Installation Won’t Screw Up If You Won’t Do These When Hiring A Tile Installer
On paper, installing tile sounds simple. In reality, that’s quite different. It’s actually pretty easy to mess up a tile job, especially if you’ve never done one before. The main problem is that any installation mistakes are very hard to fix without removing all evidence of your progress and starting over from scratch. As a result, you’re better off finding a professional to install your tile for you. Here are some tips from tile installers dallas on how to do just that.
photo/ pexels user Burst
Don’t Ask a General Handyman to Do The Job For You
While a general handyman or contractor is good at doing everything from light carpentry to simple repairs, he or she probably doesn’t have the required amount of experience with tile. In order to expertly install tile, you need to have around three years of practice and a good track record of installing it on both walls and floors.
Be Wary of Asking the Salespeople at Big Box Stores
It’s easy to think that the people who work at large home improvement stores have a list of go-to tile installation experts available at their fingertips. This isn’t true at all. They mostly deal with customers like you all day, not contractors. Instead, you’re better off going to a tile showroom or specialty tile store to see if they have any recommendations. Most of the contractors purchase tile through them, not the big box stores, so they have the relationships that you need.
Make Sure That Your Installer Is Licensed and Insured
You never want to take the tile installers word for it, or just assume that he or she is fully certified, licensed, insured, and the whole nine yards. Do your research. There’s the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) and the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) that you can check with. The first is an organization that most professionals belong to, while the latter provides plenty of training. On top of this, you can check with your state or county (depending on where you live) to ensure that your chosen professional has met all of the requirements.
Ask Plenty of Questions
Never be afraid to speak up and ask questions. A good contractor will be glad to answer them for you. If he or she seems wary of responding or brushes off your questions, find someone else to do the job.
Get a Written Estimate
Finally, you need to get a written estimate before you sign on the dotted line. While this is just an estimate and won’t account for any major issues that may arise with your subfloor, you need to have this document in hand when you hire your tile installer. Otherwise, you might end up paying far more than you planned for the job. The estimate should also include a time frame. Make sure that yours does.
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Author: Joe T.
