Tiling in Fribourg

Are you looking for a tiler in Fribourg for a bathroom, a kitchen or a terrace? Tiling in Fribourg takes place in a particular setting: a bilingual city built on a spur above the Sarine, where medieval houses stand alongside more recent buildings. This page presents the common types of work, what the city changes about them and how to prepare your quote request.

Tiling in Fribourg: the most common types of work

A tiler’s trade is not limited to laying tiles. It includes fitting floor and wall tiles and wall ceramics, screeding, waterproofing under tiles in wet rooms, mosaic and natural stone. The reference qualification is the tiler’s CFC (Swiss federal vocational certificate).

In Fribourg, requests often centre on a few cases:

• renovating a bathroom or shower room, removing the old covering and redoing the waterproofing;
• tiling a kitchen, on the floor or as a splashback, sometimes linked to a complete replacement of the fittings;
• levelling a floor before a new covering is laid;
• laying on underfloor heating, which requires a compatible substrate and adhesive;
• covering a terrace, balcony or entrance exposed to the weather.

Old town, Bourg, Auge and Neuveville: laying on older buildings

Fribourg’s old town is medieval and very extensive. It is organised in particular around the Bourg district, the Auge and the Neuveville, within the loop of the river. For a tiler, these districts raise specific questions.

Floors in older buildings are rarely straight or level. The floorboards have moved, and thicknesses vary from one room to another. Before fitting, it is therefore necessary to level, sometimes rebuild a screed, and take into account the load the floor can bear. Natural stone tiling is heavier than thin ceramic wall tiles, so the question of the substrate matters all the more.

The walls themselves can be uneven, which complicates fitting wall tiles up to the ceiling in a bathroom: joints, corners and cuts take more time. A serious quote reflects this. A very low price that mentions neither substrate preparation nor waterproofing should put you on your guard.

Protected old towns also call for precautions. If your home is in a protected building, or if the work goes beyond the inside of a dwelling, check with the commune of Fribourg before committing to anything: some original features, such as an old floor, may have heritage value.

Slopes, access and stairs: what the topography changes on site

Fribourg is built on a spur, with marked differences in level between the upper town and the banks of the Sarine, and a funicular linking the levels. This has very concrete consequences for a tiling job: bags of adhesive, screed, boxes of tiles and cutting equipment, often heavy, have to be brought in.

In narrow lanes and buildings without a lift, carrying materials up to the floor is an item not to be forgotten. State in your request the floor, whether or not there is a lift, whether parking is possible nearby and any delivery constraints. The company can then assess the real time needed on site and avoid unpleasant surprises.

Bathrooms and kitchens in apartment blocks: waterproofing comes first

Many homes in Fribourg are rented or co-owned apartments, often in buildings where several floors sit on top of one another. In this setting, waterproofing under the tiles of a wet room is a central point: a leak affects the dwelling below first.

A tiling quote for a bathroom should distinguish:

• removal of the old covering and disposal of rubble;
• preparation of the substrate, with levelling or screed if necessary;
• waterproofing under the tiles, including around the shower or bath;
• supply and fitting of the tiles, wall ceramics and joints;
• finishing: skirting, corner profiles, flexible joints.

For a kitchen, the situation is simpler, but the choice of tile matters: a heavily textured surface is harder to clean, and floor joints suffer knocks and splashes.

Underfloor heating and tiling: a combination to prepare

Tile is a covering that conducts heat well, which is why it is often combined with underfloor heating. In a renovation, this choice should be discussed from the quote request: the type of screed, the drying time, the gradual heating up and the adhesive used all depend on the system in place.

If you are also considering energy-improvement work, remember that the canton has an energy department and a cantonal subsidy programme. Conditions change; check them with the competent cantonal department before starting, as some grants must be applied for in advance. For related insulation work, see thermal insulation in Fribourg.

Terraces and entrances exposed to frost

The canton of Fribourg extends from the plateau to the Pre-Alps and the Gruyère, with snowy winters. Even in the city, alternating frost and thaw put outdoor tiling under heavy strain. A poorly prepared terrace, balcony or front step cracks, comes loose or crumbles.

A few points to discuss with the company:

• the type of tile, which must be suitable for frost and remain slip-resistant;
• the drainage slope, to prevent water from pooling;
• the waterproofing of the substrate and the treatment of joints;
• the junction with thresholds and French windows.

On an apartment-block balcony, the exterior appearance and the waterproofing may concern the owners’ association or the landlord: ask for consent before any quote.

Procedures in Fribourg: permit, landlord and co-ownership

A simple replacement of tiling inside a home does not in principle require authorisation. As soon as the work affects the structure, the facade or a protected building, the question arises. In the canton of Fribourg, building permit applications are submitted through the cantonal FRIAC platform; the permit is issued by the prefecture or by the commune depending on the type of work. The safest course is to put the question to the commune of Fribourg before signing.

Other procedures not to forget:

• Tenant: the written consent of the landlord or property manager is required before changing a covering, particularly in a wet room.
• Co-owner: check the co-ownership regulations, especially for a floor, which can affect noise for neighbours, and for a balcony or terrace.
• Insurance: inform your insurer if the work affects the waterproofing of a dwelling located above other apartments.

Preparing your request and comparing quotes

The more precise the description, the more comparable the quotes. For a quote request, state:

• the room concerned, its approximate area and the floor;
• the condition of the current substrate: old tiling, parquet, screed, uneven floor;
• the type of building: apartment block, villa, old-town house;
• the desired material: porcelain stoneware, wall ceramics, mosaic, natural stone;
• the presence of underfloor heating;
• your access and scheduling constraints.

To compare, check that each quote covers the same items: removal, preparation, waterproofing, supply, fitting, joints, disposal. The cost varies mainly with the area, the quality of the material, the condition of the substrate, the complexity of the cuts, access and the level of finish. A large gap between two offers is often explained by preparation or waterproofing being included in one and not the other. You can request a quote free of charge and without obligation: your request is passed on to tradespeople in the area, who will contact you.

Useful pages for your project in Fribourg

• The trade: tiling
• The city: work in Fribourg
• The canton: canton of Fribourg
• Related work in the same commune: kitchen renovation in Fribourg, thermal insulation in Fribourg, plumber in Fribourg