Showers, backsplashes, floors, and fireplaces. Schluter KERDI waterproofing and epoxy grout standard — engineered for North Texas hard water. Flat pricing. 1-year guarantee.
North Texas water is some of the hardest in the country — North Texas Municipal Water District tests regularly show hardness up to 200 mg/L. That mineral content attacks standard cement grout, leaving chalky deposits, staining, and early failure. Standard installations that work in Boston or Seattle don't last here.
We spec waterproofing membranes and grout systems engineered for this water, so your tile stays beautiful for 20+ years — not three.
A cement-grouted, mortar-bed shower in DFW typically shows visible grout staining within 2 years and needs regrouting by year 5. A Schluter KERDI waterproofing system with epoxy grout shows almost no degradation after 15 years. The upfront cost is ~20% higher. It pays for itself twice over.
Kitchen backsplashes — subway, herringbone, mosaic, marble, hand-painted cement tile, zellige. Full or partial height, under-cabinet or full-wall.
Bathroom showers & tub surrounds — floor-to-ceiling, niches, benches, curbless walk-in, frameless glass-ready.
Bathroom floors — porcelain, ceramic, natural stone (marble, travertine, slate), heated floors (warm-wire systems or hydronic).
Kitchen & living floors — large-format porcelain (24"×48"+), wood-look plank tile, patterned floors.
Outdoor — covered patios, pool deck tile, outdoor kitchen backsplashes.
Specialty — fireplace surrounds, mudroom boot benches, laundry backsplashes, niches and shelves.
Tile selection drives 60% of a project's outcome. A great installation on the wrong tile still looks cheap five years later. Here's how we guide DFW homeowners through the options:
| Tile Type | Best For | DFW Notes | Price/sqft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porcelain | Floors, showers, backsplashes | Most durable, hardest to break, 0.5% water absorption — ideal for DFW humidity | $3–$15 |
| Ceramic | Backsplashes, low-traffic walls | Fine for walls, softer for floors; great colors and patterns | $2–$10 |
| Natural marble | Luxury showers, backsplashes | Porous — needs sealing twice yearly; etches from acidic cleaners | $8–$35 |
| Travertine | Showers, outdoor patios | Hole-filled texture; seal before grouting or holes fill with grout | $5–$20 |
| Slate | Rustic floors, fireplaces | Natural cleft surface; seal annually in high-traffic areas | $6–$18 |
| Cement tile | Backsplashes, patterned floors | Must be sealed before grouting; hand-painted shows small variance | $10–$25 |
| Glass | Backsplashes, accents | Reflective, easy to clean; needs white/gray thinset for color clarity | $12–$40 |
| Zellige | High-end backsplashes | Hand-made Moroccan, irregular surface, embrace variation | $15–$35 |
In a shower, the tile isn't what keeps water out — the waterproofing behind it is. A bad waterproofing job fails invisibly for years, then rots framing and spreads mold before you ever see a stain. We spec three systems depending on the project:
Schluter KERDI membrane (our default for showers) — bonded waterproofing membrane applied over the backer board with unmodified thinset. Floods the shower pan, seals the curb, lines the niche. Shower is 100% waterproof before a single tile goes on.
Wedi / GoBoard foam panels — integrated waterproof foam-core backer board that replaces cement board entirely. Faster installation, slightly higher material cost, same waterproof result.
Liquid-applied membrane (RedGard, Hydro Ban) — rolled or trowelled waterproofing over cement backer. Fine for floors and low-splash walls, less premium than sheet systems for full showers.
DFW homes built on post-tension slabs (nearly all since 1990) require special care when relocating shower drains. Cutting into the slab risks cutting a tension cable — a $2,000+ mistake. We drill location-survey holes first, or use linear drains that run alongside existing plumbing.
Grout is 15% of the visible surface of a tile job but 80% of what fails first. We select based on water exposure, tile joint width, and DFW water hardness.
| Grout Type | Use For | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard cement (sanded) | Joints > 1/8", floors, showers | Cheap, easy, wide color range | Stains easily in DFW hard water; needs sealing annually |
| Standard cement (unsanded) | Joints < 1/8", glass, marble | Fine joints, won't scratch soft tile | Still stain-prone; same sealing |
| Epoxy grout | Showers, backsplashes, DFW water | Waterproof, stain-proof, never needs sealing | 4–5× cost, installer skill required |
| Urethane / hybrid | Easy-clean showers | Flexible, stain-resistant, no sealer | Premium cost, longer cure |
| Pre-mixed acrylic | Small DIY jobs only | Easy to work with | Not recommended for wet areas |
Our default for DFW showers and kitchen backsplashes is Mapei Kerapoxy CQ epoxy or LATICRETE SpectraLOCK. The upgrade cost is $200–$500 on a typical shower, and you never regrout again.
