It will if the work under the tile is right. Tile is rigid. It cannot flex, and it cannot keep water out on its own. Nearly every failed tile job we are asked to fix — cracked floors, hollow tiles, leaking showers — comes down to preparation that was skipped, not to the tile itself.

What we install

• Floor tile — entries, kitchens, hallways, main floors and basements
• Shower tile — walk-in showers, tub surrounds, niches and benches over a bonded waterproofing membrane
• Bathroom tile — floors, walls and feature walls
• Backsplash tile — subway, mosaic, zellige, glass and slab-look porcelain
• Large format tile — 24×48 and larger, with back-buttering and levelling systems
• Porcelain and natural stone — marble, travertine, slate and stone-look porcelain
• Heated tile floors — electric in-floor heating under tile
• Tile repair and regrouting — cracked tile replacement, regrouting and re-caulking

How we install tile

1. Assess the subfloor. We check for deflection, moisture and flatness before quoting. A bouncy or uneven floor is fixed first.
2. Level. Self-levelling compound where the floor is out. Essential for large format.
3. Membrane. An uncoupling membrane over plywood subfloors, and a bonded waterproofing system in every wet area.
4. Plan the layout. We dry-lay the first rows so you never end up with a sliver of tile at a doorway or along the most visible wall.
5. Set with full coverage. Correct trowel size, back-buttering on large tile, levelling clips to control lippage.
6. Grout, trim and seal. Clean joints, proper edge profiles, movement joints where the floor meets walls and changes plane.

What tile installation costs

We don’t publish a price list, because the same square footage can need very different work. What moves the price is mostly what you can’t see: whether the subfloor flexes or slopes, what has to come out first, the tile format and the layout pattern. We check all of that at a free on-site visit and leave you a written quote — and that quote is what you pay.

Want a ballpark first? Our tile cost calculator gives you one in under a minute. See also the tile materials comparison.

Your tile or ours

Most clients buy their own tile from showrooms like The Tile House in Pickering or The Tile Shoppe in Scarborough and Mississauga. We install from any supplier, and we are happy to look at samples before you buy and tell you honestly whether they suit the room.

What’s included

• Removal and disposal of existing flooring
• Subfloor inspection for deflection and moisture
• Self-levelling compound where needed
• Uncoupling membrane over plywood subfloors
• Layout planning, levelling clips and back-buttering
• Grout, transitions, trims and cleanup

What affects the price

Tile format, layout pattern and how much preparation the subfloor needs. Diagonal and herringbone layouts take longer because they generate more cuts and waste, and a floor that is out of level needs levelling first. We price every floor after a free visit — or try the tile cost calculator for a ballpark.

Why Ontario floors need a membrane

Seasonal humidity swings move a plywood subfloor enough to crack tile bonded directly to it. An uncoupling membrane such as Schluter DITRA lets the two move independently. Over plywood, we treat it as standard, not as an upsell.

Popular floor tile choices

Porcelain for entries and kitchens, large format for open main floors, wood-look plank porcelain for a warmer look, and heated tile for bathrooms and basements.

What’s included

• Framing check and backer board
• Bonded waterproofing membrane on walls and floor (Schluter Kerdi, Wedi or equivalent)
• Pre-sloped base with correct fall to the drain, or linear drain
• Niches, benches and curbs waterproofed as one system
• Full-height wall tile with proper corner and edge detail
• Flood test before tile goes on

Pricing and timeline

Every shower is priced after a free visit — size, tile, niches, benches, glass and what we find behind the old walls all change the number. Most take four to seven days. For a ballpark, use the tile cost calculator.

Curbless and walk-in showers

Curbless showers need the floor recessed or the slope carried across the bathroom, and a linear drain. They are very doable in most GTA homes but must be planned before demolition.

Questions to ask any installer

Which waterproofing system? Is the base pre-sloped? Will you flood test? Read our FAQ for more, or see how we approach full bathroom tile.

What we tile

• Bathroom floors, including heated floors
• Tub surrounds and walk-in showers
• Full-height wall tile and feature walls
• Vanity backsplashes and niches

How long it takes

Pricing is confirmed after a free visit. For a ballpark, try the tile cost calculator.

Slip resistance matters here

Bathroom floors get walked on wet. We check that the tile meets DCOF 0.42 or higher before installing. Small mosaic on a shower floor adds grip because of the extra grout lines.

Need the whole bathroom done?

If the job includes vanity, toilet and fixtures as well as tile, see bathroom renovation.

What’s included

• Surface preparation and priming
• Precise outlet, switch and window cuts
• Edge profiles: bullnose, Schluter trim or mitred returns
• Grout and colour-matched silicone at the counter joint

Pricing and timeline

Most backsplashes are finished in one to two days. The price depends on the tile, the wall area and how many outlets, switches and window returns we cut around — we confirm it after a free visit, or get a ballpark from the tile cost calculator.

Worth the upgrade: epoxy grout

Standard grout behind a stove absorbs grease and stains within a year. Epoxy grout resists it. It is harder to install, which is why many installers avoid quoting it.

Why it is harder

• The subfloor must be flat within 1/8 inch over 10 feet
• Every tile needs back-buttering for full mortar coverage
• Medium-bed mortar, not standard thinset, or the tile sags
• Levelling clip systems on every joint to control lippage
• Two people to place each piece

Why it costs more to install

The extra is labour and preparation, not the tile: levelling, back-buttering, clips and two people on every piece. The tile cost calculator shows the difference for your floor.

How to spot a bad quote

If a quote for large format tile is the same as for standard tile, the installer is planning to skip back-buttering or levelling clips. You will see the lippage within a week.

Porcelain

Water absorption of 0.5 percent or less, no sealing, freeze-thaw safe. The right answer for entries, showers, basements and anywhere that sees salt, water or heavy traffic. Stone-look and marble-look porcelain now give the appearance of stone without the maintenance.

Natural stone

Marble, travertine, limestone and slate are porous. They need sealing on installation and every one to three years, and marble will etch if anything acidic sits on it. They also need a stiffer floor — L/720 deflection rather than L/360 for ceramic — and white or light stone needs white mortar so it does not stain through.

Installation compared

Full comparison in our tile materials guide, or try the tile cost calculator.

What’s included

• Electric heating mat or cable sized to the open floor area
• Uncoupling membrane rated for heating cable
• Programmable thermostat with floor sensor
• Coordination with your electrician for the dedicated circuit

Cost to install and run

Heating is added on top of the tile, with the membrane and thermostat, and priced at your free visit — the tile cost calculator shows the effect on your floor. Running cost for a typical bathroom is a few dollars a month on a schedule.

Good to know

Heating only goes under open floor, not under the vanity or toilet, so the heated area is always less than the room. We measure the usable area when quoting.

What we repair

• Cracked or chipped tile replacement
• Regrouting floors, walls and showers
• Re-caulking tubs, showers and counters
• Hollow or loose tile reset
• Grout sealing and epoxy grout upgrades

Fix the cause first

Cracks running in a straight line across several tiles usually mean subfloor movement. Crumbling grout in one shower corner usually means water behind the wall. Replacing a tile without addressing the cause buys a few months. We tell you what we find — read our FAQ for more.

Matching tile

Dye lots change between production runs, so a new tile rarely matches exactly. Spare tiles from the original job are gold — if you have a box in the garage, keep it.

What we typically handle

• Removal of existing flooring and backsplash
• Subfloor levelling and floor tile
• Backsplash tile after counters are in
• Trim, transitions and finishing

Every kitchen is different. Call us to talk through the scope and we will tell you honestly what we do ourselves and what we coordinate.