Remodeling services
Tile installation: what is under the tile decides
Flatness, backer and waterproofing are where tile jobs fail. What a written tile proposal should name. Plan your remodel: tell us the project and a person replies.
Plan Your Remodel What it costs
Written by HyreRemodel Research Desk Primary-source research and fact checking
The short answer
Tile installation is preparing a flat, stiff, and where needed waterproof base, then setting tile in mortar and grouting it.
Most tile failures, such as cracks, loose tiles, uneven edges and leaks behind a shower wall, start in the layers below the tile.
The industry standards, published as ANSI A108 and A118 in the TCNA Handbook, set those layers out.
What decides whether tile lasts?
Large-format tile needs a flatter surface than small tile. The tolerances are in ANSI A108.02.
Cement board or foam board on walls and floors, not plain drywall in wet areas.
Grout and tile are not waterproof; a membrane behind them is what keeps water out of the wall.
Plan your tile installation
Free, with no obligation. A person at HyreRemodel replies by email. Matching with remodeling contractors is not live yet.
Is your floor or wall ready for tile?
A floor that flexes when you walk will crack tile and grout. Stiffening it is framing work.
A long straightedge shows dips and humps; large tile needs a flatter surface.
Showers and tub walls need a waterproofing plan, not just backer board.
Tiling over old floors adds height at doors and may not bond.
Radiant mats are set before tile and need their own circuit.
How is tile installed?
Old flooring or wall finish removed down to a sound base.
Floor stiffness and any damaged subfloor or framing addressed.
Backer board or membrane installed; low spots filled, high spots ground. Self-leveling compound is one option on floors.
In showers and wet areas, a membrane covering walls and pan, flood-tested where specified.
Center lines and cut placement planned so small slivers stay out of sight.
Mortar combed on, tile set with full coverage, lippage kept within tolerance. See tile lippage.
Grout fills joints; changes of plane and perimeters get flexible sealant.
Which tile job are you buying?
| Job | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Floor tile | Underlayment or backer over a stiff subfloor, flattened, then set. See tile backer board. |
| Shower or tub walls | Backer plus a waterproofing membrane, then tile. See waterproofing membrane. |
| Shower floor | A sloped, waterproofed pan to the drain before tile. See shower pan. |
| Backsplash | A dry wall area. See backsplash installation. |
What belongs in a written tile proposal?
Tile quotes often name the tile and nothing beneath it. Ask for these lines.
: backer type, membrane, mortar and grout by product name.
: how the base will be checked and corrected for your tile size.
in wet areas, and whether it is flood-tested.
: pattern, start point and where cuts fall.
at walls, corners and changes of plane.
to other floors and door clearances.
: how much extra tile to buy.
Where are the safety lines in a tile job?
Cutting tile and stone can release silica dust. Wet saws and dust extraction keep it down.
Older vinyl tile, sheet flooring and their adhesives can contain asbestos. Have suspect material tested before removal.
Drain and valve work belongs to a licensed plumber and may need a permit.
Radiant mats are electrical work with ground-fault protection.
Confirm with your building department which parts need a permit and inspection.
What changes the budget for tile installation?
No figures here, by policy. Use the flooring calculator for quantity and the cost guide for how budgets are built.
| Factor | Why it changes the number |
|---|---|
| Tile size and type | Large-format and natural stone need more prep and handling; mosaics need more cutting. |
| Base condition | Flattening, subfloor repair or stiffening can outweigh the tiling. |
| Wet area | A shower adds membrane, pan and drain work. |
| Pattern | Diagonal and herringbone use more tile and time than straight lay. |
| Demolition | Removing old tile set in a mortar bed is heavy work. |
HyreRemodel publishes no national average price for this work. Size, finish level, whether plumbing, wiring or walls move, the age of the house and regional labor rates move it far enough that a single figure would mislead.
Is the tile size matched to the base?
Large tile looks clean but is unforgiving. Under ANSI A108.02, in the TCNA Handbook, tiles with any edge 15 in or longer (large-format) need a base flat to ⅛ in in 10 ft, against ¼ in in 10 ft for smaller tile.
If your floor is far from that, either budget for flattening or choose a smaller tile.
What to ask before you sign
What to have ready before the first meeting
, including size and material.
and photos of the current floor or walls.
for showers: drain type, valve and niche plans.
Where this goes wrong
Plain drywall behind shower tile soaks up water and fails.
Edges stick up (lippage) and tiles can crack.
Corners and perimeters need flexible sealant to allow movement.
Flex cracks grout and tile. Fix the structure first.
Your inquiry
Tell us about the remodel
Nothing goes to a remodeling contractor unless you agree.
Free, with no obligation: a person at HyreRemodel reads your request and replies by email. Matching with remodeling contractors is not live yet, so this is not a quote, and nothing goes to a contractor unless you agree.
Plan Your Remodel
One short form: your address and how to reach you. A person at HyreRemodel reads it and replies.
Questions
Can tile go over existing tile?
Do I need a permit for tile?
What is the difference between backer board and a membrane?
How do I compare tile bids?
Does HyreRemodel install tile?
Written and audited by
HyreRemodel Research Desk
Primary-source research, data analysis and fact checking
We are a research desk, not a remodeling contractor and not a sales floor.
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Sources & retrieval dates
Information on this page is general and may vary by location, building code, zoning, the condition of your house and your own circumstances. It is not legal, design or engineering advice.
HyreRemodel is not a remodeling contractor: we do not design, build or manage remodeling work, and we do not supervise or warrant it. This page explains the work so you can judge a proposal and a contractor.