Hire a professional for drilling into difficult materials

For drilling into challenging surfaces like porcelain tile, natural stone, structural steel, reinforced concrete, or glass, hire a qualified contractor or tradesperson. Tile installers, plumbers, electricians, and general contractors regularly drill into hard surfaces with professional-grade tools and have the experience to avoid cracking, chipping, or misalignment.

Why It Works

Professionals own commercial-grade hammer drills, diamond core bits, magnetic drill presses, and wet drilling systems that are expensive and impractical for occasional home use. More importantly, they have the tactile experience to feel when a material is about to crack or when a bit needs cooling. A single cracked porcelain tile or shattered glass panel costs far more to replace than a service call.

Tips

• Expect to pay $75-200 for a handyman visit that includes drilling specific holes; complex jobs (core drilling through concrete, glass drilling) cost more
• If you need holes drilled in tile during a bathroom renovation, have the tile installer do them before or during installation -- much easier than after the tile is set
• For mounting items like towel bars, toilet paper holders, or shelves on tile, a handyman typically charges $50-100 per item installed
• Ask for references or check reviews; drilling hard surfaces badly is irreversible
• This is the right choice when the material is expensive (imported marble, large-format porcelain, tempered glass) or when failure means replacing an entire installed surface
• Request that the professional uses diamond bits with water cooling for any tile or stone work