- 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.
Builder bathroom upgrades along Interstate 14 and US 190
Many houses in Harker Heights sit on higher, rolling ground east of Killeen. These newer subdivisions feature larger floor plans, but builders often put basic, thin ceramic tile on the bathroom walls and shower enclosures. After three to five years, homeowners notice cracked grout along the corners, loose soap dishes, or dull surfaces that do not match the rest of the house. We rip out those builder packages completely down to the bare framing. That gives us a chance to inspect the studs, repair hidden moisture damage, and put up proper waterproof backer board before setting new tile.
When we remodel a primary bathroom in Harker Heights, we walk the space with you to figure out what needs changing. Some homeowners want to pull out a drop-in tub and convert the entire footprint into a walk-in shower with a low curb or a built-in bench. Others keep the original tub framing and simply want a fresh look with modern tile running all the way to the ceiling. Tub surround tile work is $2,000 flat. For any other custom shower setup or floor layout, we come out, measure the room, and give you a straight quote.
Common tile materials and edge trims for Harker Heights homes
The tile you choose determines the thinset mortar, trowel notch size, and joint spacing we use on the job. We buy materials out of the Temple supply house, which means you get access to full commercial displays instead of picked-over retail shelves. You can meet us at the showroom to look at full cartons or bring your own tile directly to the job site. We work with standard porcelain, dense ceramics, and specialty stones that need careful handling. Every edge receives a clean factory finish or a metal trim profile so you never see rough, unglazed cut sides.
- Large porcelain slabs and ceramic planks set with tight, level grout lines.
- Handmade zellige wall tiles laid with uneven spacing to highlight their surface texture.
- Polished marble, natural mosaic sheets, and solid terrazzo for custom walk-in shower pans.
- Satin and brass metal edge profiles that protect outside corners and match your plumbing fixtures.
Substrate preparation and foundation movement on higher ground
Harker Heights sits on higher and hillier ground than central Killeen, and the soil shifts under the concrete slab foundations during seasonal wet and dry spells. When the foundation moves, a tile floor installed directly on bare concrete with standard glue can crack right across the room. We check the concrete slab with a long straightedge before we spread any mortar. If there are high spots, we grind them down flat. If there are low dips or hairline shrinkage cracks, we fill them and install an uncoupling membrane that isolates the tile layer from foundation tension.
Wall substrates require equal care. We never set tile directly over regular drywall in wet areas like showers or tub surrounds. We hang cement backer board or high-density foam boards, screw them off at proper intervals, tape the seams with alkali-resistant mesh, and apply a bonded waterproof membrane over the entire wet zone. In shower pans, we pack a sloped mortar bed pitched at one quarter of an inch per foot toward the drain so water drains away smoothly without puddling. Doing this preparation correctly keeps water out of your walls and prevents mold behind the tile.
Flooring transitions and vinyl plank installations
Larger homes in Harker Heights often feature wide open floor plans where the kitchen, dining room, and living areas flow together. When you change flooring materials from one room to the next, the transition between them needs to sit flush and stay secure under foot traffic. In addition to ceramic and porcelain tile floors, we install luxury vinyl plank and all the finishing pieces that tie the rooms together. We cut and anchor matching reducers, flush stair nose trims on step-downs, and durable thresholds that bridge the height difference between tile and adjoining carpet or hardwood.
A good floor installation comes down to layout and expansion gaps. Before we lay the first plank or tile, we snap chalk lines across the longest sightline in the house to make sure the cuts along the baseboards stay even and balanced on both sides of the room. We leave a clean expansion gap along every perimeter wall, door casing, and cabinet base so the material can expand and contract naturally without buckling. Once the floor is in place, we clean the surface thoroughly, install the transition pieces, and leave the job site ready to walk on.
How we estimate and schedule tile jobs from Killeen
Merlan's Tile operates out of Killeen, just minutes west of Harker Heights down Interstate 14. Because we are right next door, scheduling an on-site visit is straightforward. Genaro Merlan handles the job assessments personally. The same people who quote the job are the people who do the job, so nothing gets lost between the initial measurement and the installation. When we visit your home, we take real measurements of the square footage, check the condition of your subfloor or wall framing, talk through your tile choices, and provide a clear, straight quote for the labor.
Once we agree on the scope of work, we get your project on our schedule and help coordinate the material pickup from the supply house in Temple. We show up on time with the proper wet saws, mixing stations, levels, and protection for your home. We set the tile, let the mortar cure properly, fill the joints with grout, apply sealer where required, and clean up all our debris before we pack our tools. Every installation carries a written one-year limited labor warranty from the date of completion, covering issues arising from the original installation.