Questions to ask before hiring a tile contractor?
uscpsycho
7 years ago
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Comments (11)
just_janni
7 years agojn3344
7 years agoRelated Discussions
Hire a general contractor or sub-contractors?
Comments (11)I’ve acted as GC on my last few renovation projects, one which involved three bathroom gut remodels and a brand new kitchen with all new appliances and cabinets, new hardwood floors, doors, and moving walls. Subs I had: (1) paint/general construction/drywall, (2) plumber, (3) tile, (4) floor guy. I did the bulk of this in about a month and a half, with just little aesthetic touch ups later. I saved both money and time. Time, because I found that GCs will schedule one thing after another, not wanting people to work around each other, but because I was on a really tight timeframe that my son and I wouldn’t have a place to live, I scheduled a lot of folks to work at the same time around each other. They grumbled a bit more, but I was there every day to smooth things over, help, and just be a charming friendly person who brought cookies and snacks :). That said, to echo a lot of what folks said, it’s important to (1) be there on site every day to catch things early that are not aesthetically what you’d like, before it becomes more difficult to fix later, (2) have great people skills to motivate folks and work through issues, (3) have great organizational and project management skills (4) make decisions quickly and easily (being willing to do your own research) (5) be efficient about ordering supplies and materials on your own, which really saves time and money. And maybe most importantly (6) have the energy to deal with this all — it takes a lot of energy. I was exhausted. The reason I undertook it is that some GCs I talked to gave me a 4 month estimate on the work, and I just didn’t have that kind of time. All the sub folks were referred by my broker, so they were really responsive and professional and above par. I’ve continued to use them on other renovation projects, and they’ve always been really responsive and great. I may be lucky, because I’ve heard of nightmare stories as well, but it’s just to say that if you get good referrals, I‘ve found it’s not always the case that you can’t get subs to show up or have leverage compared to a GC. In fact, on a current project I have, all my same subs agreed to take on the work for me, right away, when my GC couldn’t get his subs for weeks out. I respectfully don’t agree with the comment that if you can’t tell about running an electrical line you can’t be a GC. If you trust your subs to be good at what they do, they’ll guide you through everything and help you make the best decisions. That’s what they’re there for. I‘ve done several remodels now, and haven’t had any issues later on (I lived in that particular house for 5 years). Anyway, I know it’s been 6 years since this post, but since I always get value from older comments and advice, I thought I’d still share my own experiences for others with this same question....See MoreWhat questions to ask tile installer before hiring
Comments (3)Based upon most of the threads on this forum, you might ask him this: "After your installation fails, will you do it the way Bill says it should have been done in the first place?" Oh, and tell him that tile installers are not allowed to cry after reading what we write about them. Actually, just ask him to bring his TCNA Handbook to your first meeting so he can show you diagrams of how he intends to do your installation. "Uh...what handbook?" Mongo...See MoreQuestions to ask before hiring a floor installer?
Comments (12)Okay - I checked out the warranty and it is pretty standard, a little on the lean side, and makes no mention about finish adhesion, which is the top manufacturing related issue that I have had the pleasure of dealing with. Regarding going through the trouble - I would suggest not skipping that - at least verify all of the conditions - this is the best thing you can do so you do not have problems down the road. Warranties are only as good as the vendor you are dealing with. Every time I have had an issue and they start asking the "questions of doom", I simply pull out my pics, readings, documents, etc..., and the next question from them is asking me what my recommendation is and then they fund it - end of story. They pay for material and labor. On the flip side, before I did this, they would start asking the "questions of doom", I could not answer or back the answers up with proof (I used to be like the 85% of vendors- no testing, it was a hassle, "it don't matter" camp - and I paid for a ton of jobs with lots of zeros on the end of the replacement costs). They, rightfully so, turned me down, or if they felt sorry for me gave me a discount for the wood or give me a box or two at no charge. Since I have began doing things as correctly as possible, hardwood floor claims are basically nil. In my mind, Claims fall into four basic areas: Manufacturing Related, Installation Related, Site Related, and Maintenance Related. By performing the pre-installation testing, using qualified mechanics, & maintaining your floor correctly, you have just eliminated 95% of everything that ruins a natural hardwood floor (Actual Industry numbers puts Manufacturing related problems at <1%, but I think it is really higher than that because they get off the hook so often because of the lack of documentation of pre-install conditions). The warranty covers the delamination of the plies and walking through the finish from normal household use. The testing does more than keep a warranty intact, it gives you the best chance that there is never a problem with your natural floor product - if the installer knows how to do this testing and documentation - they probably know how to install the floor correctly too. It really does not take a huge amount of time to do this stuff, and if the installer/vendor doesn't have enough time to do it, do you think they will take the extra time to install your floor right? I would have my doubts. I have seen all of the major companies step up and take care of issues (delamination, finish peeling) when this information is presented to them - they actually are impressed and say they wished everyone would do this. You should never have to deal with the manufacturer directly - your vendor should do all of that for you....See MoreWhat to ask bathroom contractor before signing on the dotted line
Comments (61)Is that your only bathroom? People do it. Maybe it's more important your co-worker knows what's involved in being a GC than knowing you? I don't know. When I started I knew nothing and had no experience, so I knew no way. Having gone through two bathrooms, if I had the time I might consider it but I'd spend so much time doing research I'd probably never complete it. Are you moving pipes? If not, you might be better off with a skilled, insured expensive handy man who would relish your input. Someone who loves to learn but is so swamped with work, they'd be glad to have you figure out the best grout, water proofing system, exhaust fan requiremens, etc. Those types do it all themselves so you'd only have to find the one right fit instead of asking the GC what type of grout his tile guy uses as that usually ticks them off and sets up red flag for them that you're going to be a PITA. Maybe that would be a better fit if your primary concern is that it's done with best practices? Maybe being your own GC is the best fit if you have enough experience to pull it off and your focus is best practices, exquisite craftsmanship and your budget allows for that?...See MoreILoveRed
7 years agocpartist
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7 years agolast modified: 7 years agocpartist
7 years agouscpsycho
7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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