Showers waterproofed before the first tile goes on, floors laid flat, and grout lines that stay straight.

Floor installation typically runs $12 to $18 a square foot for labor with standard porcelain, and $18 to $28 for large-format, natural stone, or intricate patterns. A full shower build with waterproofing generally lands between $3,200 and $6,500 depending on size, layout complexity, and tile selection. Substrate repair, leveling, and demolition are quoted separately after we see what is under the old floor.

A standard shower build runs about five to seven working days: demolition, substrate and waterproofing, the flood test, setting tile, then grouting and sealing, with cure time between several of those steps. A floor-only job is usually two to three days. The cure times are not padding, and rushing them is exactly how a job fails a year later.

Sometimes, and it depends entirely on what is under there and how solid it is. Tiling over sound, flat, well-bonded tile is possible with the right preparation, but it raises the floor height and affects doors and transitions. Tiling over a flexing subfloor or a failing surface guarantees cracks. We check deflection and flatness first and tell you honestly which situation you are in.

Most clients buy their own tile, which gives you the full range at the showrooms and lets you handle returns directly. We will tell you how much to order including waste, flag any tile that is difficult to install well, and go to the showroom with you if you want a second opinion. We can also supply setting materials, membrane, trim, and grout as part of the estimate.

Usually because something moved. A subfloor that flexes, a missing movement joint where tile meets a wall or another surface, or tile set over a slab crack that kept moving will all crack grout in a straight line. Grout in a corner should be caulk, not grout, which is another common cause. Filling the crack without fixing the movement just delays the same result.