Is your shower leaking?

Friends in our industry association have created a step-by-step guide to what might be causing a shower leak. This resource from the National Tile Contractors Association will be useful to anyone who has a leaky shower problem.

https://www.tile-assn.com/page/TILETROUBLE

When dealing with a potential water leak, it’s important to get assistance from qualified industry professionals. Plumbers can perform pan, valve, and supply line tests to pinpoint the source of leaks. Beware of those who claim that leaking showers can be repaired by adding grout, caulk, or sealant. At best, these things may temporarily slow down the problem.

A properly constructed shower should provide many years of worry free use. You’ll get that when you hire a qualified installation company.

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.

Choosing a tile contractor ‘by the book’

When you hire a tile installer, or any other skilled trade, you want to know they’re using the best method for your particular project. You may ask your neighbors or look up some on-line reviews, but how do you really know the work is going to add long-term value to your home or business?

Neuse Tile’s Nyle Wadford serves on the TCNA Handbook Committee and is Vice Chair of the ANSI ASC A108 Committee.

A great place to start is by asking about what industry standards and methods they plan to use for your job. If the answer you get involves some form of “we’ve always done it this way”, then you may want to do some more investigating. Like everything else in our world, the construction industry has evolved and changed with new technologies and products, and a tradesperson who only knows one way to practice his or her craft could be limiting the performance or life of your project.

You don’t need to spend the time to understand the intricacies of all their options, but you do need to feel comfortable that the person or company who is about to work in your home or business has the technical and practical knowledge necessary to know which options will provide the best, long-lasting solution for your project. In the tile industry, our Book is the Tile Council of North America’s Handbook. The current edition is 437 pages, and includes more than 300 methods for installing tile. We couple that with a thorough understanding of the American National Standards Institute’s specifications for products and installations, and add to it with continual industry training and association seminars.

Other construction trades have similar standards and methods to follow, and you want to hire someone who brings that level of expertise to your project. Remodeling and new construction are large investments, and having confidence in the knowledge and expertise of the people you hire will go a long way to helping your space be all that you want it to be now and in the future.

Questions to consider are:

How do they stay up-to-date on current building codes, regulations, standards, and best practices?

What industry standard or method will they use on your particular project? Why?

Do they carry all required business licenses and insurance to do the work and protect your property?

Do they run a business such that you’d be able to find them in the future if a concern arose?

Do they have a track record of references and documentation of quality and service?

Neuse Tile is happy to answer any of these questions for you; we’re big fans of Books!

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.

Getting your money’s worth from tile

Our customers are making an investment in their property when they choose tile. It’s not necessarily the least expensive alternative; and it’s certainly not the easiest to install. But it is the most long-lasting and best investment.

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A recent study commissioned by the Tile Council of North America, Inc. (TCNA), determined that ceramic tile was the most economical of 12 floor coverings. An independent construction cost consulting firm compared various types of tile to 12 other floor finishes such as hardwood, laminate, concrete, stone, carpet, terrazzo, vinyl, and poured epoxy. Life Cycle Cost Analysis methodology was used to project all costs associated with each material: installation (labor, material, and normal costs), plus periodic maintenance expenses to preserve and maintain the project, as well as final costs to remove the floor covering at the end of its useful life.

Over time, ceramic tile was found to cost less per year than all the other floor coverings over the life of a structure. Glazed ceramic tile came in at 0.33 cents per square foot per year over 50 years, and porcelain and quarry tile at 0.36 cents per square foot per year. Products such as carpet and vinyl have significantly higher life cycle costs due to the shorter life span of these non-permanent finishes.

When you want beauty that lasts and makes the most sense for your investment – choose tile installed by your local qualified craftsmen!

Life_Cycle_Costs_Table-2018_TCNA_Tile-the-Natural-Choice-1

Do one thing and get really good at it

We had a conversation recently about ‘diversification’. We appreciate dialogues that challenge “the way we’ve always done things,” so we spent some time thinking about the way we’re structured versus how some of our competitors operate.

