Tiling in Montreux

Are you looking for a tiler in Montreux for a bathroom, a kitchen or a terrace? On the Riviera, between the shore of Lake Geneva and the villages above, tiling in Montreux is carried out in very different buildings, and each raises its own questions. This page explains what the location changes for this work and how to prepare a request that lets you compare serious offers.

Tiler in Montreux: the most common jobs

The tiler’s trade covers laying tiles and wall tiles on floors and walls, screeding, waterproofing beneath tiles in wet rooms, mosaic and natural stone. The reference qualification is the CFC (Swiss federal vocational certificate) for tilers.

In Montreux, demand generally centres on a few types of job:

• the bathroom or shower to renovate, with removal of the old tiling;
• the kitchen, when the floor and the splashback are replaced together;
• the entrance, hallway and other rooms people pass through, which suffer wear;
• the balcony, terrace or outdoor staircase;
• mosaic or natural stone for a space you want to treat with care.

This kind of work is found throughout French-speaking Switzerland. What sets Montreux apart is the way the town is built: tiered up the slope, from the lakefront to the upper villages, with buildings that change almost at every level.

Lakefront, slopes, Glion, Caux and Chernex: buildings that change everything

Montreux is a Riviera town on Lake Geneva, known for the Montreux Jazz Festival and Chillon Castle. Its districts rise up the slopes, from the lakefront to the upper villages: Glion, Caux, Chernex. This geography has a direct consequence for a tiler.

In a building put up on a steep slope, levels are not always regular, and older buildings often have floors that are not level. In wet rooms, an uneven substrate complicates the laying and the drainage slope of a shower. The work then begins well before the first tile: measuring the substrate, correcting it with a levelling compound or a screed, and checking levels against door thresholds.

Villas and chalets in the upper areas, for their part, often offer more surface to tile, with entrances, terraces and living rooms on several levels. Apartment buildings in the centre and on the lakefront, more compact, tend to concentrate bathroom and kitchen renovations inside existing flats.

Screed, waterproofing and underfloor heating in Montreux wet rooms

In an older home in Montreux, the bathroom sometimes holds surprises once the old covering is removed: a damaged substrate, missing or worn waterproofing, traces of damp. This is why the tiler must see the premises before pricing.

Three elements come up in almost every bathroom quote:

• Waterproofing beneath the tiles. In a walk-in shower or around a bathtub, it protects the substrate and the floors below. It is part of the job, not an option that can be forgotten to reduce the bill.
• The screed. If the floor has to be raised or levelled, a screed must be planned, and its drying time affects the schedule of the job.
• Underfloor heating. If your home has it, or if you want to install it, the choice of tiles and adhesive must take it into account. State this from the start of your request.

If your renovation also involves water pipes or drainage, a plumber works before the tiler. It is worth coordinating the two trades: see the page on a plumber in Montreux.

Montreux terraces and balconies and frost

By the lake, winters remain mild. Higher up, towards Glion or Caux, frost and snow are a reality that outdoor surfaces must withstand. Tiling for a terrace or balcony is therefore laid with frost-resistant materials, a correct drainage slope and a waterproof substrate: water that seeps in and then freezes is the leading cause of tiles coming loose or cracking.

In your request, state the orientation and exposure of the surface, whether there is a cellar or a dwelling underneath, and the condition of the old covering. A tiler may suggest several solutions, but must describe them clearly in the quote.

Permits and consents before tiling in Montreux

Replacing a covering in an existing home is most often simple interior renovation. The rules become more complicated in a few cases:

• Building permit. In the canton of Vaud, it is issued by the municipal authority of the commune. The file goes through the cantonal permits centre (CAMAC) when cantonal services must give an opinion. For tiling work alone, it is not always required, but an outdoor terrace or a visible change to the facade may change matters. Check with the municipality of Montreux before starting.
• Protected building or sensitive area. The Lavaux vineyard is a World Heritage site, and the old districts are sensitive. If your property lies within a protected perimeter, check with the municipality or the competent cantonal service what may be altered.
• Tenant. The landlord’s consent is needed before altering the home.
• Co-ownership. The rules may govern the work, in particular where it concerns common areas, terraces or noise between floors. Contact the administrator or the owners’ meeting.

If the tiling is part of a wider energy renovation, for example with insulation or underfloor heating, the Vaud energy law and the cantonal energy directorate may come into play, as well as the cantonal subsidy programme. Their conditions must be checked directly with them before the work begins.

Describing your project to get comparable quotes

A quote is only useful if the tilers consulted have received the same information. Prepare the following before writing:

• the type of room (bathroom, kitchen, terrace, entrance) and its approximate surface area;
• the current condition of the floor and walls, and whether there is underfloor heating;
• the type of material you want: porcelain stoneware, wall tiles, mosaic, natural stone;
• the floor, the access, and whether there is a lift or a narrow staircase, common in buildings on slopes;
• your timing constraints and any need for coordination with another trade.

Photos help to frame the request, but they do not replace a visit: a tiler must see the condition of the substrate before committing to a price.

What makes the cost of tiling in Montreux vary

The price depends on several factors, which a good quote itemises line by line:

• the surface area and the complexity of the laying (cuts, layout planning, formats, diagonals);
• the material chosen: a standard tile, a mosaic or a natural stone do not call for the same work;
• preparation of the substrate, screed or levelling compound, and waterproofing;
• removal of the old covering and disposal of the rubble;
• access to the site, trickier in a building without a lift or on a sloping plot;
• the finishes: grout, profiles, skirting boards, thresholds.

Compare quotes item by item, not only on the total. A noticeably lower price that omits the waterproofing or the preparation of the substrate is not a saving. When you are ready, you can request a quote by describing your project: your request is passed on to craftspeople and firms in the area, who will get back to you to prepare a free, no-obligation quote.

Useful pages for your project in Montreux

• The trade: tiling
• The town: work in Montreux
• The canton: canton of Vaud
• Other work in Montreux: kitchen renovation in Montreux, thermal insulation in Montreux, plumber in Montreux