Cracked floor tile repair cost on a home inspection

How much does it cost to repair a cracked floor tile?

Repairing one cracked or broken floor tile costs $130 to $500, according to HomeAdvisor. Get a tile contractor's written bid before your deadline and put that number in your request. If the floor beside the crack is uneven, have a structural engineer look first. The crack may be a sign of movement underneath, not a tile problem.

Key takeaways

• A hairline crack can be patched. A deep crack or a loose tile calls for a new tile.
• Ask the seller whether spare tiles came with the house. Without a match, the job can grow into a full retile.
• Don't count on your future insurance policy for a crack already on the report. Put it in your request now.

What does the repair cost?

The estimates differ mostly on scope. Match the row to what your contractor says the job is.

Price the other findings before you write the request. Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

Say your report flags one cracked kitchen tile and notes the floor dips beside it. The engineer comes first, at $340 to $780. If the engineer finds no movement, add the tile repair: $340 + $130 = $470 at the low end, $780 + $500 = $1,280 at the high end.

A big floor can cost far more than a single repair: at the table's top install rate, 100 square feet is already $3,000 (100 x $30) before removal. So if the tile can't be matched, ask for a per-square-foot bid that includes taking up the old tile. If the engineer does find movement, the tile waits, and the structural repair gets priced first from the engineer's report.

Why do floor tiles crack?

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) names four causes: movement in the underlayment, the building expanding and contracting through freeze-thaw cycles, abuse, and poor installation. HomeAdvisor adds sharp blows, heavy loads, and damaged concrete under the tile.

Most of those end at the tile. Movement underneath does not. HomeAdvisor's foundation guide says "visible cracks, water leaks, uneven floors, or walls that won't line up are classic red flags" of a foundation problem.

So read the lines around the crack on your report. If the floor around it is flat and solid, send it to a tile contractor. If the crack sits next to a dip in the floor, cracks in the brick or siding outside, or doors that no longer latch, send it to a structural engineer before your deadline. The foundation and structure findings guide covers those related lines.

Don't let it sit. HomeAdvisor warns that cracks can lead to water damage, and wet subflooring can swell and break the tiles around it. Get the bid soon, wherever the crack is.

Can you fix a cracked tile without replacing it?

Sometimes. InterNACHI says minor cracks can be filled with grout that matches the tile, but larger cracks may need a new tile. HomeAdvisor says hairline cracks can be patched with epoxy or a repair kit, and once the crack runs deep or the tile feels loose, it calls replacement the safer choice.

Replacing a single tile is a normal job, not a new floor. Homewyse's estimate assumes the contractor removes the damaged tile, repairs the backing, sets and levels a new tile, and replaces the grout.

The catch is matching. HomeAdvisor says you may not need to redo the floor if your contractor can get the replacement tile. If the original tile is no longer available, it says to consider a full retiling. Ask the seller, through your agent, whether spare tiles were left from the original job.

Who should look at it before your deadline?

A tile contractor prices the repair. Ask for a written bid that names the scope: patch or replace, how many tiles, and whether they can match the tile. For bathroom tile, HomeAdvisor says most contractors have a minimum price even for one crack, so ask what it is. How to get repair estimates during the inspection period covers getting bids fast.

If the floor is uneven, the structural engineer inspection before buying guide covers what the engineer's visit includes.

What should you ask the seller for?

Ask for the repair, or a credit in the amount of your contractor's bid. Name the room, the number of tiles, patch or replace, and the trade, and attach the bid. If you ask for the repair itself, ask that the new tile match the floor. For example, ask the seller to replace one cracked kitchen floor tile with matching tile, done by a tile contractor, or to credit the amount of the attached bid. If the seller makes the repair, ask for the contractor's invoice before closing.

If your deadline arrives before the bid, use the HomeAdvisor range from the top of this page and name it as the source. Swap in the bid when you have it. What to ask for after a home inspection shows how this line fits with the rest of your list, and the buyer repair request letter template gives you the wording.

What if the seller says no?

A single cracked tile has a small, knowable cost. You can fold it into a larger credit, trade it away to win a bigger line, or pay for it yourself after closing.

It changes the deal only if the engineer finds movement under the floor. Then the question is the structure, and when to walk away after a home inspection helps you weigh it. Whether you can cancel is set by your contract, so confirm with your agent or attorney.

Will homeowners insurance cover a cracked floor tile?

Don't plan on it for a crack already on your report. In its guide to foundation damage, Progressive says most policies cover sudden, unexpected events like windstorms or fire, but not damage that falls under routine maintenance. It also says foundation cracks or settling generally aren't covered. Price the tile into your request now, and ask your insurance agent how your own policy treats floors.

Does regrouting fix a cracked tile?

Regrouting fixes the joints, not a cracked tile. InterNACHI notes that unsealed grout soaks up moisture, especially around showers and sinks. If your report flags the grout too, ask the tile contractor to price both.

How do I know what the rest of my list is worth?

If the tile is one line on a long report, upload your inspection report to Kept and spend your remaining days on the bids that need a professional.

Sources

• HomeAdvisor, grout and tile repair cost guide
• HomeAdvisor, flooring installation cost guide
• HomeAdvisor, foundation repair cost guide
• Homewyse, cost to repair tile
• Apollo Tile, how to fix cracked tile
• InterNACHI, ceramic tile and stone inspection
• Progressive, does home insurance cover foundation repairs