- 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.
Replacing Killeen builder tubs and fiberglass surrounds with real tile
A large portion of the homes across Killeen, from established neighborhoods near Fort Cavazos to the newer additions on the north and west sides of town, were built on concrete slabs with one-piece fiberglass shower units or builder-grade surrounds. Over time, those inserts flex under your feet, crack around the drain, or develop stains in the gel coat that will not scrub out. When water gets past the seams or cracks, it sits against the framing studs and drywall where you cannot see it until the baseboards outside the bathroom start swelling or the drywall gets soft.
Replacing that plastic shell with custom tile fixes the structure of the room for good. If you want a fresh tub surround, tub surround tile work is $2,000 flat. If you are tearing out a tub to build a walk-in shower or rebuilding an existing shower stall from the concrete up, every room is a little different, so call us for a straight quote. We pull the old stall, inspect the wood studs for moisture damage, square up the framing if it is out of plumb, and build a rigid, water-tight enclosure that stands up to daily family use and heavy turnover.
Waterproofing behind the tile and setting a solid base
Tile and grout are not waterproof on their own. Grout absorbs moisture, and water will migrate through the joints every time the shower runs. If you screw standard drywall or plain cement board to the wall without a continuous sealed barrier, moisture soaks into the studs and rots the framing. We treat the waterproofing as the most critical part of the entire build. We install sealed waterproof backer boards or bonded membrane systems on the walls, making sure every fastener penetration, corner seam, and joint gets taped and sealed tight.
- Solid waterproof backer boards sealed at every seam, corner, and screw head so moisture cannot reach the wood framing.
- Custom mortar beds pitched at one quarter inch per foot toward the drain to keep water moving off the floor pan.
- Integrated drain assemblies clamped and sealed into the pan liner to stop leaks under the concrete slab.
- Water-tested curbs and thresholds built solid so door tracks and glass panels anchor without breaking the seal.
Symmetrical wall layout, plumb corners, and clean ceiling cuts
A shower can have high-end tile, but if the layout is off by an inch, your eye goes straight to the mistake. We do not walk into a bathroom and start sticking full tiles in a bottom corner without a plan. We measure the full height and width of every wall, calculate where the cuts land, and center the work. That keeps you from ending up with an ugly sliver of tile against the back corner or a narrow sliver tucked right along the ceiling line.
Slab homes can settle, and wall studs in residential construction are rarely straight or plumb. Before the first piece of porcelain, ceramic, or marble goes up, we check the framing with long levels. If the wall bows in the middle, we shim or float the substrate flat so the tile faces stay flush without lippage. Where the field tile ends on an outside wall, we finish the edge with clean satin or brass profiles, or we set matching bullnose pieces so there are no raw, unglazed edges exposed in the room.
Built-in niches, shelves, and sloped shower curbs
The details inside the shower box determine whether the stall stays clean or collects standing water. We build recessed storage niches directly into the stud cavities so you have a dedicated spot for soap and bottles without crowding your elbow room. Every shelf and niche sill gets set with a slight outward slope, about one eighth of an inch, so water naturally runs forward back into the shower instead of sitting in the back corners and growing mildew on the grout joints.
The curb where you step into the shower needs the same attention. A curb must be completely solid underfoot and properly waterproofed across the top and sides. We pitch the top cap inward toward the pan slightly so any overspray from the shower head rolls right back to the drain instead of pooling under your glass door. We work with all tile types from the Temple supply house, including large porcelain panels, handmade zellige, natural marble, terrazzo, and intricate mosaic sheets, fitting them cleanly around every inside corner, outside curb, and recessed niche.
The installation process from the first measure to the final cleanup
Genaro Merlan runs Merlan's Tile, and the same people who look at your bathroom and quote your project are the exact tradesmen who show up with the tools to do the work. We begin by coming out to your home, looking at the room, measuring the actual space, and discussing what you want to achieve with the layout. You can supply your own tile, or you can come with us down to the supply house in Temple to pick out the exact field tile, accent mosaics, and trim profiles you want installed.
Once materials are ready, we pull the old walls, haul the debris out, prep the plumbing rough-in, and build the substrate. After the waterproof system is fully ready, we mix the proper thinset mortar, set the tiles with consistent joint spacing, and let the mortar cure completely before grouting. We pack the grout joints full, wash the faces clean, seal the joints, caulk all changes of plane with color-matched flexible sealant, and sweep up the room. Every installation carries our written one-year limited labor warranty from the date of completion, covering issues arising from the original installation.