FAQs
- What types of customers have you worked with?
I install kitchen backsplashes over granite slab decks, I install mortared tile kitchen decks and vanities. I float mortar walls and and set tile on tub surrounds and shower stalls. I install floor tile up to 20 x 20. I am setting a lot of glass mosiacs currently. I can clad over existing brick fireplace to change the look to marble, stone or tile. No job is too small. I clean old grout, touch up missing grout and seal grout and various types of stone. I use high quality sealers to help maintain the beautiful look of a job. I an stain grout with an epoxy colorant to completely change the look of an installation. I re-caulk various areas in a home.
- Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?
I recently tiled an entire master bath shower to the ceiling, vanity splashes, tub surround with gold-veined crackled glass. There was an intriguing granite accent placed in the walls to match the granite pan tiles. The decks were all granite slabs, installed by others, which matched the glass tiles. The general builder wants the homeowner to submit before and after pictures to home and garden magazines. The floors are made of sturdy ceramic tiles that look like travertine without the needed maintenance or softness of stone. The customer was so happy with the job, she sent me a card months later thanking me.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Make sure you get 3 recent references and one reference over 5 years old before deciding on a tile company. Make sure they are licensed. Ask how long they have been setting tile. Try to see pictures of their work. If you have a shower installation, ask them how they treat the drain before and during an installation. If you have a kitchen deck to install, ask them if they use real mortar or cement board under the tile (real mortar is much better). Ask them what material they use to attach the V-cap outer trim to their vanities and kitchen decks (thin set is problematic here). If it's a floor ask them which thin set product they will use (be sure it is premium thinset). If it is large format floor tile (16 x 16 or larger, ask them which size knotched trowel they will use to set the tiles (to get a flatter smoother floor, you want a large knotched trowel, even though it uses more thinset).