- 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.
Clearing the room and establishing a clear path from the door
Before the start date, take everything out of the room that is not bolted down. If we are setting a bathroom floor or tiling a shower, remove all rugs, trash cans, bath mats, shower curtains, hanging mirrors, and toiletries from the counters and ledges. Small items left in vanity cabinets can vibrate loose during floor demolition, so emptying drawers and shelves helps prevent broken glassware. In a kitchen where we are installing a backsplash, move small appliances, knife blocks, spice racks, and paper towel holders completely off the countertops and store them in another room so the substrate is bare.
We also need a direct, unobstructed walking route between your front door or garage entry and the room where the tile goes. Our crew carries heavy loads, including fifty-pound bags of mortar, boxes of dense porcelain or marble, backer boards, and large buckets of water. Take down pictures, frames, and low-hanging wall decor along tight hallways so nothing gets bumped as we carry wide boards and heavy toolboxes inside. Roll up hallway runners and entry rugs so nobody trips while carrying materials. Moving fragile tables, floor lamps, and entryway benches out of the main hallway prevents accidental scratches or drops.
Parking arrangements, outdoor water, and power requirements
Tile setting requires quick access to our truck and equipment throughout the working day. Setting up a wet saw, bringing in cutting tables, and carrying heavy materials back and forth takes dozens of trips. Having a clear driveway space right next to the walkway allows us to work efficiently and keeps heavy bags of thinset out of the dirt. We also need access to a functional outdoor spigot to connect our wash buckets and water lines for the saw. Mixing thinset and washing grout sponges requires fresh, clean water multiple times during the job.
- Park family vehicles on the street so our work truck can back up close to the garage or main entrance for unloading.
- Make sure an exterior water hose bib is turned on and accessible without locked gates or overgrown bushes blocking the valve.
- Point out dedicated electrical outlets on twenty-amp circuits that can handle our wet saw and heavy mortar mixing drills.
- Keep outdoor side gates unlocked if our saw staging area or waste bins are set up in your backyard.
Dust expectations and how debris gets handled on site
Tear-out and tile cutting generate fine airborne dust. While our wet saws use water to catch most ceramic and porcelain slurry, dry cuts on backer board, grinding rough concrete high spots, and chipping out old mortar inevitably release dust into the air. We take care to mask off adjacent doorways with plastic sheeting and cover return air grilles in the immediate work zone, but you should still cover sensitive electronics or soft furniture in adjacent open-concept spaces. Turning off the central HVAC system while we do active demolition helps stop dust from circulating into bedrooms.
Old tile, rusted wire lath, broken cement board, and vinyl scraps create heavy, sharp debris that cannot go into standard household garbage bins. We gather tear-out rubble into heavy-duty contractor bags and stack old materials in a designated staging area, usually inside your garage or in an agreed spot on the driveway. After the installation is finished, we clean up our tools, vacuum the room, wipe down surfaces, and remove our scrap buckets so the workspace is neat. What remains is your finished tile, grouted, sealed, and ready for you to enjoy.
Handling pets, children, and scheduling bathroom downtime
Tile work involves sharp cut edges, heavy power tools, extension cords running across floors, and open buckets of chemical setting compounds. For safety, keep dogs, cats, and small children completely out of the installation zone and off the main walking paths. Pets can easily step in wet thinset, track gray mortar across clean carpet, or run through an open exterior door while tools are being unloaded. Crate your pets in a quiet bedroom on the opposite side of the house or make boarding arrangements for the loudest demolition days.
If we are working on a bathroom, plan ahead for which fixture stays in service for your family. Setting a floor or a shower surround takes that space completely offline for the duration of the work and through the drying cycle. Tub surround tile work is $2,000 flat, and the tub cannot be used for bathing while backer boards are mounted, waterproof membranes cure, and grout sets up. Wet mortar requires adequate curing time before anyone walks across the floor or steps onto thresholds. Walking on freshly set tiles too early shifts the leveling clips, breaks the bond with the substrate, and causes uneven edges called lippage.
Having tile on site and verifying box counts before day one
Tile should be on site, stored flat inside the house, and counted well before our crew arrives. Tile is bought out of the Temple supply house, so what the customer picks is what gets set. When you pick up your material or have it delivered, check the dye lots stamped on the side of every single box to ensure the color and finish match across the entire order. Inspect the boxes for broken corners or cracked pieces, especially with fragile ceramic, handmade zellige, or large porcelain slabs. You should always have roughly ten to fifteen percent extra material over the measured room area to cover cuts, waste, and pattern layout.
Have your matching trims, brass or satin edge profiles, and transition pieces sitting with the tile boxes so we can dry-lay the room layout accurately on morning one. Genaro Merlan and our crew handle the installation from start to finish, and the same people who quote the job are the people who do the job. Every installation carries a written one-year limited labor warranty from the date of completion, covering issues from the original installation work. Every room is different, so for custom showers, kitchens, or flooring across Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Nolanville, Belton, Temple, Salado, Georgetown, Round Rock, Waco, and Austin, call us for a straight quote.