Basic
$1.23 – $3.27 per sq ft
Ridges and high spots of thinset knocked down with a rotary hammer and floor scraper on a vacuum attachment until flat enough for new flooring

Grind or scrape leftover thinset or mortar from a concrete or plywood substrate after tile removal so it is flat for new flooring.
Remove Tile Mortar in Des Moines, Iowa typically costs $1.44 to $3.84 per sq ft as of 2026. Prices reflect local labor and material rates. Use our calculator below for a detailed, ZIP-code-adjusted estimate.
Prices in Des Moines are 3.0% lower than the national average for remove tile mortar.
National average: $1.50 – $4 per sq ft
$1.23 – $3.27 per sq ft
Ridges and high spots of thinset knocked down with a rotary hammer and floor scraper on a vacuum attachment until flat enough for new flooring
$1.44 – $3.84 per sq ft
Thinset ground off with a dust-shrouded grinder to a nearly bare substrate, debris swept and vacuumed
$1.80 – $4.81 per sq ft
Full grind to a clean bare substrate with HEPA dust extraction, checked flat with a straightedge, vacuumed
| Component | Category | Price Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | material | $0.63 – $1.69 | sq ft |
| Labor | labor | $0.53 – $1.40 | sq ft |
| Supplies & Other | supplies | $0.17 – $0.45 | sq ft |
| Equipment & Disposal | equipment | $0.11 – $0.30 | sq ft |
Floor with ceramic tile broken up and bags of rubble beside a window
Photo: John Loo · CC BY 2.0 · Source
Find a pro to do thisLabor costs in Des Moines run proportionally higher than materials, which may favor material-heavy solutions.
Connect with local remove tile mortar contractors in Des Moines for personalized quotes based on your specific project.