Tile is the last thing we do.
The same bathroom, built by two different contractors, can look almost identical the day they're finished. Five years later, only one still looks perfect.
The difference is the part you'll never see. Flat, plumb, and square. Tile can only be as straight as what it's sitting on. Perfect prep makes for a flawless tile installation.
Waterproofing is not just a coat of something on the walls, but a system planned for function. The shower pan is sloped properly. Floors are prepped so they don't flex or crack. Layouts are planned in advance.
What a rushed install looks like a few years in: a cracked grout line, a corner starting to darken, a loose tile. Look at the grout. Cracked, crumbling, or stained dark.
The prep work may disappear behind the tile, but the feel of a perfect installation never does.
Can you tile over tile?
Could we? Yes. But installing tile over tile generally is not the right way to do things. Our preference is to remove the existing material and start over from scratch.
Tile can only be as straight as what it's sitting on. Starting from the studs and subfloor is how we get surfaces flat, plumb and square, and how the waterproofing becomes a system instead of a coat of something on the walls.
Pick the grout after the tile is up.
Clients don't need to pick grout up front. In our process, we recommend getting the tile up first, because it changes the feel of the room. Then we bring all the grout colors in and help you make the best choice with the real tile on the wall.
What looks good in the showroom doesn't always serve the space once the tile is installed.
Choosing the tile.
We can guide you through the search process or set up a planning session with one of our trusted designers. Once your selections are finalized, we order all materials and select a start date. Materials are ordered and on site before we begin.
Vision and feel come first. Selections at the showroom are the easy part once the vision is clear.