-=PCTechTalk=- Re: offtopic, remodeling project/home
- From: Gman <gman.pctt@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:18:54 -0400
Having grown up in an older city (Philly), I consider a 36 year old house as
still new. lol
If you were doing the work yourselves (or having it done by a handy family
member who was only charging you food and beer), I would suggest taking
things one step at a time. Since you're looking to hire someone to do the
work, it will be cheaper to have all tile work done in one shot. The toilet
will have to be pulled both for the floor and for the wall behind the
toilet, assuming tile will be going back there. The sink may or may not
need to be removed, depending on its style (pedestal sinks should be tiled
under, enclosures like cabinets are usually tiled around). Tub and shower
surrounds require a special type of backing (there are several approaches
that work very well) to help waterproof the installation and this will also
be considered as part of the tiling install if required.
To find the right installer, spend your time picking out what materials you
want to use by going around to a couple of flooring stores in your area (all
of them should have their own installers and their work will be backed up by
the store). Be sure to take with you exact measurements of every surface
you wish to cover and be aware that we always add a small percentage more
material than the job requires to get around ugly or broken pieces
occasionally found among the boxes as the job progresses. Let the store's
salesperson discuss various coverings options with you and when you've come
up with some usable ideas ask how much the materials come to and then ask
how much more it would be to have the stuff installed by them if you choose
to not do it yourselves. Also ask for an idea of how long it would take for
their people to install it. Thank them for their time, tell them you want
to spend some more time staring at your bathroom before making a final
decision and move on to the next store. If you hit at least 3 stores, you
should be able to gain enough of an instinct to choose which store is right
for the job.
On the other hand, it's usually less expensive to hire someone to do the
actual work as a side job. They won't be sharing the labor money with a
store and, assuming they have a day job, will be working on yours after
normal working hours and weekends. This means no one will feel the need to
take time off of work to be there during the say since the work will be done
when everyone's already home. The downside is that there is no store to
back up the installer's work, so you will be relying on the installer
themselves if anything should go wrong (tile becomes loose after a few
months, grout shrinks too much or washes out, etc.). If this type of work
is what they do for a living, these issues should not be a problem as
everyone I know who does side jobs has always been great at backing up their
own work. To find someone like this, ask everyone you know who has had any
tile work added anywhere within their home who they used.
However, avoid using anyone who never did it for a living. It takes a long
time to learn how to deal with everything that can, and usually does, come
up during a typical installation. Uneven floors, non-squared walls, humps
in walls, voids that need to first be filled, etc. are all issues that I
would only trust to a pro. Plus, all of the various types and properties of
substrates, glues, mortars, grouts, etc. really require a lot of experience
before they will know what's best to use on your particular project.
Any leftover tiles or cut pieces of significant size should be left with you
at the end of the job (these are your spares and are important to have in
case any tiles need replacement in the future), but be aware that some
installers may try to keep unopened boxes without your knowledge. In most
cases, they are only looking to have a supply of filler stick on hand for
repairs or to break them into small pieces to use for custom decorator
strips on other jobs. Most installers do NOT do this, but there are a few
that do so I am making you aware of the practice. When you make the
purchase, take note of the number of boxes ordered for each material and
match that against what goes down onto your walls and floor (or what comes
in through your door or garage when the installers arrive). Keep in mind
that a significant amount of tile can be lost due to cutting around the room
and other objects as well as tiles that break the wrong way when they are
cut, both of which is something that the installer cannot prevent. If you
suspect a mismatch near the end of the job, tell the installer (kinda
puzzled) that you bought more than you needed so that you would have some
for another project. Then ask him or her to check their truck to see if
maybe they overlooked it as they brought in the materials. If the answer is
negative, triple check your figures and make sure you're allowing for tiles
lost due to cutting. If you still suspect you're not getting all you paid
for, don't hesitate to call the store and say so.
On the other hand, you could simply fly me in and I'll take care of the
works for ya. I'll work cheap as long as the food is good. :O)
Peace,
G
"The only dumb questions are the ones that are never asked"
----- Original Message -----
From: "cristy" <poppy0206@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, June 14, 2008 11:24 AM
Subject: -=PCTechTalk=- offtopic, remodeling project/home
> Hey,
>
> I know this is totally offtopic but we have some very informative people
> on
> these types of things on the list and so thought I'd ask. I am thinking
> of
> helping my mom (financially) with upgrading her bathroom. Since the tiles
> are now coming out that are next to the bath tub and everything else like
> the sink, and floor tile could easily stand replacing. My question, is it
> more costly to do this piecemeal or the whole thing at once and any
> recommendations on how to go about finding the right people for the job?
> Her house is about 36 years old now.
>
> Thanks!
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