Rate of tile work per square meter in Nepal.

Overview

 

Tile has become an ideal choice in modern days for floors and walls in both commercial and residential buildings because of its appealing looks, durability, and easy maintenance. There are a wide variety of tile options available on the market. Basically, people get confused between porcelain and vitrified tile; which one is better? Material combination-wise, both the tiles are almost the same, but porcelain tiles are fired at a higher temperature during the manufacturing process, which makes them more durable and offers less porosity as compared to vitrified tiles. So if you are carrying out tiling work on the ground floor, I recommend you go for porcelain tiles.

People also have this confusion in their minds: is it important to carry out screeding work on the floor before tiling work? The answer to the question is yes. It's very important to level up the floor for tiling work. Especially in the sanitary part, the chances of forming pools increase if tiling is carried out without screeding. If the substrate accuracy is not good, the tiles placed may get cracked on the passage of people. You can go through our blog on screeding works to get an idea of its procedure and cost: https://www.ieccc.com.np/2024/06/cost-of-cement-concrete-flooring.html

 

Calculations

As usual, the reference for this analysis is Kathmandu District rate 079/80 and DUDBC norms. You can find these norms in detail in our earlier blog: https://www.ieccc.com.np/2024/06/cost-of-m20-grade-concrete-in-Nepal.html

Let’s summarize the calculation steps for your convenience.

• Material estimate
• Workers from the DUDBC code
• Hiring of tools and plants
• Contractor's overhead

Here we are about to discuss the rate analysis per square meter of porcelain-glazed 24"*24" floor tiles in a 1:4 cement sand mix ratio with a mortar thickness of 20 mm. It's one of the most commonly used tiles for flooring these days. We are taking into consideration the floor area of 10 square meters for rate analysis. We'll then find the rate per unit square meter.

 

Quantity of materials and cost

Floor area: 10 sq. m. (as the number of workers in the DUDBC code mentioned per 10 sq. m. floor)

Quantity of tiles required for 10 sq. m. of floor area: 10 + 10% extra for waste = 11.00 sq. m.

Thickness of mortar: 20 mm = 0.02 m

Volume of mortar for a 10-square-meter floor area: 10 * 0.02 = 0.2 cu.m.

To find the dry volume of mortar, we take 33% of wet volume

Dry volume of mortar: 1.33 * 0.2 = 0.266 cu.m.

Calculating the individual item volumes in a 1:4 cement sand mix

Cement: dry volume * (ratio of cement/total of ratios)

               = 0.266 * (1/5)

Cement: 0.053 cu.m.

Taking the density of cement at 1440 kg/m3 to find the mass of cement

Mass = density * volume

           = 1440 * 0.053

Mass = 76.32 kg

Bags of cement required: 76.32/50 = 1.5 bags

Cement Slurry: 5% of cement = 5% * 1.5 = 0.075 bags 

Total bags of cement required: 1.5 + 0.075 = 1.575 bags

Volume of sand: 4 * volume of cement = 4 * 0.053 = 0.21 cu.m.

White cement from DUDBC code: 3.228 kg = 0.08 bag (1 bag = 40 kg)

Note: Quantity may differ slightly as specified in DUDBC norms as mortar thickness varies.

 

Rate from Kathmandu district: 079/80

Tiles: 11.00 sq. m. at 1668.40 = Rs. 18352.40

Cement: 1.575 bags at 700 = Rs. 1102.50

Sand: 0.21 cu.m. at 3319.61 = Rs. 697.12

White cement: 0.08 bag at 1230.00 = Rs. 98.40

Total cost of material: 18352.40 + 1102.50 + 697.12 + 98.40 = Rs. 20250.42

 

Workers, as per DUDBC norms

Skilled workers: 13.00 at 1185.00 = Rs. 15404.00

Unskilled workers: 4.50 at 870.00 = Rs. 3915.00

Total cost of workers: 15404.00 + 3915.00 = Rs. 19319.00

 

Hire of tools and equipment

Tools and equipment are used by 3% of unskilled workers: 3% of 3915.00 = Rs. 117.45

 

Total cost: materials + workers + tools and plants

                 = 20250.42 + 19319.00 + 117.45

Total cost: Rs. 39686.87

 

Adding the contractor's overhead

Contractor overhead: 15% of the total cost

                                      = 15% of 39686.87

Contractor overhead: Rs. 5953.03

Cost of tile work per 10 square meter floor: 39686.87 + 5953.03 = Rs. 45639.90

Cost of tile work per square meter of floor: 45639.90/10 = Rs. 4563.99

Summery

Porcelain-glazed 24"x24" floor tiles in 1:4 cement sand mortar for a 10 square meter floor area
Description	Type	Unit	Quantity	Rate	Amount	Remarks
Workers	Skilled	MDay	13.00	1185.00	15404.00
	Unskilled	MDay	4.50	870.00	3915.00
Materials	Tiles	Sq.m	11.00	1668.40	18352.40
	Cement	Bags	1.575	700.00	1102.50
	Sand	Cu.m	0.21	3319.61	697.12
	White cement	Bags	0.08	1230.00	98.40
Tools and plants account for 3% of unskilled workers.					117.45
Sub-Total					39686.87
Contractor overhead and profit at 15%					5953.03
Total cost per 10 square meters of tile work					45639.90
Total cost per unit square meter of tile work					4563.99

In words: Rs. four thousand five hundred sixty-three and ninety-nine pasia only.

 

Note:

Following similar steps, you can calculate the rate analysis for other flooring tiles and wall tile work. The number of workers and other quantities of materials like tiles, cement, sand, and white cement remain the same. The only variations will be in the cost of the tile as per your choice and size.