- 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.
What the floor or wall needs before tile goes on
Tile does not flex. Whatever you set it on has to be flat and solid. On a concrete slab we check for cracks and level. On a wood subfloor we look for bounce. A floor that moves will crack grout and break tile. On walls we want the studs straight and the backing board installed tight. Cement board or a foam board made for tile, screwed off at six inches on center. Joints get taped and mudded. No gaps, no soft spots.
If the substrate is wrong the tile job fails. That is not a tile problem. That is a prep problem. We tell you what we find before we start. Sometimes the old tile has to come out first. Sometimes we can set over it if the surface is sound and clean. We measure the room and look at the actual space. Then we tell you what needs to happen. The same people who quote the job are the people who do the job.
Picking the tile material
You have choices and each one behaves differently. Here is what we see most often in Killeen and the surrounding towns.
You pick the tile. We buy it out of the Temple supply house. What you pick is what gets set. You can bring your own or come with us to look at stock. We do not substitute a different lot number without telling you.
- Porcelain. Hard, dense, low water absorption. Good for floors and wet areas. It cuts clean and holds up.
- Ceramic. Softer than porcelain. Fine for walls and backsplashes. Watch the glaze on floors.
- Marble. Natural stone. It scratches and stains. You seal it and you maintain it. Looks good but it works for it.
- Zellige. Handmade clay tile. Uneven surface, slight color variation. The grout lines matter a lot with this one.
- Terrazzo. Chips of stone set in cement or resin. Durable. Shows wear over time.
- Mosaic. Small tiles on a mesh sheet. Slower to set. More cuts. More grout lines to keep clean.
Layout and where the cuts land
The way tile is laid out decides how the room looks. We start from the most visible wall or the center of the room. Full tiles at the doorway. Cut tiles at the back wall or under the vanity where nobody stares. On a shower we line up the grout joints with the niche and the bench. You do not want a sliver cut running down the corner.
We talk through the layout before we set anything. Running bond, straight stack, diagonal, herringbone. Each pattern wastes a different amount of tile. We tell you how much extra to buy. For a tub surround the work is $2,000 flat. That covers layout, setting, grout, seal and cleanup. Material is separate. You buy the tile and we set it.
Waterproofing in showers and wet areas
A shower that leaks rots the wall behind it. We use a bonded waterproofing membrane on the walls and the floor pan. The membrane goes on after the backer board and before the tile. It rolls on with a paint roller or goes down as a sheet. Corners and penetrations get a fabric reinforcement. No gaps. No thin spots.
The shower floor slopes a quarter inch per foot to the drain. That is standard. The pan is a separate pour or a preformed foam base. The curb gets waterproofed the same way. A bench or a niche gets the same treatment. Water runs downhill and the membrane catches anything that gets past the tile and grout. That is the only way to build a shower that stays dry inside the wall.
Grout and what to expect
Grout fills the space between tiles. It is not waterproof. It is porous. It will darken over time. Sanded grout for joints wider than an eighth inch. Unsanded for tight joints. Epoxy grout does not stain as easy but it sets up fast and is harder to work with. We use what fits the tile and the use of the room.
We seal the grout after it cures. That buys you some time before it needs resealing. On a floor or a shower we recommend sealing every year or two. On a backsplash it lasts longer because it does not see standing water. Grout cracks sometimes. A hairline crack in a warm room with a concrete slab is not unusual. We cover that under the written one year limited labor warranty. The warranty covers issues from the original installation. It does not cover materials or changes you make after we finish.
Living with the finished work
Tile is hard and cold underfoot. That is the nature of it. On a floor you put down a rug or you wear slippers. On a shower wall you squeegee the glass after you wash. Soap scum builds up on tile and grout. A mild cleaner and a soft brush is all you need. No bleach. No acid. No wire brushes.
The edges of the tile need a profile. Brass or satin. That finishes the exposed edge where tile meets drywall or where a floor meets carpet. We install those as part of the job. Reducers, stair nose, thresholds for vinyl plank and tile. They keep the transition clean and protect the edge of the tile from chipping. Call us for a straight quote on your job. We work out of Killeen and go as far as Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Nolanville, Belton, Temple, Salado, Georgetown, Round Rock, Waco and Austin.