TIPS/FAQ's
Answers to some of the most common questions.
A: Ask if they can bond your floor tile to plywood or osb. If the answer is yes, then run. We see too many failures of flooring due to this type of installation. Failure can start with the grout cracking, then once the grout is removed, the whole tile(s) will come up by hand in one piece. Always bond floor tile to concrete or cement backerboard.
A: Take note of where the contractor started. Did they start in one corner and work their way out of the room? Did they leave small pieces in the doorway, along the longest wall, or other conspicuous areas? While starting in the middle of a room is not always bad, with a little pre-planning the contractor may find that they can start at the door(most visible area) with a whole piece an finish under a cabinet with a smaller piece, thus maximizing visual appeal in the most obvious areas.
A: Make sure the contractor uses a redundant waterproofing system. For example, the shower curb area not only has a shower pan membrane applied to the two by fours of which it was constructed, but before the tile is bonded on the cement of the curb, a secondary membrane is applied.
A: To be honest, there is no quick fix. In many cases, the backerboard underlayment was fastened down improperly and due to foot traffic the tile has worked loose. Or, not enough water was mixed with the thinset used to bond the tile, and the tile/thinset bond never occurred. Regrouting usually will not fix the problem. We find that as we cut the grout out, that the tiles are just laying on top of the floor like pancakes.
A: It is not that one can't find good tile at the local home improvement center. The problem is that if one doesn't know what they are looking for, then they can end up with material failure down the road. Be careful with the $1 per square foot deals. Is the tile 1/4" thick or is it 3/16 to 3/8"? Is it rated for floors? Can they get you more if you need it in the same shade of color. Tile specialty companies may be able to get you additional tile months or even years later if you need more, whereas a home improvement center may not(probably can't).
A: There are many reasons why? First is XYZ insured? Can you find them if something goes wrong? Do they include the thinset and grout in their price. Will they plan out the floor to eliminate small cut pieces? Is this their full time business? Typically those kinds of prices are only seen in commercial work where there are many thousands of square feet involved. Take a look in your local chain restaurant bathroom at the tile. We always do. Look at the small cut pieces everywhere, uneven tile, crooked grout lines. That is what we call "commercial work" at "commercial prices". It is your home. Tile is expensive. You get what you pay for.