How to hire a Qualified Tile Installer.

Is the tile installer you hired doing it right?

Hiring a tile installer can present challenges.

You want to bring your vision to life. Most probably, you're looking for a ceramic tile installation professional who will take the beautiful tiles you painstakingly selected and transform them into the floors or walls of your dream-come-true space. As visual as tile is, when it's installed it also needs to be functional. 

Evaluating experience and knowledge can be difficult if you're not in the tile installation business day-in and day-out. And when you aren't sure, it's easy to fall back on using the lowest price or bid to evaluate who to hire which brings its own set of problems.

In this guide, we'll explain what to look for, so you hire a qualified installer who will bring that vision to life.

For your tile installation project, you want someone who has experience and knowledge of how to install tile correctly, without taking shortcuts, while ensuring that the final installation looks beautiful and performs as it should long after that installer is gone, someone with the proper skill level to do it right the first time.

You want to hire a Master Tile Setter or Tile Install Professional.

Step 1 - Find at least 3 local Tile installer to interview

You want to understand who will be doing the work and how they will be doing it. The tile installer you hire should welcome your questions and the opportunity to demonstrate his or her qualifications.

Step 2 - 10 questions to ask your candidates

1. Is my home structurally adequate for tile?

Answer-

1. I will check the wood floor deflection/ bounce

2. I will check the concrete floor for cracks. Is it fresh concrete?

( fresh concrete will crack- needs decoupling membrane)

2. Who will actually be the one installing my tile?

Answer. -

I will or I employ highly qualified tile setters that I have tested to make sure they do quality work and I personally inspect the work at every stage of the job.

3. What will be installed under the tile?

Answer-

A decoupling membrane such as Ditra/ Prova/ Protegga

4. Do you use scratch coat?

Answer-

We do not use scratch coat under any circumstances it has a high failure rate.

5. What about my existing floor?

Answer-

We will remove it and prep the subfloor for the new tiles.

6. Can you tile over my existing tiles?

Answer-

Never. This adds weight to your floor and the new tiles cannot bond properly.

7. Does the installer use a leveling system?

Answer-

This one depends on the installer but most do these days

8. What do you suggest for the transition from the new floor to the adjacent floor?

Answer-

There are different options and styles I can show you.

9. If this is a shower how will you waterproof it to guarantee no leaks?

Answer –

1. We use the Schluter or Weidi Shower system ( Good- but expensive)

2. We use Schluter or Prova base , Cement board for walls, Kerdi strips in the corners and everything gets coated with Mapei Aqua Defence water proofing membrane ( Best and budget friendly/ multiple layers of protection.)

10. Can I see some detailed pictures of your work?

Answer-

Of course. We are very proud of our work.

Step 3 - Insure you have a written agreement or contract

True Qualified Tile Installers will follow up with a written agreement.

Detail selections and design options.  

If you have any detail work in mind, require that the contractor provide a mockup (a physical example of the tile shade variation, pattern if specified, grout color, grout joint size, and color-coordinating sealant).

If you have tile with extreme color variation (i.e., V4), be certain that all parties understand the variations. A mockup helps here, too.

In the tile world, mockups should be used as a tool by the tile contractor to obtain the approval of the owner and possibly also the architect, designer, and general contractor - all important specifier constituents for the end project. 

Establishing how the finished tile installation will appear before the work begins is a wise choice which can save time and money. A mockup can consist of photos, digital renderings, an installed board or simply laying out a box of the tile on the floor to see the range of color and texture.

Set expectations for the tile installation project.

The written agreement sets expectations for payment as well as for scheduling. Make sure there's an allowance for changes and that you have a reasonable completion date. 

If the completion date is exceeded, what provisions are in place to handle the delay and who will pay for the extra work?