Who’s on your construction team

When you select a contractor or trades person to improve your home or work space, you’re inviting someone into your world for a period of time. They need to be cognizant of all your goals and needs for the space as well as of parameters of how you would like the work to be done.

It’s also helpful if you have a little insight into their universe. Most of those in the construction business for a length of time are in it because they love what they do and they enjoy leaving spaces better and different than they found them. They are usually craftspeople at heart who found a way to make a living utilizing innate talents. The good ones are also extraordinary mathematicians, visualizers, problem solvers, people pleasers, and even artists. They take great pride in their work and in leaving you with an improved space.

They’re also often juggling an unpredictable supply chain, ever-increasing costs of materials, evolving technology in the building trades, zoning and inspection requirements, a shortage of apprentices, health concerns for their team, the weather, and the purely physical demands of the job. If they’re business owners too, then they’re navigating taxes, insurance, liabilities, budgets, personnel, and forecasting. And then there’s that job they’re starting after yours…

It all looks straightforward and easy on television, but the reality of construction is more like fits and starts of expertise with a good contractor keeping everything on the rails and balancing it out when it starts to tilt. Just like so many things in our world today, a little grace and respect go a long way on both sides of the construction equation.

So, as we enter Construction Appreciation month, we salute those who have the delicate touch to finish large sheets of sheetrock so that every joint is smooth and doesn’t reveal seams; the carpenters who craft deck railings for precision spacing, strength and mitered corners; the tile installers who line up joints, flatten floors, and think through all the cuts before they start. When you hire the right craftspeople, their eye for detail, spatial acuity, numerical accuracy, and creative solutions can be pretty remarkable.

We give thanks for the trades whose nuances and precision make sure pipes fit tightly and keep everything flowing and functioning correctly; who align shingles and make sure valleys drain properly; whose painting hides brush strokes but keeps crisp corners; who hide seams and make sure doorways align ; and who pull the right wire for size, safety, and efficiency.

Expectations vs. Construction Reality

Like most people, we’ve had more than our share of ‘screen time’ this past year. We love watching home improvement highlights. (Until we have to turn them off because some of their tile “techniques” make us nuts 🙂

 However, due to the compression of time needed for entertaining video, they leave out a lot of details. In remodel situations, we very rarely run into a job that doesn’t have an unexpected detail. Sometimes it’s really rotten framing under what was thought to be a ‘new’ leak; sometimes it’s poor work done by a previous contractor that has to be corrected in order to do a new installation correctly; and sometimes it’s a visual change that the homeowner asks us to make because their project “concept” is still evolving.

All these things take time, materials, and expertise to adjust. We have a great team we can call on when unexpected details arise, and we keep things moving as quickly as possible, but the project might extend a bit. There are also occasional material delays or back-orders that you wouldn’t see on screen. Storms, driver shortages, and even port problems can sometimes delay tile getting to us for the installation. We try to factor all that in and hold off on starting jobs until the material is in-hand, but it doesn’t always work that way in the real world.

There’s also the reality of life – a vehicle that blows a tire on the interstate, an installer who breaks his foot playing softball the night before, a project manager whose family member dies, a key team member who has a heart attack, or maybe someone important to your job gets sick. You wouldn’t see any of that on screen, and we try not to let it impact your installation, but all these things happened in the past year, so occasionally things just haven’t gone as planned.

And then there’s the expertise to actually do the tile installation correctly… On remodeling shows, it looks like some mortar out of a bucket is troweled onto the wall and then in the next frame all the tile is up and being grouted with one stroke. Granted it wouldn’t be the most exciting thing to show all that happens before tile gets installed: floor flattening, weep-hole protection, ‘mud’ mixing, slope checking, layout manipulations, stud shimming, waterproofing applications, backerboard placing and taping, transporting heavy tile, keying in, back buttering, measuring and cutting, grouting and cleaning and cleaning some more.

We love tile, and the intricate, hand-made craftsmanship that makes it beautifully unique and long-lasting is one of our favorite aspects. However, a quality tile installation from substrate to finish just doesn’t happen in quick video-driven time. Let’s all try to enjoy the great things being done with tile today, and remind ourselves that the time-honored craftsmanship and know-how under the tile are an integral part of the beauty of a well-done installation.

Tile for an outdoor oasis

School has started (sort of), the nights are getting a little cooler, and Fall will be upon us before we turn the calendar. While this strange year has already made us think a lot about ‘outdoor living’; this Fall will reinforce the beauty and enjoyment of porches, decks, sunrooms, and open spaces.

Are you ready for it? You’ve still got time to give us a call about tiling your porch or renovating your deck before it gets cold. North Carolina Falls host some of the best porch-sitting weather, and in 2020, we’re all appreciating any great space that’s safe to share.

During the quarantine, we finally finished our long-awaited, personal porch project, and we can say it’s probably the best renovation we could have done for our family. We’ve eaten dinner together on the porch almost every evening since April, and it’s a perfect place for morning solitude.

