How we get a flush inset band.

In the short video below I explain how to mount a flush inset band. Usually the mosaic is thinner than the outside tile so you have to build out your band. You may be asking..."Can't you use more thin set?" The answer would be 'NO' because the mosaic comes on a webbing and if you put too much thin set in the space during installation it will push through the tile and make it impossible to grout. That's why we mount the mosaic on Kerdi fabric, so the extra thin set will not come through. I failed to explain this fact in the video. I'm working alone here so I had to do my own camera work so it may be a bit shaky. Not as if the camera work is better in our other videos :P I've been contemplating a GoPro so these things may get considerably better. Jason, give me some money would you?!

Enjoy the video.

How not to be one of the 80% of contractors that goes out of business!

I've been inspired by a lot of books over the last year regarding business and sales, but the crème de la crème would have to be "Markup and Profit" by Michael C. Stone. This book was recommended originally by fellow Atlanta tile guy Cain of "A tile Experience" but the real provocation came from @terribletilellc via Instagram. Can't recommend this book enough to any re modeler looking for a tried and true method of pricing jobs or generally running a business. I recognize my weakness in this area, so here we go, getting better.

The most shocking part of the book early on is that 90% of contractors are not charging enough for their work. So how do they make up for that and still profit? By cutting corners and quality or going out of business. Makes sense considering 80% of showers fail and 30% of new construction related businesses fail in the first year....90% within a 10 year cycle. We're not doing badly apparently, all things considered.

Lots of great stuff to consider and learn about.

It seems our website is having an impact, as well. Over 100 visitors last month, my largest audience to date. Hopefully, everyone is getting some value out of our site. This really is a labor of love and a way to organize my thoughts and separate ourselves in a positive way. I often times wonder if I'm accomplishing that goal. I figure if one person is able to prevent themselves from having a construction nightmare or if one person in the tile industry improves their knowledge (like I try to daily)...I've done some good.     Have a great weekend and I hope everyone is doing well. (Ben, your neighborhood tile guy)

The best plank tile job in the land.

This week we've been busy installing 1000sqft of large format 6"X39" plank faux wood tile. This floor has all the best properties of tile with the look of a wood floor. Don't let it fool you though, an exacting touch is required to install this material to a high standard. Every one of these tiles has full thin set coverage underneath, so none of it cracks or fails down the road. We ensure that by "back buttering" every single piece, using a large gauge trowel and installing expansion joints. We also start with a completely clean floor. Like always we rented a machine to clean sheet rock dust/globs, paint and any other carelessness from the other crews. If you want to save some money on your next floor installation, be sure to get your other crews to cover the floor so we don't have to go backwards. This concrete substrate was pretty flat so we didn't have to do to much prep, just some Mapei crack isolation we rolled on. That is the most important part of a large format tile installation...the flatness of the floor. Tile does not bend so every segment has to be regular...no dips, dives or bumps in the concrete. We also use the Lev-Tech leveling system to get a lip free installation. We have a video of the system for you to reference on this blog. Thissystem helps us get a floor that is smooth to the touch not just flashy to the eye. You can see what I'm talking about in the photos below. This isn't rocket science but it takes a bit of conscientiousness and a floor like this is extremely labor intensive. If you're looking for a flooring that will last the lifetime of your home, this is the way to go. These particular clients have Great Danes...so they're thinking for the future. We should finish this early next week, we'll give the thin set a week to set up and we will be grouting with Mapei's Flexcolor single component grout. This floor will truly be maintenance free...Would you spend a little more money on a flooring that you never have to mess with again?

How to find a qualified tile guy.

I've been fielding a lot of calls lately asking about how to find a good tile guy. I'd love to do all the tile work in the world, but it's not possible! Obviously, there is a void in the market for conscientious, skilled, responsive tile installers and they are hard to find by 'word of mouth' This business is more than just labor, you're buying the whole horse, so be sure that horse can RUN!

So, how do you find a great (not good) Tile installer....two simple questions when interviewing a tile guy.

"Do you reference the TCNA manual?"

"Are you a CERTIFIED TILE INSTALLER?"

What is the TCNA manual? The TCNA (Tile Council of North America)  manual is a 450 page reference book that standardizes the tile industry.  It is the rule book for all tile installers. In my experience most tile guys don't even know what it is. If you're talking to one of those guys and you have a technical project, turn him around and walk him out the door because chances are you're dealing with the 'fly by night' type.

A Certified Tile installer has had his or her skills tested by a live evaluator and has taken a 150 question written test verifying their knowledge of ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards. This test is EXTREMELY difficult so you can be guaranteed the tile installer will use building methods and techniques confirmed to work by a committee of experts and years of testing. 

