wwhwhicntrarrsomethin maAs a professional tile contractor who has a ton of pride in my education, I wanted to share a little bit to arm you as a homeowner on how to find a contractor for your next project. Your home is your biggest investment and you shouldn’t have to be an expert in the construction industry in order to feel like your not getting ripped off. Yes, good work should be well compensated, however, I see time and time again shotty work and poor standards even at high price points. This is unacceptable. The fact that anything can be found out with a quick google search shows there is no room for laziness and contractors who refuse to stay up to date on their education and product knowledge when it comes to building standards.
How to find a contractor
Finding a contractor can be so difficult today because the barrier to entry in some states is SO LOW. Meaning anyone can be a contractor if they so choose. The problem is two fold because the burden of education falls on the homeowner and how much they know as far as the project is concerned. This can be devastating financially and hazardous for the homeowner. Your biggest investment is on the line, so instead of having to do hours of research on the actual project being done I will teach you to find a contractor, interview them, and specific things you should be looking for when hiring a contractor.
I will use the example of a master bath remodel. Master bath remodels realistically will range from 10,000 to 100,000 +! All depending on the size, material selections, and finishes. Bathrooms are the most complex room in your home. There is a combination of plumbing, electrical, trim, paint and hard surfaces like tile and stone. Not to mention we spend a ton of time in there! Men, on average, spend about 855.8 days of their lives in the bathroom, or 2 years and 125 days. Compare this to women, who spend about 770.8 days of their lives in the bathroom (2 years and 40 days). That is a TON of time to see all the mistakes.
1. Getting multiple estimates
This may seem like a thorn in your side but its a must do step when hiring someone to work inside your home.
When a project is being done in your home you are extending trust to someone. Your contractor should be providing you with reasons to get hired. They should be able to walk you through the experience of working with them from start to finish. I like to paint my clients a picture so they feel comfortable with my process. This also opens the door for any questions or concerns they may have. I like to answer my clients clearly and in plain language. Making it easy to understand and research if my clients so chose to do so.
If you see a contractor come in your home and throw out a random number, they should not be hired. There are so many business reasons why this is not okay. Mostly as a contractor if they don’t need to run numbers for their estimates, they are just guessing. That means they don’t properly account for running their business. That is a huge red flag. If they are not paying attention to cash flow and they run out of money while on your project, they may disappear altogether or have to fit in another project to float cash while its tight.
2. Client referrals
I have a handful of past clients that will give me a gleaming recommendation for future clients. While on estimates, I willingly provide clients with referrals, if they want to call, they can. I never wait until I am asked. Not every contractor will have this however, if asking for referrals they should be able to provide some. The experience of making my client comfortable is the most important thing for me.
3. Are they a part of the NTCA?
The NTCA or the national tile contractors association is a non profit created for those seeking to improve their tile business. The NTCA provides unparalleled educational experiences, supportive peer interaction, unique cost-savings programs, and a commitment to help develop the skills needed to improve your work, recruit, train, and manage your employees, and ultimately, make your business more profitable.
They hold trainings, release new standards, and keep up to date with the new products being manufactured so they can pass the info onto the installer. A lot of tile contractors are using outdated methods with harmful chemicals and proven methods that fail over time. Why ride a horse and buggy to work when there are cars? That’s all I am saying here. If someone wears a shirt and calls themselves a professional however you need to do a ton of research before hiring them or feel worries about what they are doing in your home, they are not a professional.
The NTCA releases a standards book or a “tile bible,” which is created in coordination with ANSI standards and manufacturers in mind. This helps the installer navigate new products and keep up to date on the latest and most effective technology within their trade.
To find an installer who is a member of the NTCA visit their membership directory- visit this link.
4. Ask them this one question
“How much do you know about the A.N.S.I standards with relation to tile installation?” If they look at you with big doe eyes. RED FLAG!!
ANSI – American national standards institute. Every facet of every trade has ANSI standards. If you are questioning methods by your tile installer here is a good place to research.
It is surprising the number of people who claim to know how to install tile however know nothing about the standards of their trade. Cost aside, is it worth it to hire someone and pay them half of what someone else charges if their work is guaranteed to last less than 5 years because of outdated methods? Is it work the health of your home and family?
Finding a good contractor to invite into your home starts with your first impression of them and ends with how well they know their trade and take it serious. They are the professional and you are trusting them to use high standards inside your home. No amount of money is worth cutting corners. Usually people wont heed my advice until they have experienced a horror story of their own. I have shared some horror stories below with pictures included. Please do your homework and hire a qualified person to work inside your home. The trade suffers from bottom feeders getting by and homeowners suffer because they view us all as having a low judge of character. I hope to see this change over my lifetime.
The black mold you see on the walls is a result of capillary action. Capillary action happens due to the difference of surface temps inside the shower and on the other side of the wall. When showering we cause warm air inside the shower which will be in most cases warmer then the air inside the adjacent room so if your walls are not properly waterproofed that warm steamy air will be attracted to the cool air inside the wall cavity causing black mold over time on the walls. Some contractors wont bother to waterproof shower walls, this is extremely poor practice.
The issue of poor craftsmanship is evident here. It’s so important to do your research to find a contractor that is qualified and knowledgeable. These are things I see time and time again from homebuilders to the normal residential installer. I believe whole heartedly that work that looks like this on the outside is always an indication of poor installation on the inside. From what I have seen, an installer who is careless with the finished product is careless with their build. To me. this is a contractor who just wants the check.
Behind your tiles should not look like this. These tiles that appear to be large format where “spot bonded”. If I installed a large tile like this it can easily fall off the wall. Installing tile like this can lead to failures like tiles falling off your shower wall. This makes something like a tile falling off the wall while you are showering a very real possibility. That is SCARY! Not to mention the mold and gunk that will build up behind these tiles.
I created this post to shed light from the perspective of a tile installer. I always say you as the homeowner should not have to be the expert. However, because of poor ethics and the fact most of them just get away with it, this runs ramped. Please do your due diligence and hire someone qualified. You may have to wait, or spend more money but you will never have to deal with the lack of training, education, and respect you receive from an installer who doesn’t respect their clients.
Thank you for reading!