Where the tile job actually starts
Tile is the last trade in, but the work that decides how it looks happens way before the tile shows up. On site it runs in an order: demo, then we actually look at what we're tiling onto, then prep, then waterproofing and a water test on anything wet, then tile, then grout, silicone and trim. Do those out of order and it shows. Not every call is a full install either, sometimes it's tile repair or grout repair in Seattle after a leak, but it starts the same way, by looking at what's behind the tile before touching the surface.
The stuff clients usually don't see
Most of the money in a shower is buried in the wall before any tile goes on. A finished shower wall is usually built up like this:
- Framing that's been checked and flattened
- Backer board or foam board instead of drywall
- A waterproofing membrane or system with every seam sealed
- A sloped, water-tested pan and a built curb
- And then, last and thinnest, the tile you picked
The tile is the part you see and the smallest part of the work. Everything under it is what keeps water out of the framing.
Small tile detail, big delay
The little pieces cause the big delays. One missing Schluter edge profile, a niche shelf that didn't ship, or a single short box can stall an entire wall, because you can't tile around a gap and come back later without it showing. So we lock the trim, the edges and the exact quantities before demo, not after the room is open and the clock is running.
When the homeowner buys the tile
A lot of clients buy their own tile, and that's completely fine. What matters is the boring stuff. Order the field tile plus extra for cuts and waste, usually 10 to 15 percent over, and more for a diagonal or herringbone layout or a busy mosaic shower floor. Sort out who signs for the delivery, where it gets stored, and what happens if two boxes arrive cracked. Send us the selection before you order and we'll check the count and whether it suits the layout, so you're not three tiles short on the last wall.
Where people get surprised
Old Seattle houses are the usual surprise. Walls that are out of plumb, subfloors that flex, a shower pan that looks fine until you pull it. Large-format tile is the least forgiving here, because a wall that's a half inch out will lip every joint.
On one kitchen we opened up, the real story was inside the wall, plumbing and wiring nobody could see until demo, and tile substrate is the same idea: you don't fully know it until it's exposed. We would rather call out the unknowns at the quote than act surprised on day three. That's also the honest reason good tile installation in Seattle isn't priced off a photo.
For tile installation Seattle homeowners compare, the written scope matters more than the tile brand.