All the porcelain tiles available today give you plenty of options for an outdoor space, and we’ve got systems that allow us to tile over concrete, deck boards, enclosed spaces, and even roof decks.

We are always passionate about using experienced tile installers, but it’s absolutely essential when dealing with outdoor installations that you select a team who has both the product and installation knowledge to stand up to the weather. Give Neuse Tile a call today and let us help you create an outdoor oasis to carry you through this Fall and well into the years to come.

How are we?

The construction industry has always had plenty of ups and downs, and we’re pretty used to seasonal and economic fluctuations. But 2020 has been well beyond the “normal” roller coaster. A global pandemic, mandated closures and quarantines, and then riots – these have tested the mettle of everyone, including small businesses like ours.

We were very fortunate to be considered an “essential business” from the beginning, so our work to create safe and hygienic bathrooms and living spaces has continued in most instances. Obviously, homeowners were hesitant at first to have people in their homes, but Phase 2 in NC relaxed much of that fear, and we’re helping renew spaces that people got really tired of seeing while they were quarantined.

Our cleaning regimens have been intense, our search for protective equipment exhaustive, and our desire to persevere unmatched. Like you, we’ve worried and waited to see what will happen next, but we’ve continued to be true to our business heritage. We work hard; we do quality installations; and we care for our people and our customers. Even in these turbulent times, it’s as simple as that.

We’ve actually seen an uptick in new residential construction as people see even more need to have their own safe spaces and as mortgage rates sit at historic lows. Commercial renovations have slowed down some as many office spaces sit idle while some people work from home. Architects and designers are re-thinking future buildings and renovations in regard to how space is used and what will be new “social distancing” norms.

So, it’s really a great time to get going on that project that you’ve been contemplating. As we’ve all seen in these past few months, our homes really can be our sanctuaries. Let us help you create that long-lasting and beautiful space to call home. We’re here for the long haul, and we’ll get through this together!

Will big tile make a room look small?

The variety of tile and stone available today provide an opportunity to express your style in a long-lasting and durable finish. While there are certainly some tile trends that will date an installation, the movement toward larger format tiles (greater than 15”) is one that is here to stay.

Sometimes, though, consumers are hesitant to use larger tiles in a smaller space because they think it will make the room seem smaller. In fact, the opposite is often true. Fewer grout lines with larger tiles can give the illusion of a more spacious room. You do want to keep in mind the proportion of the space to be tiled, and make sure your tile doesn’t overwhelm other prominent features of the room.

To help with the perfect proportion, it’s best to work with a professional designer at a tile showroom. Bring a photo of your current space and photos or patterns that you particularly like. A designer can help visualize your finished space and guide you to the perfect tile (and price point) to suit your personality.

The key to successful use of larger tiles is proper installation, since larger tiles require flatter surfaces in order to prevent lippage (one edge of a tile higher than an edge of an adjacent tile). Larger tiles are also less forgiving for do-it-yourself projects because the prep work and mortar used under larger tile is quite different than with a standard 12”x12” tile.

Tile is as varied as the imaginations of designers and end users, and the technical challenge of making sure it’s installed correctly, with the right mortar and system warranty, may make it worth hiring a professional to ensure a long-lasting installation.

Latest in tile trends

We attend industry events so that we’re up-to-date on the latest installation products & methods and to participate in the committees that draft the standards used for tile installation. At shows like Coverings, we also get to see the beauty of tiles themselves as manufacturers display the latest tile designs from around the world.  #WhyTile!

The summary below gives a good glimpse of some trends & highlights. And, when these tiles are installed correctly by qualified craftspeople, they’ll last for years to come. Enjoy!

The Latest in Tile Trends From Coverings 2018

Determining the value of your bath remodel

When weighing the decision to remodel your bathroom or kitchen, it helps to know what your return on investment might be. Bathrooms and kitchens are still high on the list according to the annual Cost Vs. Value report in Hanley Wood’s January issue of Remodeling Magazine.

The report is broken down by region of the country, average project cost, and return on investment recouped at sale of the home. While we always think the best reason to remodel your space is so that you can enjoy it, we do think this year’s numbers show some interesting upticks in the market.

For instance, in the category of bathroom remodel between $5000 and $25,000, the average renovation in the South Atlantic region costs $16,534. Of that, $11,639 is recouped at sale of the home, showing a strong 70.4% return.

A minor kitchen remodel costing between $5000 and $25,000 recoups a whopping 86% at sale. (The average South Atlantic cost is $18,907, with $16,425 recouped in value at sale.)

For a bathroom addition or higher-end bathroom remodel in the $25-100,000 range, the average cost runs around $46,000 with $28,000 (or 60%) recouped at sale of the home. For a major kitchen remodel costing between $25-100,000, the average cost is $56,901 with $36,438 recouped at sale (64%).

As you think about updating your tile or hiring a remodeling contractor, the trends in this report are a good indicator of the long-term value of your investment. The report also gives you a good idea of the average cost of a project in our area of the country. As Remodeling Magazine says, it helps potential clients see the reality of pricing from local professionals rather than “the oft exaggerated world of TV repair shows.”

