Finding the best tile installers in Whangarei usually comes down to who handles the waterproofing as well as the tiling, because in a bathroom or on an outdoor deck it is the membrane underneath that decides how long the finish lasts. Between them the city’s tilers cover bathrooms and en suites, kitchen splashbacks, swimming pool surrounds, large format slabs, floating decks and undertile heating, for homes, retail fit outs and commercial buildings across Northland. Tiling 4U works out of Parahaki with more than 40 years of trade experience behind it, while Elite Tiler NZ runs from George Point Road in Onerahi.
1Tiling 4U
Tiling 4U is a family operated tiling business based in Whangarei, working on residential, commercial and industrial properties throughout Northland. Managing Director Keith Wright has been tiling for more than 40 years, and the team includes tilers who qualified through BCITO. The company carries out its own certified waterproofing rather than passing that part to a subcontractor, which suits a full bathroom or wet area job where the membrane and the finish need to be one contractor’s responsibility.
Services
- Bathroom, en suite and wet area tiling
- Floor and wall tiling for renovations and new builds
- Kitchen splashbacks, including contrasting and colour grouting
- Exterior and outdoor tiling, including swimming pool surrounds
- Certified waterproofing for showers, balconies, terraces and ponds
Highlights
- Family operated, based at Parahaki in Whangarei
- Managing Director Keith Wright has over 40 years in the trade
- Tilers qualified through BCITO
- Waterproofing is certified and registered, and is never subcontracted out
- Works with granite, marble, basalt, limestone, travertine, terrazzo and mosaic as well as ceramic and porcelain
Location & Contact
Name: Tiling 4U Limited
Address: Parahaki, Whangarei 0112
Phone: 021 404 344
Website: tiling4u.nz
2Elite Tiler NZ
Elite Tiler NZ Limited works from George Point Road in Onerahi and covers industrial, commercial and residential tiling and waterproofing. Its service list is unusually specific, with separate lines for large format tile installation and floating deck tiling alongside the standard interior and exterior work. That makes it a sensible first call where oversized formats or an outdoor deck surface are part of the brief.
Services
- Interior and exterior tile installation
- Bathroom tiling, plus kitchen and laundry splashbacks
- Large format tile installation
- Floating deck tiling
- Bathroom, interior and exterior waterproofing
Highlights
- Operates from a base at George Point Road, Onerahi
- Runs large format tiling as its own service line rather than treating it as standard work
- Floating deck tiling for outdoor decks and balcony surfaces
- Takes on industrial and commercial projects as well as homes
- Open Saturdays from 10am to 4pm on top of weekday hours
Location & Contact
Name: Elite Tiler NZ Limited
Address: George Point Road, Onerahi, Whangarei 0110
Phone: 022 037 5020
Website: elitetilernz.com
3Maximus Tiling
Maximus Tiling is a father and son operation, Max and Tino, based in Whangarei and working across the Northland region with more than 20 years of experience behind them. They are certified and approved waterproofing applicators, so the membrane and the tiling come from the same pair of hands. Their project gallery runs from bathrooms, showers and laundries through to fireplaces, pantries and outside stairs, which gives a fair sense of the range they take on.
Services
- Residential floor, wall and splashback tiling
- Commercial tiling for offices, retail and other business premises
- Outdoor tiling for patios, pool decks, driveways and outdoor kitchens
- Waterproofing ahead of tiling
- Underfloor heating installation
Highlights
- Over 20 years of tiling experience
- Father and son team, Max and Tino, on the tools
- Certified and approved waterproofing applicators
- Open 8am to 6pm, five days a week
Location & Contact
Name: Maximus Tiling
Address: Whangarei
Phone: 021 081 46563
Website: maximustiling.com
4Northland Tile Masters
Northland Tile Masters is a locally owned tiling business based in Whangarei, with a stated speciality in large commercial projects across the Northland region. Alongside floor and wall tiling it handles shower screeding and waterproofing, so the wet area substrate and the finished surface stay with one contractor. Residential work is covered as well, from patio tiling through to tile backsplashes.
Services
- Floor and wall tiling for homes and businesses
- Shower screeding
- Waterproofing
- Underfloor heating
- Patio tiling and tile backsplashes
Highlights
- Speciality in large commercial tiling projects across the Northland region
- Shower screeding carried out alongside the tiling and waterproofing, so wet area preparation and finish come from one contractor
- Saturday appointments available by arrangement
Location & Contact
Name: Northland Tile Masters
Address: Whangarei
Phone: 021 268 3140
Website: nhtilemasters.co.nz
5JM Tilers
JM Tilers works from premises at 19 Dundas Road in Whangarei’s Riverside District, covering Northland and Auckland. The business states more than 10 years of tiling in Northland and keeps its offer deliberately narrow: tile installation, waterproofing, underfloor heating and commercial tiling. Saturday availability suits owners who cannot have a trade in the house midweek.
