- 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.
How We Work in Temple
We measure the actual shower space first. That is the only way to know what the walls are doing and where the studs land. The same person who walks through your bathroom with a tape measure is the person who sets the tile. We buy our tile out of the supply house here in Temple, so when you pick a tile on the shelf, that is the exact material that goes on your wall. You can bring your own tile too. We grout it, seal it, and clean up the dust before we leave.
Temple has houses from different eras. An older house near downtown might have walls that are not perfectly square. A new build on the west side usually has straighter studs but sometimes has thin backer board. Either way, we work with what is there. We do not tear out the old shower or move plumbing. We set tile on the substrate that is ready and make sure the waterproofing is solid behind it.
What Goes Into a Shower Tile Wall
The tile you see is the finished face. What you do not see is the waterproofing layer, the backer board, and the framing that holds it all. We set the tile so the cuts land where nobody stares at them. That means the full tiles go at eye level and the skinny cuts end up in a corner or behind the shower door. The ceiling course gets handled the same way so the gap at the top is even.
- Waterproofing behind the tile keeps moisture from getting into the wall cavity
- Layout is planned so cuts land in corners or low down, not in the middle of your sight line
- Corners get a gap for movement and get caulked instead of grouted so they do not crack
- The curb is pitched slightly so water runs back into the pan instead of onto the bathroom floor
- Niches are framed into the wall and waterproofed before tile goes in
- The wall meets the pan with a clean transition and no gap for water to sneak through
Tub Surrounds in Temple
If you have a tub and want tile around it, that work is $2,000 flat. That price covers the tile work on a standard tub surround. It does not include the tile itself or the tub. We measure the space, you pick the tile, and we set it. The same waterproofing and layout rules apply. The tile goes up to the ceiling or to a height we agree on. The edge where the tile stops gets finished with a profile piece so it looks intentional.
This is a common job in Temple because a lot of the houses here have tubs. An old tub surround with painted drywall or a fiberglass insert can be replaced with tile. We set the backer board, waterproof the seams, and lay the tile in a pattern that works with the size of the space. The cuts around the tub spout and the shower valve get measured carefully so the trim fits flush.
Materials We Set in Showers
Zellige, marble, porcelain, ceramic, terrazzo, and mosaic. Each one has its own handling. Zellige is hand made and has slight variation in size and color. Marble is soft and needs a sealer. Porcelain is dense and holds up well in a shower. Mosaic sheets come on a mesh and we cut them as a sheet, not tile by tile. We carry brass and satin edge profiles to finish the outside corners and the edges where the tile stops.
You pick the material. We set it. We do not push one kind over another. If you are not sure what works for a shower, we can tell you how each one behaves with water and soap scum. But the choice is yours. The supply house in Temple has a showroom where you can see the tile in person. We can meet you there.
The Written Warranty
Every shower tile installation comes with a written one year limited labor warranty from the date we finish. It covers problems that come from the original installation. If a tile pops loose because the substrate was not flat or the grout crumbles because it was mixed wrong, we fix it. The warranty does not cover the tile material itself. That is between you and the manufacturer. It also does not cover changes you make after the job is done, like drilling into the tile to hang a shelf.
Call us for a straight quote on shower tile. We look at the room, tell you what the work involves, and give you a number. No pressure. The phone number is (512) 297-7493. The email is info@merlanstile.com.