- Tub surround tile work: $2,000 flat.
- Kitchen backsplash tile work: $1,000 flat, labor.
- Tile floors: $3 per square foot labor, or $2 per square foot labor on jobs of 2,000 square feet or more.
Showers, floors and tub surrounds we set in Austin houses
Most of the tile work we see in Austin is showers, tub surrounds, backsplashes, and floors. Showers take the most time because of the waterproofing and the slope. We bond a membrane to the walls and pan, then set the tile. Porcelain and ceramic are common, but people also pick zellige, marble, terrazzo, and mosaic. Edge profiles in brass or satin finish the outside corners. On a tub surround the work is $2,000 flat. Everything else gets a straight quote after we look at the room. Floors need layout so the grout lines run straight to the door and the cuts hide under cabinets.
Cuts around the shower valve and the niches take patience. We dry lay a few rows on the floor first so you see the pattern before thinset goes down. Grout color gets chosen after the tile is up so it matches. We seal the grout on marble and zellige because those stones drink water. Cleanup means scraping haze, vacuuming the dust, and hauling the old tile if we demoed. Thresholds at the bathroom door are set in the same visit most of the time. Call (512) 297-7493 or email info@merlanstile.com when you are ready for us to look.
Pier and beam versus slab substrates in Austin tile jobs
The substrate question changes house to house in Austin. A 1930s bungalow usually sits on pier and beam. Those floors can have bounce. We walk the room and feel for deflection before we talk tile. If the joists move too much the tile will crack later. Sometimes we add plywood or a cement board overlay to stiffen it. New build condos sit on concrete slab most of the time. The slab can be out of level. We check with a straightedge and may use a self leveling underlayment so the tile sits flat. Vinyl plank is another option if the floor will not take tile.
- Check deflection on pier and beam before setting porcelain
- Level a condo slab with underlayment when the straightedge shows gaps
- Cement board over plywood on a bungalow floor that needs stiffness
- Thresholds and reducers where tile meets vinyl plank or carpet
Driving south on I-35 from Killeen to look at Austin tile jobs
Austin is the far end of our run south on I-35 in Travis County. We start from Killeen. You call the shop at (512) 297-7493. We discuss the house, whether it is a bungalow or a condo, and what room needs tile. After that we arrange a time to drive down and look at the room and measure the actual space. The people who come to measure are the ones who will set the tile later. That is how we keep the quote honest. No one else handles your job.
Once we have numbers from the tape we give you the quote. You pick the tile next, either from boxes you already have or at the Temple supply house. Then we schedule the install days on the phone. A typical shower in Austin tends to run several days because the membrane has to cure and the slope has to be right. Floor work on a slab usually goes quicker. We set, grout, seal and clean up. We do not leave debris. You get the written warranty when we finish.
Tile you pick at Temple and the set grout seal steps on an Austin job
Customer picks the tile. It can be zellige, marble, porcelain, ceramic, terrazzo or mosaic. We buy it out of the Temple supply house if you do not bring your own. Brass and satin edge profiles finish the exposed edges. After the measure we plan the layout. On floors we snap lines so grout runs true. Cuts around pipes, toilets and cabinets get made with a wet saw. In showers the walls get the membrane first, then tile from the bottom up. Thinset coverage has to be full so nothing sounds hollow.
After the tile sets we grout the joints. We choose grout that fits the tile and the use. Marble and some mosaics get sealed. Cleanup happens the same day we grout and again when we are done. We take the waste. Thresholds, reducers and stair nose go in where the tile meets another floor. The job is finished when the room is clean and you have the warranty paper. Call for a straight quote on showers, floors or any other tile work in Austin. Every house is different so we look first.
Labor warranty that comes with tile we install in Austin
Every installation carries a written one-year limited labor warranty from the date of completion. It covers issues arising from the original installation. It does not cover materials those fall under the manufacturer's own warranty and does not cover modifications made after the installation is complete. If grout cracks because we left a gap, we repair it. If you decide to add a bench later, that is outside the warranty. We put it in writing so there is no confusion.
Genaro Merlan stands behind the labor. The same crew quotes and installs so they know what they promised. For work in Austin we plan the trips so we are not running back and forth. Most of the time the on site work for a floor is a few days. A full shower with waterproofing and niches takes longer. You can reach us at info@merlanstile.com or the phone number if something comes up inside that year. We come look if there is a problem from our installation.