Spirit level, plumb and chalk line, planed 50mm x 20mm batons (2 x 1"), marking stick, tile cutter, adhesive spreader, tile nibbler or saw, rubber squeegee. For preparation: abrasive paper, filing knife and scraper. You can get these tools from Tooled Up online
Improvements in tools and materials mean that it has never been easier to tile your wall. Master the basics, and it is really quite easy. When tiling a wall, don't try to finish it all in one go. Plan it well and you could have a beautiful wall in the end! Preparation is key, older houses may have really bad plaster when you remove the old tiles - you should re-plaster these walls to ensure there is a good surface for the tiles to stick to. Good luck if you have an odd shape bathroom with alcoves and odd slanted walls, you have a lot of cutting to do.
Planning Tips - setting out the room (if you want the tiles to have even cuts around the edge):
Corner / edge tip:
External corners you should always put edging strips on - they will not get chipped and have rough edges exposed then. When the tiling finishes on a wall area and an edge is exposed, use a proper edging strip, border tile or glazed edge tile to prevent rough edges.
Money saving tip:
Ok, you may laugh at this one - but I am being serious here. Don't tile it! You can get just as much waterproof protection from waterproof paint like eggshell, and will have a cleaner finish that wont need re-grouting every so often or risk cracks etc.
Fix It Yourself. Your DIY guide to fixing and repairing in and around the home. This DIY guide is written with the novice in mind, but if in doubt of your skills you should seek advice from a qualified person. Most of these things I have tackled myself over the years and have gained hands on experience in fixing things myself. I normally try to have a go at fixing something myself before I call in the professionals, but as soon as I realise I am out of my league - I call in the boys!