For 56 years we’ve installed tile and stone in the Triangle area of NC. Some of our competitors have decided to install all things that go on floors and walls. They’ve created large enterprises and expanded their package possibilities. We’ve considered and discussed this kind of expansion many times, but it still just doesn’t make sense to us. Tile is a specialty product– there are endless tile options, and literally thousands of methods and application possibilities. It’s installed in all kinds wet areas; it doesn’t bend or flex; and yet it’s really meant to be a permanent finish. Therefore, the craftsmanship and knowledge needed to install tile that lasts over time is significantly different than that needed to put down a plastic or vinyl floor covering that’s intended to be changed out every 5-10 years.

We’ve spent decades getting really good at what we do –long-lasting tile and stone installations. We know a lot about the materials and methods needed to successfully install these unforgiving materials.  The artistry and precision needed to install tile well is a true craft, and the tile and stone industry is continually creating new products and uses to keep us challenged. Today we’re seeing larger and thinner tiles used to transform walls as well as thicker paver tiles set on pedestals for decking. Endless imagination and innovation ensure an interesting and growing future for our craft.

So, we’re not going to muddy our focus and tell you we’ll install everything because we still choose to do the one thing we’ve done for 56 years. We’re really good at it. It’s our craft, it’s our art, and it’s our service to our customers and friends.

For now, that’s enough to keep us challenged and creating every day. Thank you for the opportunities you give us to keep going.

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!

Long-lasting, beautiful investment in tile

Many of us are seeing more than usual of the inside of our homes lately, and we’re coming to really appreciate surfaces that are easy to clean, durable, and nice to look at.  When your home includes properly installed tile you know you’ve provided your family a hygienic space that will hold up well over time.

As described in a recent piece on WhyTile.com, long-lasting installations are a direct correlation to the skill of the installer, the use of the right components in the assembly,  and the integrity of the company behind the work. If any of those pieces are missing, problems may result. With tile, issues of technique (like uneven grout joints) may be immediately apparent; concerns with product might show up with use (like a base-level grout put in a commercial kitchen or interior tiles used outdoors); but the biggest worries are the ones that take time to present themselves (like deterioration of a structure from water that works its way under the surface tile and through a gap in poorly done waterproofing).

In order to ensure your investment in tile is a good one, look for a company that provides all three components — skilled installers (check their certifications), knowledgeable estimators who specify quality products (do they participate in industry training & associations), and proven business credentials.

Carefully choosing your contractor on the front-end of your investment can save you a lot of headache, time, and money on the back-end.

#QualifiedLabor #NTCAFiveStar #NeuseTile

The long-term impact of good prep

If your New Year’s exercise program started off with a solid plan and workout gear that was well-suited to your routine, then you might have made it into February with some success. But, if you made up a plan as you went, then January probably didn’t bring much change in your health.

In the same way, starting off with a good plan and quality materials can help ensure a beautiful and long-lasting tile installation. However, when initial corners are cut due to ignorance or cost-cutting, the final finishes will suffer or fail –either immediately or over time. Tile is meant to be a permanent finish, so it has to begin with the proper foundation.

When a job goes to the lowest bidder, it’s usually because something has been left out or a specification wasn’t followed, and the easiest thing to hide from an end user are the steps needed to get an area ready for tile. Before a tile installation should begin, the surface needs to be solid (no deflection or de-lamination), free of previous residue, dry, and within the flatness tolerances to install the chosen tile. If slope to a drain or zero-entry is needed, then often additional surface prep methods have to be used. A good tile contractor will know when to use a membrane, cement backer board, mud beds, or other required installation materials. Much depends on the existing surface, the budget, the application desired, the material to be used, and the skill of the installer to perform a quality, long-lasting installation.

One solution just won’t work in every application, and the tile installer who only has one tool in his box probably hasn’t been tested over time. Be sure to ask why he’s recommending the particular system to be used, and ask him or her to show you the method details and/ or standards involved.

We’ve had projects where we’ve been told to skip the preparatory steps needed in order to save some money, but that’s just not in our DNA. The long-term success of our installations depends on starting off correctly, so we’re pretty passionate about good prep. After all, don’t we all want our ‘outfit’ to look as good as possible?

#QualifiedLabor