Questions to Ask a Tile Contractor Before You Hire
Key Takeaways
- The questions you ask before hiring reveal more about a contractor’s competence than any portfolio photo
- Vague answers about waterproofing, mortar selection, and warranty terms are red flags — knowledgeable contractors answer these specifically
- Whether installers are direct employees or subcontractors significantly affects accountability and consistency of work
- A lifetime installation warranty from a local company means something different than a general assurance to “stand behind the work”
- Leicester Flooring answers all of these questions directly: our installers work for us, our warranty is in writing, and our process is documented
Finding a tile contractor in Western North Carolina is easy. Finding one you can trust with a bathroom renovation that needs to hold up for 20 years is a different task. The difference between a contractor who does excellent work and one who cuts corners often isn’t visible on their website or in a few photos of finished jobs. It shows up in how they answer specific, direct questions about their process.
Here are the questions that actually matter when you’re evaluating tile contractors for a bathroom project. Use these before you commit to anyone — including us.
1. Are Your Installers Direct Employees or Subcontractors?
This question tells you more about accountability than any other single query.
Why it matters: Direct employees work for the company consistently. They know the company’s standards because they’ve been held to them repeatedly. They have a stake in the company’s reputation because their employment depends on it. When something goes wrong, the company has direct control over the person who did the work.
Subcontractors are hired job by job. The quality of subcontracted installation varies with the individual hired for each project. The company may have less direct control over technique, materials, decisions, and workmanship standards. When something goes wrong, accountability can diffuse between the company and the subcontractor.
What to listen for: A direct answer — “they work for us” or “we use subcontractors.” Follow up: if subcontractors, how are they vetted, and does the company’s warranty still apply to their work?
Leicester Flooring’s answer: Our installers are direct members of our team. Many have worked with us for years. They know our standards because we set and enforce them consistently.
2. What Waterproofing System Do You Use in Showers?
This is the question that separates experienced tile contractors from generalists the fastest.
Why it matters: Shower waterproofing is the most consequential technical step in bathroom tile installation. Water that gets behind shower tile without a proper waterproofing membrane causes slow, hidden damage — mold growth, wall material degradation, subfloor damage — that may take years to become visible. By the time it does, the repair cost dwarfs the original installation.
Cement backer board alone is not waterproofing. Cement board resists moisture but is not waterproof. The waterproofing membrane applied over the backer board is the actual moisture barrier.
What to listen for: A knowledgeable contractor should be able to name the specific waterproofing system they use — whether it’s a liquid-applied membrane like RedGard, a sheet membrane system, or another product. They should explain that it’s applied over the backer board before the tile is set. If the answer is “we use cement board, and that handles it,” that’s a red flag.
Leicester Flooring’s answer: We apply a waterproofing membrane in all shower installations. Our installers use products appropriate for the application and ensure proper coverage and curing before the tile is set.
3. What Mortar Do You Use for Large-Format Tile?
Tile mortar isn’t one-size-fits-all. The wrong mortar for the tile and format leads to hollow spots behind the tile — areas where the adhesive bond isn’t complete. Hollow-backed tile is structurally vulnerable and prone to cracking or loosening over time.
Why it matters: Large-format tile (anything 15 inches or larger in any dimension) requires a trowel with larger notches and often a polymer-modified mortar to achieve the coverage needed. The Tile Council of North America recommends a minimum 80% mortar coverage behind tile in dry areas and 95% in wet areas. Achieving those numbers with large-format tile requires back-buttering (applying mortar to the back of the tile in addition to the substrate) and the right mortar consistency.
Porcelain tile’s low absorption rate also requires a mortar formulated for low-porosity surfaces. Standard unmodified mortars can struggle to achieve adequate bond on dense porcelain.
What to listen for: A knowledgeable contractor mentions back-buttering for large-format tile, references mortar coverage standards, and can name the mortar product or type they use. Vague answers about “regular tile mortar” suggest limited technical depth.
Leicester Flooring’s answer: We use mortars appropriate for the tile type and application. For large-format and porcelain tile, we use polymer-modified mortars and the back-buttering technique to achieve proper coverage.
4. Do You Lay Out the Tile Dry Before Setting?
This is about whether the contractor plans the installation or just starts setting tile.
Why it matters: Tile layout affects how the finished floor reads aesthetically. Without a dry layout, cutting tile at the wall ends up wherever it ends up — sometimes a 2-inch sliver next to the door, sometimes an awkwardly placed partial tile at the most visible entry point into the room. Professional tile setters lay out the installation dry first, adjust the starting position to optimize where cuts fall, and mark reference lines before any mortar is mixed.
What to listen for: A yes. If the answer is no, or if the contractor explains why they don’t bother, that’s a sign of installation shortcuts you’ll live with for as long as the tile is in your home.