Tile pricing depends heavily on material choice, pattern complexity, and whether we're demo'ing existing tile. These are typical 2025-2026 DFW project costs including labor, substrate, thinset, grout, and standard waterproofing — tile material is separate unless noted.
| Project | DFW Price Range | Timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen backsplash (30 sqft) | $650–$1,650 | 1–2 days | Subway to mid-complexity patterns |
| Herringbone marble backsplash | $1,250–$2,850 | 2–3 days | Pattern cutting, premium prep |
| Standard shower (60 sqft tile) | $3,800–$7,500 | 5–8 days | KERDI waterproofing, epoxy grout, niche |
| Walk-in curbless shower | $6,500–$12,000 | 7–10 days | Linear drain, slab prep, zero-threshold |
| Bathroom floor (40 sqft) | $850–$1,750 | 2–3 days | Demo existing, cement board, porcelain tile |
| Tub surround retile | $2,200–$4,500 | 3–5 days | Demo, waterproofing, tile, grout, caulk |
| Heated floor addition | $700–$1,500 | Add 1 day | Warm-wire system under tile |
| Fireplace surround | $850–$3,500 | 2–4 days | Complexity depends on mantel + hearth |
| Per sqft tile labor only | $10–$18 | — | Depends on tile size, pattern, substrate |
The line between a $5 tile job and a $50 tile job is lippage — the difference in height between adjacent tiles. Industry standard allows 1/32" for tiles under 15", 1/16" for larger. We aim tighter: zero visible lippage using leveling clips on every tile above 8". It costs a few extra hours. It looks professional for 30 years.
1. Design consult — Pattern layout, tile selection, grout color, waterproofing spec. You see a sample board before we start.
2. Demo & prep — Remove old tile, inspect framing/substrate, replace any rotten wood, install new cement backer or foam panels.
3. Waterproofing — For showers, full KERDI membrane, flood test 24 hours. For floors, crack-isolation membrane where needed.
4. Dry layout — Lay out tile dry first to check pattern, plan cuts, avoid slivers. Adjust starting point if needed.
5. Set tile — Thinset troweled, back-buttered on large format, leveling clips to prevent lippage, spacers for consistent joints.
6. Grout — After 24 hours thinset cure, grout with epoxy or urethane, detailed joint cleaning, final polish.
7. Caulk & seal — Color-matched silicone at all change-of-plane joints (tub-to-wall, wall-to-ceiling, corners). Sealer on natural stone.
A full bathroom tile job — floor plus tub surround or standard shower — runs $4,500–$9,500 in DFW using porcelain tile, Schluter KERDI waterproofing, and epoxy grout. Budget tile on cement board with standard grout can run $2,800–$5,500. Luxury work with natural stone, curbless showers, and heated floors can exceed $15,000.
A standard shower from demo to completion takes 5–8 working days. Day 1: demo and inspect. Day 2: install backer/membrane, flood test. Day 3: waterproofing cure. Days 4–5: set tile. Day 6: cure. Day 7: grout and detail. Day 8: caulk and final. Epoxy grout adds a day for proper cure before use.
In wet areas (showers, behind kitchen sinks) in DFW — yes, strongly recommended. North Texas water hardness up to 200 mg/L attacks cement grout quickly. Epoxy grout is waterproof, stain-proof, and never needs sealing. The upcharge is $200–$500 per bathroom. Over 10 years it saves thousands in regrouting labor and avoids mold and staining.
For dry areas (most kitchen backsplashes, floors) standard grout with proper sealing works fine.
Sometimes — but we rarely recommend it. You need solid tile underneath (no loose or hollow spots, no cracks, firm substrate), you add 3/8"+ to the floor or wall depth, you need a proper bonding primer (like LATICRETE 254 Platinum or a modified thinset with MAPEI Primer T), and transitions to doorways become problematic. On a shower floor it's almost never recommended. Demo is usually worth the small extra cost for a proper installation.
Porcelain is denser, stronger, and more water-resistant. Porcelain has water absorption under 0.5%, ceramic is 3–10%. Porcelain works for floors, showers, and exterior use; ceramic is best for walls and dry areas. Porcelain is $1–3/sqft more expensive but lasts 25+ years. For DFW bathrooms, floors, and outdoor applications we strongly recommend porcelain.
Yes — and we do quite a few in DFW, especially for aging-in-place or modern design remodels. Curbless showers require lowering the shower floor substrate (we notch or pour-down into the subfloor), a linear drain for proper water capture, and careful slope design to prevent water from escaping the shower. On DFW post-tension slabs we map the tension cables first. Budget $3,000–$5,500 above a standard curbed shower.
Daily: squeegee shower walls after use — cuts mineral deposit buildup by 80%. Weekly: neutral pH tile cleaner (never acidic on natural stone — etches permanently). Yearly: reseal natural stone and cement grout. Avoid vinegar, bleach, and Magic Erasers on natural stone. Deep-clean grout with a stiff brush and baking soda paste for stubborn buildup.
Absolutely — most clients do. We help you navigate options at Floor & Decor, The Tile Shop, Daltile, Arizona Tile, and Mission Stone. We review your selection before you order to flag common issues (wrong PEI rating for floor use, wrong edge profile, lippage-prone large format, etc.). Bring your samples to the estimate and we'll sanity-check.
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