Can social media find a good contractor?

The internet has become the ‘yellow pages’ of our world. We use the search bar to find local restaurants, dry cleaners, and home improvement professionals. We turn to Social Media channels for recommendations and resources, and sometimes you get good information and other times the names you get are the ones with the most friends, the most savvy search engine algorithms, or the time to make their presence known on all channels.

Other good starting points are people you know your friends and neighbors have used and been happy with as well as local professional groups.

But wherever you get the names, be sure to check them out in other ways:

• the NC Secretary of State’s website will show if they are a registered business
• trade association listings will give you an indicator of how serious they take their industry. Home Builders Associations, Chambers of Commerce, and even the Better Business Bureau can all give you a glimpse of a company that’s invested in on-going improvement and our community;
• license boards for the particular contractors will tell you if there are current complaints or actions against them. If there’s no local license requirement, then check to see what industry certifications the contractor might have;
• ask about their process – how long typical projects take, what other similar projects they’ve completed, what’s their warranty process, are their materials sourced locally, what kind of experience do their employees have;
• what standards or methods do they rely on for their work? (Hint: doing it the same way for the past 10-15 years doesn’t cut it in today’s ever-evolving construction industry)
• On their last 3 jobs, how much did the final billing amount differ from their quoted price?

Hiring a home-improvement professional is an investment in your home’s future. Make sure your research is as extensive as possible. #Professionalcraftsmanship #HireAProfessional #LocalCraftsmanship #ProfessionalTileInstallation #NeuseTile

We want you to be informed about tile

We’re like most good tradespeople –passionate about our craft and doing it correctly. We take pride in serving our community with installations that are beautiful and long-lasting. And we want to be your tile installation company for this project and the next.

That’s why in 1985, we joined The National Tile Contractors Association. This like-minded group of professionals has grown over the years and represents the best collection of brains and talent in the tile world. And all of them want you to be better informed about your tile installation.

They’ve formed a Consumer Education Committee that’s busy producing documents to help you Find the Right Tile Installer, determine why you might have a Leaking Tile Shower from a failed installation, see if your tile might be Spot-Bonded, figure out what’s up with your Grout, and other documents to come.

These are being compiled on the association’s website under TileTrouble. The last thing any of the members of NTCA want you to have is Tile Trouble, so we want to be sure you’re informed and able to find the information you need as a consumer, home owner, or contractor.

There’s also a search feature on the website under Find A Contractor, so, if you’re outside the Triangle area, go there to start the search for your next project. And, if you’re in the Triangle area of NC, please let us know if Neuse Tile can help you avoid any tile troubles.

#NeuseTile #ConsumerEducation #TileTrouble #LocalCraftsmanship #NTCA

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.

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.

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.

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

The many layers of a tile sandwich

The common denominator in our installations is that the products on the top layer are rigid — they don’t flex or bend. And the factors beyond that are as varied as all the possible sandwich combinations in a New York deli.

Each project is as different as the location to be tiled, the material, the substrate, and the customer’s preferences. We enjoy the challenge of making sure we’ve selected the proper tile installation method and products to accommodate your surface, your application, your needs for the space, and the material you’d like us to install.

Some of the things we’ll be factoring into our estimates (and our conversations) are:

• Floor deflection (the up and down movement of a floor should not exceed L/360 for tile and L/720 for natural stone)
• Floor preparation (remove any existing adhesives, flatten problem areas by bringing substrate into required tolerances, scarify if needed)
• Needed coverage (required mortar contact on the back of tile in a dry area 80%; wet area 95%)
• Grout color and its impact on setting materials as well as end results (highly contrasting grouts can present a visual framing on some sheeted materials)
• Sealant needed prior to installation to protect the material from any staining during the grouting process (natural stones must be sealed prior to grout due to their susceptibility to staining)
• The size of the material to be installed (any tile more than 15” in any one direction is considered ‘large format’ and requires different mortars and substrate tolerances
• Composition of the tile itself (stone, glass, metal, sheeted mosaics, and accents with combinations of these –all require different setting materials, blades, tools, and care)
• Trowel and spacer type and size (tile, mortar, pattern, installer preference all factor in here)
• Movement joint locations and treatment (to allow for the movement that occurs as structures expand and contract)
• Pattern selected and its impact on installation waste factor as well as installation difficulty
• Job location – what it takes to get our heavy materials into the area, what hours we can work, how much protection of adjoining areas we’ll need to do, etc.
• Wet area/ interior or exterior/ angle of lighting/ long-term use & traffic in the area
• Base surface to be used (mud-set, backer board, membrane, etc.)