If you haven't found a tile guy to speak with in your area, I recommend going to www.Tile-Assn.com and entering your coordinates into their website and they will direct you to a tile installer that is a member.  At the very least a TCNA member will have access to all the resources being part of the organization provides, which are many and very useful to a legitimate installer. Resources like training, industry updates, consultation and this book!!

An even better method to guarantee your installation turns out flawless and that it will stand the test of time is to go to the  Ceramic Tile Education Foundation.

Go to ceramictilefoundation.org click on "Find an Installer" Type in your zip code and Certified tile installers will magically appear! Do yourself a favor and ease your mind...Hire Certified (LIKE US!) You'll be glad you did!

Have you ever wondered how to install a Schluter Systems linear drain?

In part two of our installation series we connect the linear drain with the custom shower pan. Schluter systems has the best linear drains because you are able to ensure a clean water proofing connection with the rest of the system. The video below gives you an in depth view of the installation process. Would it be of benefit to you to have video and photo documentation of your next building project?

A finished January Shower.

Here's a few pictures of a shower Jason put together...You always get a far superior shower if the decision to put one in is made during the remodel planning stages. This shower was an after thought but a far improvement to the plastic pan and walls Our white silicone caulk turned out perfect as you can see in the photo below.

How to pack a shower pan.

Below is a video of how we pack shower pans.  Step two will be water proofing.

LevTec leveling system.

This week we've been experimenting with the LevTec leveling system on a large format flooring job. We've decided to give it an A+ rating for a couple of reasons. For starters they are much more cost effective then the Tuscan or MLT system. Most other systems are just far to expensive for what you get.  The straps are also a lot stronger so you can tighten them down more. They also act as an 1/8" spacer so it takes away the need for spacers.

The only downfalls I can think of is they wouldn't be good for natural stone because they may scratch the stone. As you tighten the wedge, if you have any thin set under the wedge it would hurt the finish of the stone. Also, you need two different guns to tighten the wedge, one for walls and one for floors. Overall a great system though..! Low cost and highly effective. This is a great example of how we are constantly refining our process in order to provide you with a better tile installation. I hope everyone is doing well!

One of the best tile related websites...

When doing research for future tile work it's always helpful to have a point of reference. I would hope it would be my blog, obviously, but what site does the blogger himself reference constantly? http://www.johnbridge.com/ 

This site has installation tips, countless pictures and forums, product reviews, anything you would need if you are interested in learning more about tile. I can't recommend this site enough if you want  to be up to speed on current tile trends! Hope every one had a great Christmas and I'm wishing you all a Happy and healthy new year!

Deb's back splash in Woodstock, GA.

Our latest backsplash is a gem. Here we have ceramic tile with a metal and glass band through the middle. Another 'concept to completion' project. This was an extremely difficult demolition in step one! A lot of smashing and tearing and we had to add some 2x4's for support. We also had to shim out the walls in order to install Kerdi board. We use Kerdi board on our installs because it is an upgrade to traditional sheet rock or cement board. It's water proof and dust free! We used Quadec profiles by Schluter as our edging. Really looks sharp! In our last step, as always, we used Custom's Prizm grout and 100% silicone caulking which lasts longer and is far superior to latex caulking. We would like to thank Deb for being such a great customer!

Our latest bathroom remodel in East Cobb County, GA.

On he day of my birth I'm happy to write about our latest bathroom remodel for Mr. Patrick and family in Cobb County, GA. This one was a nightmare when we arrived. The shower was your typical builder grade shower that was leaking for some time, destroying this house. It had tile installed on sheet rock with absolutely no water proofing. It's amazing what builders are allowed to get away with. We tore out this bathroom finding a moldy nightmare and we proceeded to assess and repair the damage.

The most amazing part of this shower was that we were able to save the newly installed glass doors that were on the old shower and reuse them on the new shower. This speaks to Jason's skill in planning and layout. With the utilization of our hard earned skills we were able to save the customer $2,000. Well done, Jason!

This is a full Schluter Systems shower with a ten year warranty. We used Paneria porcelain tile from TIlehouse in Marietta (thankyou Charlie and Cindy) We handled the installation of a new tub and plumbing fixtures with our plumber Matt. No painting was required in this space. Full silicone caulking was used as well as Custom's Prism grout. I made a video about the removable MagnaPanel tub front we installed for access to plumbing in the future if needed.

This remodel went very smoothly because we were able to manage this job and use our well developed system which has us consistently  producing high end finish products. This customer was able to experience our "full service" tile job.  I thank you Patrick for having us and I hope you enjoy your new bathroom.

Our first book review.

Our first book review is based on the work of Adam Toporek, "Be your Customer's Hero." There was a lot of good information in this book about the relationship between service professionals and customers. I can cite the main takeaway from this book in the authors own words...

"To be your customer's hero means to make his day a little easier and put a smile on his face. To be your customers hero means to solve her problem and lessen her stress. To be your customer's hero means to decrease his anxiety and make him feel appreciated. Put simply, To be your customer's hero means you've had a positive noticeable impact on your customer's day."

