While using hand tools may cost as little as $1 per square foot, it's slow, tedious work. It may take eight to 12 hours to remove 100 square feet of tile, which doesn't include cleanup and disposal.

Professionals will only use essential tools—like a hammer, chisel, and pry bar—for small projects, like bathroom floors, bathroom walls, tile showers, and tile backsplashes. As a DIY-er, this may be your only method if you don't want to buy or rent tools you don't already have around the house. 

You'll still need basic supplies like work gloves, dust masks, protective eye shields, plastic sheeting, drop cloths, and heavy-duty trash bags.

Tile Removal via Power Tools

Expect to pay around $2.50 to $5.50 per square foot when hiring a contractor. Most tile contractors in your area will use power tools for moderate to large tile removal projects. Tools include the following:

• Demo hammer

• Powered cutting tool

• Angle grinder

• Heavy-duty vacuum

• Shop vac

If you don’t already have these tools, renting or purchasing them may make DIY-ing just as expensive as hiring a professional—and it’ll still take you longer to complete the project. 

Large Machinery Removal

Some contractors have access to heavy-duty machinery, like dustless tile removal technology. These machines can cost more than $10,000 and aren’t typically available for rent, and costs may be as high as $7 per square foot.

With such a machine, a contractor can do in an hour what might take eight to 12 hours with hand tools, and you won’t have to worry about dangerous dust entering your ducts. 

Tile Floor Removal Cost Factors

Several factors can impact the total cost to remove tiles, including the type of pro you hire and the type of tile you need removed. In addition, whether you need to hire a cleaning crew or experts to install new tile floors can add to your overall project cost.

Dustless Tile Removal Cost

Some contractors offer dustless tile removal. To provide this service, they utilize a heavy-duty vacuum system and their tools to clean up dust. This process takes more time and the equipment is expensive, so expect to pay a premium for this service, around $7 per square foot. For a 150-square-foot room, dustless tile removal cost could reach $1,050.

Pro Type

DIY-ing tile removal can save you a lot of money, but it's time-consuming and requires specific tools. If you don't have those tools already, you'll need to buy or rent them. DIY-ing can also be dangerous if you aren't used to power tools or don't know how to prevent the spread of dust into your home.

You can save money on professional labor by hiring a local handyperson at roughly $2 to $3 per square foot, but they may not have some of the more expensive, specific tools required. 

A proper tile flooring contractor is the most expensive option, anywhere from $2.50 to $7 per square foot. At this rate, you can expect quick but accurate work with your safety in mind.

Type of Tile

The type of tile you're removing can also affect the overall cost. The cost to remove ceramic tile and porcelain tile floors is similar, though removing ceramic tile may be a little more affordable. You'll pay twice as much for stone and slate tile removal.

Other Services

If a contractor doesn’t include cleanup in their rate, you may need to hire a cleaning service. Thorough cleaning is important to prevent dust from entering your family’s lungs. Deep cleaning costs approximately $200 to $400. If you opt for dustless tile removal, you won’t need to worry about deep cleaning after the tile removal. 

Many contractors also include tile disposal in their costs or offer it for an additional fee. On average, junk removal costs between $130 and $380 after a tile removal project.

Some contractors may give you one flat rate if you remove old tiles and install new ones. That said, it's good to be aware of how much tiling costs for different projects:

• Tiling a shower or bathroom cost: $450–$1,000 per bathroom

• Kitchen backsplash installation: $600–$1,330 per backsplash

• Ceramic or porcelain tile flooring cost: $1–$10 per sq. ft.

• Slate flooring installation: $10–$16 per sq. ft.

• Natural stone tile flooring: $4–$32 per sq. ft.

DIY vs. Hiring a Tile Flooring Contractor

DIY tile removal is a great way to keep the project budget low, but you’ll need to purchase or rent specific tools and understand all the safety precautions you must take to ensure dust doesn’t spread through your home. Tile removal using manual tools—or even power tools if you’re a beginner—can be a slow project. It may take you multiple days.

Hiring a local flooring company ensures efficient, safe, and correct tile removal—and professionals may also be able to help you with your new floor installation. To lower costs, you can also speak with a handyperson to see if they can tackle this job.