Tile Person of the Year – congrats, Nyle!

Our very own Nyle Wadford was recognized as Tile Person of the Year by the National Tile Contractors Association at Coverings 2013 in Atlanta this month. Since 1958, NTCA has been honoring a tile professional each year who is dedicated to supporting the non-profit trade association and its service to all segments of the tile and stone industry.

NTCA Tile Person of the Year

Nyle joins a prestigious group of tile professionals who have received this honor, and, we’re pleased to say, he was completely surprised at the ceremony (good job team!).  Nyle’s work to create qualified labor specifications for the tile industry and his contributions to the growth of NTCA were cited among his many industry accomplishments.

The whole Neuse Tile team shares Nyle’s passion for correct tile installations, but it’s Nyle and the team at NTCA who have worked so diligently to make sure all tile contractors have the technical instructions they need to perform installations that will last. When Nyle was President of the NTCA, the organization experienced record growth in membership, expanded its Partners for Success program, formed an historic partnership with Tile Contractors Association of America, and significantly expanded the NTCA’s Five-Star Contractor Program.

Nyle will continue to represent the NTCA on the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) Handbook Committee, and serve on the ANSI ASC 108 Committee, making Neuse Tile Service one of two contractors worldwide to sit on all three committees! He currently is the Chairman of the Board for NTCA.

Way to go Nyle! We’re proud of you!

Check out this interview with Nyle from the floor of the Coverings Show in Atlanta:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137610517001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAi5oby5k~,gf8A03pw9syJ8i8_PnfPj-SRCKEGXH2m&bctid=2379083272001

Trusted tile team pulls together

Like the human body, a well-run work team has many parts that ideally line up and work in sync. When we’re hitting on all cylinders, we move forward pretty well. But, when we recently had several team members out of the picture for multiple days, it took extraordinary effort to keep the machine running as it should.

We have a fairly small staff, and the recession reduced our structure to its bare bones. So, when this rash of incidents and illnesses took out two and three team members at once, we were really struggling to keep our customers from feeling the effects. Internally, we always talk about our team of employees as our “work family.” (When you’re a family-run business, the people who work with you long-term become adopted members of your clan –whether they want to or not -ha!). Like most families, we certainly know it when one of our folks is missing or out for a few days, but we ‘re pretty good at knowing what needs to be done to adapt and flex to fill the gaps.

But with two and three out at the same time, we were intimately reminded of our interdependence. It took some extra “above and beyond” efforts to keep all the installations, estimates, accounting, purchasing, warehousing, and deliveries going these past two weeks, and we’re extra grateful for the team members who made it all happen with minimal interruption to our customers.

While we want to be as inconspicuous and expedient as possible when we’re working on your tile installation, we also want you to know that the folks who work with us are superior. They are talented, of course, but, even more important, they are trustworthy people who have proven how much they care about the quality of your work and about each other.

Thanks to our great team and to our wonderful customers, we’re looking forward to getting back to “business as usual” this coming week!

Remodeling recoups investment

It’s often aesthetics or convenience that make us consider a home renovation or remodel, but dollars and cents might encourage you to pull the trigger on that project as well.  Recently published statistics in the Remodeling Cost vs. Value report indicate that bathroom and kitchen remodels in our area recoup more than 60 percent of their value.

The cost-to-value ratio of remodeling projects has improved for the first time in six years due to stabilizing resale values and flat construction labor costs.  The cost-value ratio is figured by comparing resale value as a percentage of construction cost, and the upturn “is an encouraging sign that the remodeling industry may have turned the corner,” states Remodeling magazine. Check out the statistics by city or region for a project you might be considering  www.remodeling.hw.net

While you’re thinking about improvements, consider using ageless design elements to make your home more universally appealing. Wider doorways, curbless showers, varying cabinet heights, and lever-handled faucets and knobs can make your renovation beautiful and adaptable to the long-term needs of family members or visitors with different physical abilities. Local realtors tell us they have a hard time finding homes which can accommodate those clients who are looking for a barrier-free home, so thinking long-term can improve your resale value as well.

And, do let us know if you’re considering a renovation. With almost 50 years  experience in the Triangle’s construction market, we have some great local contacts to assist with just about any renovation or project.

Ageless design incorporates both access and beauty

Our profession has always been a long-term construction solution, so we’re glad to be part of the nation’s first CARE Council of the Home Builders Association (HBA). Emphasizing building with the future in mind, select members of our area’s HBA have come together to form the Council for Ageless Residential Environments (CARE).

Representing some of the most experienced and dedicated industry professionals in our area, “this group is a great resource for anyone looking for information about ageless design in home construction,” said Council Chairman Lewis Sadler of Sadler Construction. It’s never been more important to make sure the investment in your home is protected, and the members of the CARE Council have a reputation for quality work as well as an increased focus on barrier-free home construction and remodeling.

As people stay in their homes longer, and our population ages, homeowners should take a long-term look at the features of any remodeling project. Whether it’s accommodating aging parents, thinking about future physical challenges, or just increased re-sale value, incorporating accessible features can really pay off.

Local realtors tell us that homes with truly accessible and well-planned designs are challenging to find in this market, and homeowners who plan for the long-term as they remodel could see an increased marketability of their property.

With all the possibilities available to today’s designers, an ageless home doesn’t need to have institutional features. Wider doorways, varying cabinet heights, multi-level closets, and curbless showers can be beautiful as well as functional – both now and in the future.

In addition to being a resource group for homeowners, HBA members and those interested in ageless design, the CARE Councils’ goals are to offer educational events and classes on barrier-free design topics, to serve as a champion of universal design in homebuilding, and to be a networking group for local industry professionals. Check out the Council website at www.hbacare.com

Tile industry leadership and passion

I have experienced this business from the mud box to the grout float to the balance sheet, but as I have continued to watch our industry grow and change, I am reminded that it is people who are the constant — PASSIONATE PEOPLE — Passion for the tile industry is the common thread you will find in Five-Star businesses like ours and in family businesses throughout this great country.