Leicester Flooring’s answer: Dry layout is standard practice in our tile installations. We take the time to plan placement before setting begins.
5. What Does Your Warranty Cover, Specifically?
“We stand behind our work” is a social convention, not a warranty. A real warranty has specific terms.
Why it matters: The distinction between a manufacturer’s product warranty and an installation workmanship warranty matters enormously. Product warranties cover defects in the tile itself. Installation warranties cover the work — if tile lifts, grout fails due to installation technique, or waterproofing fails because it was applied incorrectly, who fixes that and at what cost?
Without a defined installation warranty, the contractor can reasonably argue that any problem is attributable to the product rather than the installation. With a defined installation warranty, there’s no ambiguity about where responsibility lies.
What to listen for: Specific terms. What’s covered? For how long? What’s excluded? Is it in writing? Can you get a copy before signing anything?
Leicester Flooring’s answer: We back every installation with a lifetime workmanship warranty. If a problem arises from our installation technique, we return and fix it. The warranty is real and local — backed by a company that has been part of WNC since 1971.
6. How Do You Handle Unexpected Subfloor Issues?
In older homes, particularly, subfloor conditions discovered on installation day sometimes differ from what was visible during the estimate. How a contractor handles this tells you about their integrity.
Why it matters: Some contractors proceed without telling you, adding the repair work and cost to a final invoice you didn’t agree to. Others stop, explain what they found, and get your explicit approval before doing any additional work. The second approach is the professional standard.
What to listen for: A clear statement that they stop, communicate, and get approval before proceeding with any work beyond the agreed scope. Any answer that implies they’ll “handle it and adjust the bill later” is worth pressing on.
Leicester Flooring’s answer: We stop and communicate. If we encounter a subfloor condition on installation day that wasn’t visible during the measure, we explain what we found and what it requires before doing anything additional. You make the call.
7. Can I Contact Any Recent Customers?
References from recent customers in similar projects give you direct access to the homeowner experience. Photos show finished products. References tell you what working with the contractor actually felt like.
What to listen for: Contractors with nothing to hide provide references readily. Hesitation or deflection is informative.
Alternatively, check the contractor’s online reviews on Google, the Better Business Bureau, and other review platforms. Read recent reviews, not just the overall rating. Look for comments about communication, problem resolution, and whether the finished work met expectations.
Leicester Flooring’s answer: We encourage prospective customers to read our reviews. You can find them on our customer reviews page and on our Google Business listing.
8. What Happens After the Job Is Done If Something Goes Wrong?
This question gets at the contractor’s commitment after you’ve paid them.
Why it matters: The ability to reach the company, describe a problem, and receive a response is the test of whether a warranty has any real meaning. A company that’s hard to reach after the check clears is functionally unwarranted regardless of what the paperwork says.
What to listen for: Clear information about how to contact them after the job — phone number, email, and policy for scheduling warranty service. A specific person or process rather than a vague assurance.
Leicester Flooring’s answer: Call either of our showrooms directly. Our Asheville number is (828) 348-4846, and Hendersonville is (828) 233-5973. We’ve been in those same locations for over 50 years. We’re not going anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions should I ask before hiring a tile contractor?
Ask as many as you need to feel confident. A contractor who becomes defensive or evasive with direct technical questions is giving you important information. Competent contractors answer these questions readily because their process is solid and they’ve answered them before.
Should I get multiple bids for a bathroom tile project?
Getting more than one estimate is reasonable for any significant home project. When comparing, look at what’s included in each estimate rather than just the total. An estimate that includes proper waterproofing, backer board, and subfloor prep is meaningfully different from one that doesn’t mention those items.
Is the lowest bid usually a red flag?
It can be. A significantly lower bid than others often indicates that something in the professional installation process is being skipped — typically subfloor prep, waterproofing, or quality mortar. The installation shortcuts that reduce the bid price are exactly the shortcuts that cause tile failures.
Does Leicester Flooring charge for the in-home estimate?
No. Our free in-home measure is part of how we provide accurate estimates. There’s no obligation and no charge.
How do I find Leicester Flooring’s reviews?
Our reviews are on our customer reviews page and searchable on Google. Our Asheville showroom has a 4.8 star rating with nearly 300 reviews as of our last check.
Summary
The questions above are the ones that distinguish contractors who do excellent work from those who cut corners. Experienced professionals answer them specifically, confidently, and without defensiveness. If you get vague answers or deflection on waterproofing, mortar selection, warranty terms, or subcontractor status, that’s useful information before you hand someone the keys to your bathroom.
Leicester Flooring answers all of these questions directly. Contact us to schedule your free in-home measure, or read more about our approach on our professional tile installation page.