- 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 Fiberglass Tub Units in Killeen Homes
Many houses built around Killeen between the 1970s and the 2000s came standard with one-piece or multi-piece fiberglass tub surrounds. Over time, those plastic walls dull, crack near the valve, or pull away from the drywall behind them. Water gets past the seams, softens the framing, and creates hidden mildew. Replacing that thin plastic with real tile gives the room solid backing, clean grout lines, and a rigid surface that does not flex every time someone leans against the wall.
Whether you live near Fort Cavazos and manage a rental that sees frequent tenant turnover, or you own a home in a newer subdivision on the north side, the bathroom walls take constant punishment. Slab on grade foundations common to Bell County keep the ground floor solid, but bathroom framing still shifts with seasonal moisture changes. Our tub surround tile work is $2,000 flat. We strip the space down to the studs so the new wall starts on true, plumb surfaces instead of covering up old damage.
Steps Involved in a Full Tub Surround Installation
A lasting tile installation depends entirely on what sits behind the finished surface. If the framing is crooked or the moisture barrier is skipped, the tile will crack or pop loose down the road. We handle the tear-out, board installation, waterproofing, and tile setting ourselves from start to finish. You deal directly with the person doing the actual labor in your bathroom.
- Removing the existing fiberglass surround, old tile, or damaged wallboard down to bare studs.
- Checking the tub flange, leveling framing members, and mounting rigid backer board.
- Applying a continuous bonded waterproof membrane across all wet zones and screw heads.
- Setting field tile, wrapping inside corners, installing edge trim, and sealing the tub deck.
Waterproofing and Substrate Preparation Over the Tub Flange
Water runs down the walls of a tub surround continuously, which makes the joint where the wall meets the tub deck the most critical point of the entire assembly. A standard fiberglass tub has an upturned lip called a tiling flange. The backer board must sit just above this flange rather than resting on the deck where it can wick water upward. We install cement backer board or high-density foam panels, fasten them with corrosion-resistant screws, and mesh-tape every seam before liquid or sheet waterproofing goes on.
We then apply a continuous bonded waterproof membrane across the entire board surface, paying extra attention to the corners, the fastener penetrations, and the pipe cutouts for the mixing valve and shower head. In our Central Texas climate, humidity inside an enclosed bathroom stays high long after the shower turns off. A bonded waterproof membrane keeps moisture from ever reaching the wood studs, preventing dry rot and protecting the structural framing inside your wall cavity.
Setting Field Tile, Straight Courses, and Clean Corners
Once the substrate is flat, plumb, and waterproofed, we lay out the field tile to avoid awkward narrow slivers in the corners or along the ceiling. We check the tub deck for level across its full length, because slab movement or settling framing can leave the tub slightly off kilter. We establish a level baseline for the first row of tile, keeping the horizontal grout lines running straight across the back wall and both side returns.
Corners require careful attention because house framing is rarely square. We cut each piece to fit the specific angle of the corner, maintaining a consistent expansion gap that gets filled with flexible sealant rather than rigid grout. Along the outer exposed edges where the tile meets your painted drywall, we finish the run cleanly using matching bullnose tile or metal edge profiles in satin or brass finishes. If you want a built-in recessed niche for soap and shampoo bottles, we frame and waterproof the box so the bottom shelf slopes slightly toward the tub, allowing water to drain naturally instead of sitting in puddles.
Grout Selection and Flexible Sealant at the Tub Deck
After the thinset mortar cures, we pack the joints with dense grout to lock the tiles firmly in place. You can choose from standard ceramic, porcelain, natural marble, zellige, terrazzo, or mosaic tile options. You pick your material out from the supply house in Temple, or supply your own boxes, and that is exactly what we install on your walls. Once the grout sets, we wash the face of the tile clean to eliminate haze and leave a smooth, uniform surface across every wall.
The final step is sealing the perimeter. Grout should never be applied at the change of planes, especially where the bottom row of tile meets the horizontal deck of the tub. Movement between the tub and the wall will cause hard grout to crack and crumble within months. We fill that bottom joint, as well as the vertical inside corners, with a flexible sealant matched to your grout color. This flexible barrier expands and contracts as the tub fills with water and empties, preventing leaks and keeping the joint watertight for years to come.