It is this passion and love that drives us to better our industry on a daily basis. As Bob Noyce said, “Knowledge is power and knowledge shared is power multiplied.”

I am proud to lend my passion to the tile industry, and to work with the many others that share the same fervor, as we forge ahead to the future.

I know times are tough. I implore you to stay in the fight; continue to do the right things for your business and your family.  I believe that our nation still believes that private property, entrepreneurial risk, and the potential for profit or loss are the elements that make our system dynamic and are what has spread prosperity to more people in and out of our country than any system in the history of man.

Leadership will take us there.  God bless.

Nyle Wadford

Nyle is President of Neuse Tile Service and current president of the National Tile Contractors Association. These excerpts from his induction speech serve as good reminders in challenging times. We are grateful for our people and their passion for our industry and our customers.

Tile cleaning before and after

Here’s a quick, fun Friday post:

Scroll down for a before-and-after picture of a grout transformation.

We installed this kitchen tile 6 years ago, and it’s had some heavy-duty traffic, so the grout had gotten pretty dingy. A thorough clean from our technicians, and the floor looks as good as it did when it was new!

Tile and grout renewed after our heavy-duty cleaning.

Clean grout and tile.

Kitchen tile with 6 years of heavy traffic.

Tile in need of a thorough cleaning

5 million square feet and care with every inch

      We recently tried to calculate how much tile our company had installed in its 48 years in the ceramic tile industry. We came up with more than 5 million square feet, so, odds are that if you’ve spent much time in houses or businesses in Raleigh and the surrounding area, you’ve seen some of our work.

      We’ve worked in many residential neighborhoods, banks, churches, and office buildings, and most of our work is standing strong and beautiful. We’re proud of that, (though it may not be such a comfort to those who live with those ‘perfectly good’ pink or sky-blue tiles of the 70s.   We’ve even seen one of our mud-set showers survive an area tornado when the house that surrounded it was obliterated.

     Tile is meant to last, and, on the residential side, we’ve no doubt installed more of it in our area than any other tile business around. However, quantity doesn’t really tell the story of our business. Others who install commercial tile could easily surpass our numbers with their malls and schools.

     Perhaps quality and technical proficiency set us apart more than volume? Our certified installers are among the most talented in the industry; our superintendents are passionate about the trade; our company leaders are on national boards and committees and help write the tile installation standards used throughout the world. We believe we are among the most capable and knowledgeable installation contractors in the country.

     But our story is not one sufficiently explained by quality either. I think the story of our business is better told by how our staff reacted to an unhappy customer on Thursday. She called us to task for something that went wrong on her job 10 years ago, and our staff reacted with the genuine concern of people who care about what they do. Her statements weren’t dismissed or excused, and the primary point of all the ensuing conversations was ‘how can we make this right now?’ Yes, 10 years later, it still matters to us!

     Most of us have been with the company more than 15 years, and we take our work and the satisfaction of our customers personally. Ours is a family business in that a family owns it, but ours is also a ‘family company’ in that each of us has a personal stake in every job, every customer, and every long-lasting installation.

     In today’s coupon-crazy, commodity-driven culture, it’s hard to know if businesses that care about their craft, their customers, and their people will survive. But it’s nice to know that when it comes to our company– quantity and quality are evenly matched with character.

Elevate your space with tile

Looking for trends and tips in tile? Check out Crossville’s blog, elevateyourspace.wordpress.com  Posts talk about using subtle design to make a big statement and even show the runway debut of a dress made from mosaic tiles.

This TN tile and stone manufacturer hosted us for a tour of their facilities last summer, and it was fascinating to see the process that turns clay to a beautiful home (or even fashion) accent. The scientists and production staff at Crossville are top-notch, and the products they produce are a pleasure to install.

When you pair regionally produced quality with local expertise in installation you truly ‘Elevate Your Space.’

Gifts from your neighborhood

“Small Business Saturday” and Christmas are approaching, and we’re thinking it’s the year to go ‘outside the box’.
As a Facebook friend shared recently:
“Everyone — yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, locally owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course?
There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants — all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, this is about supporting your neighbors whose financial lives are on the line to keep their doors open.
How many people could use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop nearby? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
OK, you were looking for something more personal? Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, candles, pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner-operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And how about going to see a play or ballet at your hometown theater? Musicians need love, too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
And, of course, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
Christmas is about caring about your neighbors, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away. And, when we care about our communities, the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn’t imagine.”
As your local tile installers, we’d also add the gift of a new tile backsplash or a refurbished stone floor to the above list

Not tile, but Bark

In the spirit of offering helpful tips to our readers — here’s our new Christmas favorite — make your own peppermint bark (yummmm!)

Get 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 12 oz white chocolate chips and 4-5 peppermint candy canes crushed. Put wax paper on a cookie sheet and follow the instructions below.

In a microwave safe bowl, add 1 Tablespoon of cooking oil to the chocolate chips and heat them in the microwave for about 1 minute to 1 minute and 20 seconds on high. Stir and pour the liquid chocolate into a thin layer on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle peppermint flakes all over the chocolate. Quickly go ahead and add 1 Tbsp. of cooking oil to the white chocolate and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute to 1 minute 20 seconds (careful not to overheat as it will burn).

Stir and pour the white chocolate over the first layer and use a spatula to spread thin. Sprinkle more peppermint on top and refrigerate for several hours. When the bark is hard, cut into bite sized pieces and enjoy!!!!

Merry Christmas and may next year hold promise for us all!