Often times, we as tradespeople focus all of our energy on the task of becoming the best tile installers we can be so a lot of the technical aspects of customer service get put by the wayside. This book reminded me that our number one priority is the happiness and loyalty of our customers. It also helped me see what part of our business we are really good at because of our business system.

In chapter 20 the author spoke about what he called service triggers. The one that stuck out to me was the service trigger of being "shuffled". With abigger company often times you have to speak to three people to get what you want. We've all been victims of this situation: You're on the phone with one person...you tell that person your complaint...and in response you get "I'm sorry, let me transfer you to x,y,z department. That is being shuffled. Being a smaller operation like we are our strength is that you will never be shuffled. You talk to the person doing your work and therefore the person with the power to make decisions. A positive for our customers.

Another important part for me that magnified my weakness was when he spoke about not taking complaints personally. I'm guilty of that because of my passionate state. Sometimes I just need to back up and realize that complaints or comments are a learning experience and often times have nothing to do with me.

I also took a lot from Chapter 13 called "Everyone's been burned". We run into these customers all the time that have been shafted by construction companies in the past. We actually love these customers because we get to repair their wounds with our excellent service and trade competence.

The last point I took from this book was to LISTEN and ask a ton of GOOD QUESTIONS. Those are items I can improve on as well. My goal is to make my customers feel a certain way and help them attain a desired outcome. How can I do that without hearing them out completely?

I'm putting effort into being better , so what can I say. I'm definitely not perfect in any way and it is a lot to juggle wearing multiple hats...worker, artist, installer, manager, leader, sales, accountant, etc...but I wouldn't have it any other way.  The only limits I have are the ones in my mind. This book put a mirror in front of my face letting me see my weaknesses and my strengths as well as giving some very handy real world tips on customer service. I want to be your hero! Let me be your hero! 

A great tile guy thinks 10 steps ahead.

A great tile guy thinks 10 steps ahead and twenty years down the road. While installing a bath tub in one of our latest bathroom remodels we installed a MagnaPanel which makes it possible to access the plumbing underneath the tub in case there are any plumbing issues down the road. This is a great example of a preventative measure we take in order to alleviate any issues in the future.  This is also why we love Kerdi board. Schluter systems has come up with products that have so many uses during a tile project. After we have the panel in place, we set tile directly to the Kerdi board, grout the vertical joints, then caulk around it. Keep an eye out for the finish product which will be posted to our website soon!

Below is a video of the installation...

New TCNA members!

Excited to announce that we are now Tile Council of North America members. TCNA is the governing body for the tile industry. They offer many perks including product vouchers, training courses and technical support. I'm personally excited for the sales training course so I can brush up on the old technique! We've always cited the 400+ page installation manual with questions and industry guidelines, but now its official.

The video below is just one example of many videos they offer. Not only is a TCNA membership good for installers but it's also soothing for consumers who can now be confident in the legitimacy of the tile installers they employ.

"IT LOOKS GREAT!" Why this one phrase can be the kiss of death in the tile industry.

In my mind, there are three reasons why people use tile as a building product in their homes.

Looks

Longevity

Functionality

I'll start with looks. There is a certain beauty to a tile bathroom or kitchen. People have been building with tile for centuries to put off the impression of wealth. When I see a beautiful shower or back splash it almost takes my breath away. Most homeowners buy tile for the looks. You imagine in your mind what the new tile project will look like and with so many different types of Mosaics, finishes, sizes....deciding what look your going for can be the most difficult part. I recommend scouring the internet, looking in magazines or speaking with skilled professionals to narrow down your search.

The second reason (and the most important) is the longevity. This is where your skilled installers come into play. Tile has been used for over a thousand years in some of the greatest architecture through out the world. Go to the Vatican, for example, to gain a complete understanding of the longevity of tile. When you have a tile floor put down it should last the lifetime of the house. The old cliché "set in stone" was created in reference to tile work. Longevity often gets downplayed and the importance of 'looks' gets inflated.

I want to speak about longevity because it is completely dependent upon what tile guy you chose. If any corners are cut, there is a chance your tile project will not last. If your tile guy is low skill, there is a chance your tile will not last. So on this website I try to give you information so you know what to look for when hiring installers. Not all installers are created equal...Does your installer back butter his tile? Does he get complete coverage while installing tile? Is he using high quality thin set and grout and the most modern water proofing techniques? Tile is a one time endeavor (and an expensive one) so it's important to verify what building techniques will be used in your home.  In Atlanta, Hamilton Tile makes a living off bad tile installers. All we do is tear out horrible tile work and do it right. Something to think about.