[Just FYI – many of those shows get to their total project cost numbers by convincing local home improvement professionals to deeply discount or contribute their services and materials in exchange for the advertising benefit of a few seconds of national TV exposure.]

Data for the Hanley Wood report was collected from professional remodelers and builders and encompasses all project costs (permits, sweat equity, etc. that might be excluded from other reports that roll-in DIY numbers).

Heat up those toes with a tile floor

Maybe it’s because the ground is covered in snow and ice, but the idea of a heated tile floor is sounding extra wonderful today! Stepping out of the shower onto those warm tiles started my day off in the best way possible.

Many forward-thinking builders are adding heated floors to their projects these days, but the idea of under-floor radiant heating actually dates back to prehistoric times. TILE magazine reports that archeologists digging in the Aleutian Islands have solid evidence of inhabitants channeling smoke from fires through stone-covered trenches dug under the floors of their dwellings. “The hot smoke heated up the floor stones, which then radiated into the living spaces. The principle behind this process was – and still remains—quite simple, the floor radiates heat to a person’s feet, warming that person all over,” Arthur Mintie reports.

Today’s electric radiant floor heating uses that same concept, and is an affordable addition to any tile installation. An electric heating element is incorporated into the materials laid beneath the tiles and can be directed to specific areas in the room. With their high thermal mass, tile and stone retain the heat (controlled by a wall thermostat), and the warmth radiates from your feet throughout your body. Several of our customers say they’ve actually lowered their room thermostats because their floor heat made them feel so much warmer. One customer even said her favorite spot to watch it snow is on her all-season porch because her warm floor keeps her so cozy.

So, instead of starting a fire on these next cold nights, how about turning up the floor? Ask us about it for your next project.

Why use a general contractor?

Just to be clear from the start: we love working with homeowners! Information sharing is one of our very favorite things, so the education process of helping someone prepare for a tile installation is usually great fun for us. When your project is mostly cosmetic, and you have the patience to coordinate (or do) some or all the trades involved, then serving as your own contractor can be a great option.

However, when your project involves moving multiple plumbing fixtures, re-routing water, or relocating walls, you’re absolutely going to get the best result when you hire a licensed, professional general contractor.

No matter how easy they make it look on television, construction (when it is done well) is a very specialized and knowledge-based profession. The parts and pieces that go into a project are innumerable, and the details needed to get a project finished on-time (or even close) are voluminous.

When chatting with one of our contractor friends recently, we came up with the following list of why we think using a general contractor is a good thing:

• Their industry knowledge (licensing, testing, and continuing education)
• Up-to-date on codes/ materials/ techniques
• Established trade accounts for materials sourcing & contractor discounts (their established relationships)
• Technical adaptability to unforeseen issues (what’s going on behind that wall?)
• Design assistance (what has worked before as well as outside-the-box ideas)
• Appraisal requirement (if you change the square footage of your house, you must get it permitted, or you will not be able to count that addition when you sell)
• Connections with vendors and priority scheduling of work & deliveries
• One point of contact and responsibility
• They know the requirements for permitting, fees, restrictions, insurance, etc.
• Warranty
• Fewer headaches and less stress for you
• The time and capacity to live your life during the remodel

Your home is your largest investment, so you want work done on it to last for a long time. Often that means hiring an industry specialist to get the job done right. We’d be glad to recommend some great, local general contractors to help with your next project!

Builders rely on specialty subcontractors

Ours is not a glamorous profession. What we do involves lots of craftsmanship and behind-the-scenes know-how, some heavy-lifting, and, frequently, getting a little dirty. But we’re good at it, and we’ve made lots of functional spaces in the Triangle look a whole lot better because we were there.

Tile craftsmen at work

That, in itself, is rewarding most days, but sometimes it’s also nice to be recognized by the people who use our services. The National Association of Home Builders recently published an article which highlighted subcontractors as, “an often over looked but essential part of the home building industry.”

Interesting facts in the article included that it takes, on average, 25 subcontractors to build a single-family detached house. About 71% of those employed in the home building industry are subcontractors.  (Total employment in the industry breaks down to 647,000 builders and 1.584 million residential specialty trade contractors.)

During the past 40 years the use of subcontractors has “significantly accelerated.” (Construction costs subcontracted in 2012 averaged 75% vs. 31% in 1959.) The diverse amenities offered in housing and the increasing complexities of each trade are cited as reasons for this shift. Code requirements are more complicated, materials used are more technically diverse, and the labor force is drastically different now than it was in 1959.

We have great appreciation for our general contractor customers. They must have a vast knowledge base and be planners, jugglers, and, sometimes, babysitters. They take big personal and financial risks, and their work is often unappreciated. The best ones know that it takes an amazing amount of teamwork to get a project completed. Having their respect and appreciation makes it easier for us to go the extra mile when needed. So, today we celebrate being one of the “often overlooked but essential,” and we get back to getting it done!