marble flooring cost

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Average Cost of Marble Flooring

Most homeowners pay $11.00 – $15.00 per square foot for quality marble tile flooring installed, though $20+ is possible. DIY flooring installation cost is $4.75 – $17.50 per square foot for the marble tile, thinset, grout and tile spacers. This doesn’t include the cost of tools you don’t have.

The price range given for pro installation, $11.00 – $15.00 per square foot, includes the tiles, all installation materials, minor prep work to the subfloor and the labor to install the tiling. Removal and disposal of old flooring and new subfloor are additional costs.

Last Updated: Wednesday, January 12, 2022

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Overview of Having Marble Tile Installed

Marble is next-level flooring in terms of beauty and the cost, which is much higher than for other flooring types. This gorgeous material also requires more TLC than other natural stone tiles like granite and slate because it is softer and more porous – so more susceptible to stains.

Common marble tile sizes are 12×12 inches, 12×24 inches and 24×24 inches. Smaller square or other rectangular shapes are available in individual pieces or affixed to a mesh net in 12×12-inch assemblies.

Our Marble tile flooring cost estimate will help you narrow the cost you can expect to pay. Retail tile costs, the cost of supplies and typical installation labor costs are included plus cost factors for both. Just like carpet replacement or any other type of flooring, your cost is going to be based on the amount of square feet you want to have installed.

The useful information includes marble tile installation costs shared by other readers. If you’d like to contribute, consider bookmarking Business Finance News and returning once your project is completed.

Product and Installation Supplies Details

Marble Tile and Installation Cost Factors

These marble floor cost factors are designed to help you plan your budget and choose flooring that fits within it. The list begins with material cost factors and shifts to those related to installation costs.

• Marble Type – Marble is sorted by color and grade or quality of the stone. Rare colors and premium grades cost significantly more. A few exceed $30 per square foot installed.
• Tile Size – When the marble type is the same, the larger the tile is, the more it will cost per square foot. This is because larger slabs, from which larger tiles can be made, are rarer.
• Tile Source – Most tile is mined overseas. Labor costs in those locations plus transportation costs to bring it to North America vary quite a bit.
• Thickness – Minimum thickness is about 1/4” (6mm). Most tile is about 1/2″ (12mm); 3/4″ (20mm) tile is also available. Any tile type will cost more in thicker tile. Note that the thinnest tile isn’t suitable to high-traffic and commercial areas.
• Finish/Treatment – Tiles can be finished smooth or tumbled. Taking the extra step to tumble the tile gives it texture and makes it less slippery. Look for tumbled tile for bathrooms, foyers and other potentially wet locations.
• Installation Difficulty – Laying tile in open space is easier, so labor costs are generally lower than when cutting multiple tiles while installing around fixtures in bathrooms.
• Tile Size, Part 2 – Large tiles install faster, so labor costs are lower than when using smaller tiles.
• Tile Volume – All else being equal, the more tile you have installed, the less it will cost per square foot.

Cost of Installation Supplies

We’ve located marble tile costs from less than $2 to more than $20 per square foot. Fixr gives a narrower price range of $5 – $10 per square foot. While most falls in that range, it is easy to find more expensive tile. Home Advisor gives a high end cost for polished marble tile of $40 per square foot. While very few jobs reach that cost, it does happen. Business Finance News tends to avoid the extreme high costs because they skew perception.

Here’s what our research turned up in the retail cost of marble tile, installation tools and supplies.

Tile Cost per Square Foot:

• $1.85 – $3.00 | Low-end clearance marble tiles in limited supplies.
• $3.00 – $6.00 | Entry-level 1/4″ tile and some small tile fixed to mesh backing.
• $6.00 – $15.00 | Most mesh-mounted mosaic marble tile. Cost depends on the tile type used.
• $6.00 – $12.00 | The most popular marble tile styles and types such as Italian Carrara, Crema Marfil and Verde.
• More than $12.00 | Rare, high-quality and high-demand marble like Calacatta, Jade and Sky Blue.

Tools & Supplies Cost:

• $3.00 – $5.75 per pack of 250 to 500 | Tile Spacers
• $8 – $15 | Good Tape Measure
• $30 – $50 per day | Wet Saw Rental
• $20 – $40+ | Diamond-edged Saw blade
• $4 – $10 | Notched Trowel
• $7 -$10 per 1lb Container | Pre-Mixed Tile Grout – 65 square feet coverage
• $14 – $18 per 10lb bag | Non-mixed grout (just add water) – coverage of 650 square feet
• $6 – $10 | Grout Float
• $18 – $24 per 1lb container | Pre-mixed thinset (thin-set) with 40-50 square feet of coverage.
• $6 – $16 per 10lb bag | Non-mixed Thinset Mortar – 80 to 100 square feet per bag.

Sample Marble Tile Floor Project Costs

What happens when we turn marble tile cost per square foot into actual jobs? You’ll cost factors come into play. Size of the job also impacts cost. According to Inch Calculator, cost per square foot for a large job falls by about $1 compared with a small job. Business Finance News agrees with that assessment.

Here are sample total costs with pro installation.

Entryway: 50 square feet

• Entry-level tile: $450 – $675
• Midgrade/popular tile: $700 – $935
• Premium tile: $1,050 – $1,800

Bathroom: 150 square feet

• Entry-level tile: $1,350 – $2,100
• Midgrade/popular tile: $1,800 – $2,550
• Premium tile: $2,400 – $3,375

Kitchen: 300 square feet

• Entry-level tile: $2,500 – $4,000
• Midgrade/popular tile: $3,550 – $4,975
• Premium tile: $4,700 – $6,500

Flooring Removal and Disposal Cost

Cost varies widely based on flooring type.

• $1.00 – $2.00 per square foot | Removal and disposal of carpet, floating flooring and perimeter-glued sheet vinyl.
• $2.50 – $5.00 per square foot | Removal and disposal of full-glue flooring, nailed-down flooring and tile floors.

This is a good place to save money. If you have a large amount of flooring to dispose of, consider renting a dumpster – or sharing the cost with neighbors. It seems we all have plenty we’d like to get rid of, and sharing the cost makes it quite economical.

Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

• $0 | No permit is needed for installing tile flooring.

Related Costs and Installation Time

• $6.50 – $9.00 per square foot | Installation labor cost to install marble tile flooring.

Most estimating sites agree with that labor cost range. Homewyse suggests a much higher installation labor rate of $15 – $25 per square foot, but those numbers just aren’t accurate.

An experienced tiler will install 6-10 square feet of tile per hour including prepping the site. The work moves faster in open areas than where a lot of tile cutting is required.

That  works out to $30 – $60 per hour based on their speed.

Common time-frames are:

• About a Day | 50 square foot foyer
• 2-3 Days | 150 square foot bathroom
• 3-5 Days | 300 square foot kitchen

DIY or Hire a Pro?

If you haven’t installed tile before, now – installing costly marble – probably isn’t the time to tackle your first project.

What’s your risk level? How much does the tile cost? Where is the floor located?

If you’re installing $3 marble tile in an entryway off the garage, and you won’t be too disappointed if it isn’t “perfect” or you have to tear it out, then sure. Consider it.

But our recommendation is to hire a professional if you’ve selected expensive marble tile, especially if it will be installed in a highly visible location. The eye picks up wavy lines or other common installation errors, and you might be left with two bad options – live with it, or tear it out.