The last strength of tile is its functionality. Tile is tough as nails. If you have a splash installed we think about splattering spaghetti sauce. On a floor install we think about years of walking on it...and in a shower we think about building a custom plumbing fixture that directs the water from the shower head to the drain. Tile is by far the most functional building product and that is why there is an added expense to using it. Again, if you focus on the looks you're thinking of tile in the wrong way (although looks are still very important). We are the most desired and highest paid trades people in the industry because a great deal of trust is put in our hands. The amount of liability that is involved in some of the jobs we do is mind boggling.  You won't know if you hired a good tile guy or a bad one until the job is done, so that's why we focus on putting large amounts of content out onto the cloud in order to build our credibility. So if you truly worry about cost, consider tile for your next project because history has shown, if installed correctly, tile is the most cost effective building product in existence. Thanks for reading and I hope to hear from you soon.
 

Why we use tables for work platforms (& why you should too!)

I'm one of those guys that loves to watch how other builders do things. Something I constantly see out in the field is guys working off the ground. I see them set up their saws on the ground, their hole drills on the ground and I wonder...isn't that uncomfortable for them? I had to drag Jason along kicking and screaming...but I'm one of those guys who enjoys comfort when I work and now we always set up tables to put our tools on and work from. Not only is it better on our tools (from which our living is made) but it also better on our bodies. A lot of things we do is to lengthen our career longevity and using work platforms will do that, for sure.

Now use your imagination and think of a day filled with using your saw or a score and snap. Hundreds of cuts a day. Now imagine that every time you have to use your cutting utensil you have to get up and down off of your knees to do so. That line of thought just doesn't make sense to me. We already beat ourselves up everyday, why add more unnecessary pain to the process. Now the counter argument is that you have to carry a work platform with you and carry it to the jobsite. To me, this a small price to pay to work like a king instead of working like a caveman.

Every time I arrive on a job, I set up my saw and a work platform right next to it. I mean the thing is designed for space efficiency and it makes a great spot to set your towels to dry your tile after a cut, a great spot to cut holes in the tile, and a spot to perform any other task necessary for the job....STANDING! I'm always thinking of convenience because we have all heard the saying "time is money" and even more so any discomfort is going to take away from the quality of the finished product.

Keep your eyes open for the this on the job site....It's always something I giggle at when I see the poor worker up and down off of his knees when that transition doesn't have to be done. Heck, if you want exercise do some burpees, because that's what they're doing working from the ground! Notice the comfort in which we work below:

Setting tile on top of painted floors, A common mistake that you should avoid.

A quick post about removing paint or any other finish from concrete or wood before installing tile. About half of the time when we show up to a concrete floor to install tile we find that the floor has been painted. In a basement homeowners will do it to make the surface a bit more 'finished'. This paint becomes a problem because our tile will only stick to the floor as well as that paint is stuck to the concrete. We always grind off this paint. If you're spending good money on tile, you obviously expect longevity (as you should) It's imperative to have a clean concrete surface to apply the thin set to. In the past we've torn up tile applied over painted floors and that's a dream situation for us because the tile comes right up. That to me is evidence that a floor has to be clean of ALL past coverings. Don't be fooled by a dismissive builder who states that you don't have to do the grinding because your tile will only be stuck to the floor as well as the paint.

What is a dye lot and why do they matter?

Here's another reason we call ourselves "detail oriented"...A "dye lot" is the number printed on the box of tile that specifies when that tile was made...It's a batch number. We picked up tile today that was a different dye lot. We put a stop to the project because we will not install tiles that are made at different times and have different dye lot numbers. Although the difference in the tile may be very small between dye lots, there IS a difference. We make it a rule of thumb to CHECK the dye lot number upon pick up and if they are not all the same, we don't install the tile. We're not going to take the chance in your $20,000+ master bath. Another noted benefit of using Hamilton Tile.

Latest master bath prep stage 3

At this point in the process we're getting ready to water proof our shower. We have a custom pan packed and all our Kerdi board up. An important step here is re-securing our subfloor and I want to draw attention to this detail. Now most of your homes are built to minimum standards. This one is no different. To secure the floor the original "builder" used regular old 8Dcommon nails, not ring shank nails or screws, just the cheapest building material they could find. All those squeaks and lifted tile, cracked grout, etc in your home....that's because hundreds of small details were skipped in the building process. When we do a floor we're going to secure your floor with hundreds of high quality screws before any prep is done or tile is set. This seems like common sense, but it is uncommon in the industry. We're also going to GRIND your floor to have the cleanest substrate possible! We spend a ton of time on prep and I assure you, it is not wasted time.

Thin brick walls

We're better then anyone at putting up these thin brick walls. We bring the utmost efficiency and this process is a mess so our conscientious nature comes in handy! Extremely labor intensive, the worst part being 'piping' the grout in each and every joint. Takes a solid set of arms! Thanks to our third, Cain, for the help!