Bring Your Tile Contractor Into the Design Before Construction

Bring your tile contractor in while you're still working on the design, before framing and plumbing decisions are final. For a new house, I want to see prints before the basement's dug. Early involvement gives us a chance to work through the tile layout, shower niches and drain locations together, which can reduce rework and help keep costs down.

Before drywall is a good time to walk through the house

I was recently in a house to measure it and ultimately bid it. It wasn't even drywalled yet, which is a good thing. I prefer to be in a house as early as possible so I can be part of every planning phase.

At Superboy Construction in Lincoln, Nebraska, that conversation can start with the prints. Once the walls are open, we can also see what might interfere with the design before those details get covered up.

Check what's behind the planned shower niche

A niche is a recessed shelf in the shower wall. A problem I run into a lot is cutting into a wall to build one and finding something in the way: an electrical box, plumbing or a vent pipe.

In this house, I could see that the spot they wanted for the niche was clear. That's useful information to have while the design can still be coordinated with the other work.

Coordinate the drain before it needs to move

One of the shower drains in this house had already needed to move once. It's a good example of why the tile contractor should be involved before those locations are settled.

During planning, ask your tile contractor and plumber to review the intended drain location together. Work through where you want it and what the shower design allows before the plumbing is finalized.

Build the shower ledge around the tile layout

Another shower in this house had a ledge in the design. Because I knew the tile size, I could ask for that ledge to be built in an ideal location in the layout, with a grout joint right at the top.

That gives the framing work a specific target. The ledge and the tile layout get worked through together instead of leaving the installer to fit the pattern around a height that's already fixed.

Share the plans and keep the contractor involved

If you're planning tile work, share the drawings, the tile size if you've selected it, and the details you care about before construction gets too far along. Ask which decisions need to be coordinated with framing or plumbing, and keep the tile contractor involved as the design changes through completion.

That improves efficiency and makes everybody's job easier. Avoiding work that has to be done twice can save the customer money, too.

Planning tile installation in Lincoln or a surrounding community? Contact Superboy Construction at 402-540-6165 to talk through your plans.