Pool Tile Replacement Cost by Scope Guide
The replacement priced by scope: waterline, entry-and-spa, and full-surface rows apart.
Orange County, CA · Updated 2026 · Costs shown as ranges — your quote will vary by firm and scope
Scope readings, priced apart by frame
| Scope row | Frame A reading | Frame B reading |
|---|---|---|
| Waterline band row | $25 per linear foot; a 10-by-20 waterline job at about $1,500 | $1,900-$4,800 on a 16-by-32 pool, as cited |
| Entry-and-spa row | inside the replacement band, $1-$100 per square foot | $25-$30 repair band |
| Full-surface row | inside the replacement band toward the ceiling, full work above $80,000 at the high end | the retile read, $2,500-$5,000 on an average-sized pool |
Each reading is one frame counting of one scope row, never blended. The same material is never carried across the scope line: a ceramic waterline row and a ceramic full-surface row are two readings, priced apart.
Material lines behind the scope rows, printed once
| Material row | Frame A reading, per square foot | Frame B reading |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic row | $1-$35 | $25-$30 repair band |
| Porcelain row | $2-$56 | $25-$30 repair band |
| Limestone row | $2-$11 | $25-$30 repair band |
| Travertine row | $3-$30 | $25-$30 repair band |
| Granite row | $5-$15 | $25-$30 repair band |
| Marble row | $10-$20 | $25-$30 repair band |
| Glass row | $7-$50 | $25-$30 repair band, toward the retile total |
| Mosaic row | $75-$100 | $25-$30 band; retile read $2,500-$5,000 |
The material lines stand once here, shared by the scope rows, the natural stone rows standing as printed in Frame A.
Labor lines behind the scope rows, printed once
| Line, as printed | 2026 reading |
|---|---|
| Frame A labor row | $30-$120 per hour or $4-$32 per square foot, labor up to about 50% of the job |
| Frame A stated average row | about $25 per square foot across the $1-$100 replacement band |
| Frame B retile row | $2,500-$5,000 to retile an average-sized pool |
Frame B prints no labor line by that name, and that absence stands. The frames count the same job on different bases -- per-square-foot bands by material in Frame A ($1-$100, average about $25 per square foot) against a repair-and-retile read in Frame B ($25-$30 per square foot or $2,500-$5,000 to retile an average-sized pool). The waterline is counted two ways: Frame A prints $25 per linear foot, a 10-by-20 job at about $1,500, while the HomeGuide tile guide read, as cited, prints $1,900-$4,800 on a 16-by-32 pool. Those differences are named as frame differences on every page, never averaged.
The neighbours named apart
Material readings price apart on the hub. Named apart, never a row here: the pool tile cleaning cluster (tile left in place -- its own field; this cluster carries no cleaning guide), pool coping replacement (the cap above the waterline band), pool resurfacing and replastering clusters (the shell finish), and whole-pool remodel tickets.
Reading a by-scope quote
- Scope named beside each figure
- Waterline lines read apart from full-surface lines
Frequently asked questions
What does pool tile replacement cost by scope, as reported?
The waterline band stands at $25 per linear foot in Frame A and at $1,900 to $4,800 on a 16-by-32 pool in Frame B, as cited. Other scope rows stand inside each frame band, priced apart.
What does the waterline band print at, as reported?
Frame A prints $25 per linear foot, a 10-by-20 job at about $1,500. The HomeGuide read, as cited, prints $1,900 to $4,800 on a 16-by-32 pool.
What does a full-surface replacement print at, as reported?
Frame A prints $1 to $100 per square foot, full work above $80,000 at the high-end glass ceiling. Frame B prints its retile read at $2,500 to $5,000 on an average pool.
Does the material change the scope reading, as reported?
Frame A counts material per square foot on every scope row, ceramic at $1 to $35 and mosaic at $75 to $100, read inside the scope row, never carried across the scope line.
Is a waterline replacement the same purchase as pool tile cleaning?
No. Pool tile cleaning prices a cleaning job with the tile left in place, named apart here as its own field. This guide prices replacement scopes alone.