Tilers in the Sutherland Shire are often asked to tile pool surrounds and outdoor areas, fix leaking unit balconies and bathrooms around Cronulla, and regrout or retile older family bathrooms. Units usually need strata approval for hard floors, and in NSW tiling or waterproofing over $5,000 including GST needs a licensed contractor.
What Shire homes need from a tiler
The Shire has a lot of backyard pools, and many surrounds are decades old. Loose coping, cracked or drummy pavers and tiles that have become slippery are common. New pool tiles need a wet slip rating tested to AS 4586, a surface that falls away from the pool and the house, and care around the pool fence while work is under way.
Cronulla, Woolooware, Caringbah and the streets near the stations have red-brick unit blocks from the 1960s and 70s and newer apartments, many of them rentals. Balconies and bathrooms there have often reached the end of their life. When a balcony or shower leaks into the unit below, the fix is usually new waterproofing, not just new tiles, and the owners corporation needs to be involved.
Brick-veneer family homes in Miranda, Gymea, Kirrawee, Sutherland and Engadine often have original bathrooms and laundries with crumbling grout and drummy tiles. Landlords between tenancies frequently need cracked tiles replaced and showers resealed. Near the water at Cronulla, Kurnell and Port Hacking, salt air is hard on metal trims and outdoor grout, so stainless or aluminium trims and good sealing help.
Common tiling jobs in the Shire and what to check
| Job | Key question | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Pool surround or coping | What is the wet slip rating? | Industry guidance often suggests P4 or higher; ask for the test report |
| Leaking unit balcony | Is the membrane being replaced? | Usually common property; external membranes follow AS 4654 |
| New tiles in a strata unit | Has the owners corporation approved it? | Hard floors need an ordinary resolution; by-laws may set acoustic rules |
| Crumbling grout in an older bathroom | Is the membrane sound? | Regrouting won't fix a failed membrane |
| Cracked tiles between tenancies | Are spare tiles available? | Matching older tiles can be the hardest part |
| Retiling over old tiles | Are they firm, flat and dry? | See our tile over tiles guide |
Strata rules from the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW); standards named for reference.
Council, strata and licence rules
Sutherland Shire Council covers the whole region. Retiling inside a house doesn't need council approval, though new paving or structures around a pool, or work on foreshore or bushfire-prone land, may need checking. Our pool fence rules guide covers what must stay compliant during work.
In a strata unit, NSW law treats installing or replacing tiles and other hard floors, including removing carpet, as a minor renovation needing an ordinary resolution of the owners corporation. Work that changes waterproofing is a major renovation needing a special resolution. Many by-laws also set acoustic requirements for hard floors, so check them before choosing tiles.
In NSW, tiling worth more than $5,000 in labour and materials, including GST, needs a contractor licence in the wall and floor tiling class, and waterproofing is its own licence class following the same $5,000 rule. Ask who installs the membrane, to which standard (AS 3740 inside, AS 4654 outdoors and on balconies), and how it's documented.
What to tell the crew when you ask for quotes
Give approximate square metres and say whether it's a pool surround, balcony, bathroom or living area. Note what's there now, any leaks into rooms or units below, and whether you have strata approval. For rentals, include the date the property needs to be ready.
We don't publish local prices. Our tiling cost per m² guide shows what Sydney tilers charge, and the main tilers page has a scope checklist. For other jobs, see trades in the Sutherland Shire. When you're ready, describe the job to MyTradeCrew and we'll send it to up to three vetted local trades from our crew, who quote you directly.
Common questions
Do I need strata approval to retile my Cronulla unit?
Usually, yes. Under NSW strata law, installing or replacing tiles or other hard floors is a minor renovation that needs an ordinary resolution, and anything that changes the waterproofing is a major renovation needing a special resolution. Many by-laws add acoustic rules for hard floors. Talk to your strata manager before booking a tiler.
What tiles are safest around a pool?
Choose tiles with a wet slip rating tested to AS 4586. Handbook guidance is often quoted as P4 or higher for pool surrounds and P5 for steps into the water. Ask for the test report for the exact tile and finish. Lighter colours stay cooler underfoot, and the surface should fall away from the pool and house.
My balcony leaks into the unit below. Is retiling enough?
Rarely. Most balcony leaks come from a failed membrane, poor falls or a blocked drain, not the tiles. The proper repair is removing the tiles, fixing the falls and installing a new external membrane. Balcony membranes are usually common property, so involve your owners corporation and strata manager first.
Does a tiler need a licence in the Sutherland Shire?
Yes, for residential tiling worth more than $5,000 including GST, in the wall and floor tiling class. Waterproofing is a separate licence class with the same threshold. Check the licence and class on the NSW Government licence check and get a written contract for any job over $5,000.
More on tilers
Scope checklists, price drivers and quote comparisons are on the main Tilers in Sydney page. For costs, read Tiling Cost per m² Sydney: Floors, Bathrooms, Regrouting.