When a tile chips, the choice between professional repair and tile replacement involves practical, financial and aesthetic considerations. Here is how to make the right decision.

The Case for Professional Repair

Cost — professional tile chip repair costs £75–£150. Tile replacement typically costs £200–£700 for a single tile (sourcing, removing, replacing and re-grouting).
Availability — your tile may be discontinued. Even if the same range is still in production, colour and texture can vary between batches.
Disruption — repair takes 1-2 hours with no disruption to surrounding tiles. Replacement requires removing the chipped tile (risking damage to adjacent tiles), changing the grout, and a curing period.
Result — a professional repair on a plain or near-plain tile is invisible at normal viewing distance. A replacement tile may show a grout line variation, slight colour difference or the marks of adjacent tile removal.

The Case for Replacement

Structural damage — if a tile is cracked through and the crack is caused by movement in the substrate, repair will reopen. The underlying cause must be addressed, and replacement of the affected tile is appropriate after fixing the substrate.
Extensive damage — if the tile has sustained very large damage (more than 20% of the tile surface), replacement may be more practical than repair.
Available stock — if you have original tiles remaining from installation and a matching tile is readily available, replacement is a viable option.