Those in our industry who tell you they can give you a ‘quick’ price per square foot for tile installation are either clairvoyant walking encyclopedias of construction, or they haven’t thought about all the factors that make up a long-lasting and beautiful tile installation. Most of the time, the best and most accurate things come to those who put some experience and careful consideration into all the options available. #ExperienceMatters #NTCAfivestar

Why does it take so long to get an estimate?

In this day of instant gratification, the construction estimating process may seem to be lagging behind. Since we do this every day, we thought we’d take a minute to explain the behind-the-scenes work that goes into every proposal we put together.

First, we don’t price our work by the square foot. Pricing that way assumes that every tile project is virtually the same; and they’re NOT. There is more time and labor involved with certain tiles, particular setting materials (for different kinds and sizes of tile), and specific features like accents, niches, benches, patterns, and shower floors. What we do is a craft, a skill, and often an art so pricing it like a cookie-cutter commodity wouldn’t make sense.

Second, we want to provide an accurate quote. We’re not tiling ‘ballparks’, and you can’t budget based on numbers thrown into the wind. So, we ask a lot of questions, get photos and measurements, often meet on site, and spend substantial time gathering information about your project.

We want to fully understand your design intent, so we have calculated the right quantities of each material, have discussed potential ‘gotcha’ areas, and know that your selections will work together to provide the finished installation you’re seeking. When there’s a design professional or contractor involved, we sometimes have to wait on them to get back to us with answers to clarification questions.  And, if it’s a project that involves architectural drawings and specifications, then we often need to get answers through Requests for Information which we send to the contractor who, in turn, sends to the Architect or Designer. Just gathering all the information we need can take time.

We also want to provide the tile and labor for you so that we can warranty both and relieve you of the handling responsibilities. That means we’ll pursue good pricing on the product you’ve chosen, and sometimes we have to do some research to get that.

Third, we want to do your installation with the right method so it will be both long-lasting and beautiful. In order to determine the techniques, setting materials, and tools, we need specifics on the material to be installed (glass, porcelain, stone, mesh-mounted, paper-faced, large-format, etc.). We also need to know about the structure where the tile will be installed (concrete, wood, wet area, substrate, structural support, etc.) so that any needed preparatory work can be included. Tile doesn’t flex or bend, so we need to be sure that what we’re adhering to is appropriate to handle our materials.

Fourth, we’re blessed to be pretty busy. That means our repeat contractors are sending us a steady stream of projects to discuss and price; other people may also have called before you did. We want every one of our customers to get the attention they deserve, so we need to work our process thoroughly and steadily while being sensitive to contractor deadlines and ever-changing schedules.

There are certainly improvements we can make to our systems, software, and processes, and we are working diligently to provide the best information and service to all our customers. Doing so means we don’t provide cookie-cutter, ballpark, or instantaneous estimates. We do provide thorough, accurate, and honest pricing for our customers so that we’ll continue to be here for the long-haul. We appreciate you and hope that you contacted us because you wanted a quality tile installation! As we work together to get accurate details on the front-end, we are better able to ensure a complete and satisfactory experience for everyone involved.

Thanks so much for your patience and for choosing Neuse Tile Service for all these years!

 

 

Celebrating women in construction

Last week was Women in Construction week in NC. The Governor and the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses  issued a proclamation in celebration, “to support and honor women in the construction industry across our state and nation.” They recognized “women as visible components in construction” and sought to raise “awareness of the career opportunities available for women in the construction field and emphasizing the growing role of women in the industry.”

We’re not totally certain what a “visible component in construction” might be, but we’re very glad to celebrate the women who work in the tile industry. We have good women friends who are Certified Tile Installers, who design and make fantastic mosaic creations, and who install tile with precision and technical proficiency every day. Many long-time tile setters in our industry will tell you that some of the best tile people they’ve ever worked with have been women. They are often known as more attentive to detail, patient with customers, and better able to juggle multiple aspects of a job at once. Like others with a bent toward trade-specific careers, women can find many excellent opportunities in tile.

Neuse Tile is a woman-owned business, and we believe that women make vital contributions to every aspect of a construction company. We join the governor and his administration in celebrating the growing role of women in construction and the fantastic future that awaits women in the tile profession. If you or someone you know wants to learn more about a future career in tile, let’s talk.