TARARA GUIDE
How to Choose the Best Tiler in Auckland
A master tiler’s honest guide — what actually matters when you’re hiring.
Searching for the best tiler in Auckland is really a search for one thing: someone whose work will still look and perform beautifully in ten years. The tiles you see are only half the job — the waterproofing, the preparation and the setting-out underneath decide whether a bathroom stays watertight or starts leaking behind the wall.
Start with the part you can’t see: waterproofing
The single biggest difference between a good tiling job and an expensive problem is what happens before the first tile goes on. In wet areas, waterproofing is not optional — under the New Zealand Building Code (clause E3, Internal Moisture), showers, bathrooms and other wet areas must be protected so water can’t reach the timber and framing behind them.
Ask any tiler you’re considering one simple question: who does your waterproofing, and can I see it before it’s tiled over? A tiler who takes it seriously will happily show you the membrane going down. If waterproofing gets waved away, keep looking.
Marko’s tip: “Ask to see the waterproofing before it’s tiled over. Once the tiles are on, no one can tell whether it was done properly — until it leaks. A good tiler will be proud to show you.”
At Tarara Tiling, waterproofing is done first and done properly. Marko is an approved PS3 Producer Statement author, which means for eligible projects we can provide the formal documentation that proves the wet area was waterproofed to standard. More on our waterproofing →
Check certifications and who they’re trained by
Anyone can call themselves a tiler. The signals worth checking are the ones that take years to earn:
- Waterproofing certification — the PS3 authorisation above is the big one for bathrooms.
- Manufacturer training — good tilers are certified installers for the products they use, because the warranty on the adhesive and membrane often depends on it. We’re certified installers with ARDEX, Mapei and Surtec.
- Industry membership — being a member of the Tile Association of New Zealand (TANZ) and the Tile Council means being listed and accountable to a professional body.
- Site Safe — shows the tiler takes health and safety on site seriously.
You don’t need to memorise the acronyms. Just ask, “What are you certified in?” — and notice whether the answer is specific.
Ask to see real, recent projects
A good tiler has a trail of finished work, not just stock photos. Ask to see recent jobs — ideally similar to yours. Large-format floors, wet-room showers, patterned feature walls and pool surrounds are all different skills, and you want proof they’ve done your kind of job.
Look at the details that separate craft from “near enough”: are the grout lines dead straight and even? Do the tiles line up around corners and niches? Are the cuts around fittings clean? You can see a range of our recent Auckland projects on our work page.
Read the reviews — and read them properly
Star ratings are a start, but read the words. Genuine reviews mention specifics: the tiler’s name, the room, how tidy the site was, whether they turned up when they said they would. Vague five-star reviews with no detail tell you little.
Tarara Tiling is rated 5.0 across 20+ Google reviews, and the thing clients mention most isn’t the tiles — it’s the communication, the tidiness and the feeling that the job was managed properly from start to finish. You can read them all here.
Get a clear, itemised quote
A good quote is specific. It should spell out the preparation, the waterproofing, the tiling and the finishing — not just a single lump sum. That protects you: you can see what’s included, and there are no surprises later.
Be a little wary of a quote that’s dramatically cheaper than the others. In tiling, the corners that get cut to hit a low price are almost always the ones you can’t see — the prep and the waterproofing — and those are the expensive ones to fix. If you’d like a sense of what bathroom tiling costs in Auckland, our cost guide walks through what drives the price.
Local knowledge counts
Auckland homes have their own quirks, and a tiler who works here every day knows them. Older villas move and settle, so tiles and grout need the right prep and flexible setting to avoid cracking down the track. Coastal bathrooms in the Eastern Bays and on the North Shore deal with more moisture, which makes the waterproofing detail even more important. A local tiler has seen all of it — and plans for it — rather than learning on your job.
The tidiness test
It sounds minor, but how a tiler treats your home says a lot about how they’ll treat the job. Do they protect the surrounding areas? Do they clean up at the end of each day, or leave dust and offcuts through the house? Tradespeople who are tidy and respectful on site are usually just as careful with the work itself.
Questions to ask before you hire
A quick checklist you can take to any quote:
- Who does your waterproofing, and can I see it before it’s tiled over?
- What are you certified in?
- Can I see photos of recent jobs like mine?
- Is the quote itemised — prep, waterproofing, tiling, finishing?
- Do you offer a workmanship guarantee?
- How will you protect and clean up the house while you work?
The answers will tell you very quickly who’s a craftsman and who’s just quick with a trowel.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a tiler cost in Auckland?
It depends on the size of the area, the tiles and how much preparation and waterproofing is needed. Rather than quote a misleading figure, we give a clear, itemised quote for your specific job — and our cost guide explains what drives the price.
Do I need a certified waterproofer for a bathroom?
Yes. Wet areas must be waterproofed to meet the New Zealand Building Code. For eligible projects we can provide a PS3 Producer Statement as proof it was done to standard.
How do I know if a tiler is any good before I hire them?
Ask to see the waterproofing before it’s tiled over, look at recent projects like yours, read reviews for specifics, and get an itemised quote. A good tiler welcomes all four.
Do you take on small jobs, or only full renovations?
Both — from a single re-grout or repair to a full bathroom or a large new build. If you’re not sure, just ask.
Keep reading
More practical tiling guides from Tarara Tiling
Bathroom Renovation: The Complete Tiling Guide
How the tiling fits into a full bathroom renovation, step by step.
Read the guide →Signs Your Bathroom Needs Re-Waterproofing
The warning signs that waterproofing has failed — and what to do next.
Read the guide →Porcelain vs Ceramic Tiles
Which tile actually suits your project, room by room.
Read the guide →Want more like this?
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Looking for a tiler who ticks every box?
That’s exactly how we work — waterproofing first, certified, itemised quotes, and a finish built to last. Croatian craftsmanship, right across Auckland.