Tile is unforgiving: it's permanent, it's visible, and when the install was rushed, it tells on the installer for years. Here are the five mistakes we see most, all preventable.
1. Skipped or shortcut waterproofing
The big one. Tile and grout are not waterproof — the membrane behind them is. A shower built without a proper waterproofing system fails invisibly, wicking water into the wall for a year or two before the damage announces itself. Ask any tile contractor to name the waterproofing system they use. A real answer names a product; a bad answer says "we use good tile."
2. Tiling over a bad substrate
Flexing subfloors crack tile along joist lines. Unlevel slabs telegraph through large-format tile as lippage — edges you catch with a toe. The fix costs a day up front or a re-do later.
3. Rushing cure times
Thinset needs time before grout. Waterproofing needs time before tile. Grout needs time before water. Every one of those waits is a day someone is tempted to skip, and each skip is borrowed trouble. Our schedules include the boring days — that's part of how we run jobs.
4. No layout plan
Good installers dry-lay and plan: centered fields, balanced cuts at walls, pattern aligned to the sightline from the door. Without it, you get a sliver cut in the most visible corner of the room, forever.
5. Grout as an afterthought
Wrong grout type for the joint size, unsealed grout in wet areas, or contrasting grout over imperfect joints. Small decision, daily visibility.
Hiring for tile? Ask about all five. Then see the custom cabinetry and tile page, which tile choices drive cost, our pricing page, and our FAQ.