Services
- Wall and floor tile installation for homes and businesses
- Waterproofing for bathrooms, walls and floors
- Underfloor heating installation
- Commercial tiling
Highlights
- Works from premises at 19 Dundas Road in the Riverside District
- More than 10 years of tiling in Northland
- Covers Auckland as well as Northland, which suits owners with property in both
- Open Monday to Saturday
Location & Contact
Name: JM Tilers
Address: 19 Dundas Road, Riverside District, Whangarei 0110
Phone: 021 0232 1006
Website: jmtilers.co.nz
Tile Installers in Whangarei at a Glance
| Business | Based in | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Tiling 4U | Whangarei | Family operated, based at Parahaki in Whangarei |
| Elite Tiler NZ | Onerahi | Operates from a base at George Point Road, Onerahi |
| Maximus Tiling | Whangarei | Over 20 years of tiling experience |
| Northland Tile Masters | Whangarei | Speciality in large commercial tiling projects across the Northland r... |
| JM Tilers | Riverside District | Works from premises at 19 Dundas Road in the Riverside District |
How to Choose the Right Tile Installer in Whangarei
- Check who is doing the waterproofing. A tiler who is certified for the membrane and lays the tiles over it carries the whole wet area, instead of the job being split between two trades who can each point at the other.
- Ask what qualifications the tilers hold. A tiler who has come through a BCITO apprenticeship has worked to a formal standard rather than picking the trade up on site.
- Match the installer to the tile format. Large format slabs, natural stone and mosaic each need different substrate preparation, adhesives and setting methods from standard ceramic.
- For outdoor work, ask about falls, drainage and the substrate. Northland’s salt air and humidity are harder on an exterior surface than on an interior floor, and a deck or pool surround has to shed water properly.
- Get the scope in writing before anyone starts, covering surface preparation, waterproofing, grout type and colour, movement joints, and who is supplying the tiles.
Frequently Asked Questions About Whangarei Tile Installers
Are tilers licensed in New Zealand?
Tiling is not a licensed occupation, so there is no register a tiler has to appear on. The recognised route is an apprenticeship through BCITO, which is why several of the businesses above name it. If your project also involves structural work or the weathertightness of the building’s exterior, that part may be restricted building work and has to be done or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner, and you can check a practitioner’s status on the Licensed Building Practitioners register.
What does the Building Code say about waterproofing a shower?
Wet areas are covered by clause E3 Internal Moisture of the New Zealand Building Code, which deals with keeping moisture from damaging building elements or creating unsanitary conditions. In practice that is why the membrane, the falls to the waste and the junctions at the floor and wall matter more than the tile itself. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment building performance site publishes the Code clauses and their acceptable solutions.
Do I need a building consent to retile a bathroom?
Replacing a tiled surface like for like generally does not need consent, but work that creates or alters a waterproof membrane, moves plumbing or changes the layout of the room usually does. It is worth confirming before the demolition starts rather than after, and the Whangarei District Council is the consenting authority for the district. A tiler who does a lot of bathroom work will normally tell you which side of the line your job falls on.
How much does tiling cost in Whangarei?
None of the businesses above publish rates, and any figure quoted without seeing the room would be guesswork. Cost is driven by the area, the tile format and material, how much substrate preparation is needed, whether waterproofing is part of the scope, and whether you or the tiler supplies the tiles. Ask for itemised quotes from two or three of them so you are comparing the same scope rather than the same headline number.
How long does a bathroom retile take?
Longer than the tiling itself, because a waterproofing membrane needs curing time between coats before any tile goes down, and grouting and sealing add time at the end. Ask the tiler for a programme rather than a single figure, including how many days the room will be out of use. A small en suite and a full family bathroom with niches, a hobbed shower and large format walls are very different jobs.
Can Whangarei tilers handle large format tiles and natural stone?
Yes. Elite Tiler NZ runs large format tile installation as a separate service line, and Tiling 4U works with granite, marble, basalt, limestone, travertine and terrazzo as well as ceramic and porcelain. Both formats are less forgiving than standard ceramic: large panels need a flat, well prepared substrate and full adhesive coverage, and porous stone usually needs sealing.
Who does outdoor, patio and pool tiling?
Most of the businesses above cover exterior work. Tiling 4U tiles swimming pool surrounds, Maximus Tiling covers patios, pool decks, driveways and outdoor kitchens, and Elite Tiler NZ offers floating deck tiling for decks and balconies. Outdoor surfaces need slip resistant tiles, correct falls and a substrate detailed for water, so it is worth confirming the installer does this work regularly.
Do these tilers work outside Whangarei?
Several do. Tiling 4U lists Waipu, Mangawhai, Dargaville, Ruakaka, Russell and Kerikeri, Elite Tiler NZ covers Wellsford through to Kerikeri and Waipapa, Northland Tile Masters works across the Northland region, and JM Tilers takes on jobs in Auckland as well. If you are outside the city, confirm travel and scheduling when you ask for the quote.
How We Chose the Best Tile Installers in Whangarei
Every business in this guide was found by searching for tile installers in Whangarei, then checked against its own website. Names, addresses and phone numbers are taken from the business’s own site rather than a directory feed, so what you see here is what they publish themselves. We also check that each one is actually based in or genuinely serving Whangarei, rather than a national operator running a local landing page. A business with no website of its own is not listed, because there is no primary source to verify it against.