How long does a typical shower tile job take?

A standard tub-to-shower conversion or shower rebuild usually runs five to eight working days, including demolition, waterproofing, a flood test, tile and grout. Custom niches, benches or stone add time, and we give you a day-by-day estimate before we start.

Can you tile over my existing tile floor?

Sometimes, but rarely recommended. If the old tile is fully bonded, flat and the added height will not interfere with doors or transitions, overlay is possible. In most older Everett-area homes we find loose tiles or a soft subfloor, and removal gives a far better result.

What tile size works best in a small bathroom?

Larger tiles with fewer grout lines often make a small room feel bigger, but the floor must be very flat to set them. Mid-size tile such as 12x24 is a common compromise. We bring samples and look at your actual floor before recommending a size.

Do I need to seal porcelain tile?

Glazed porcelain itself does not need sealing. Cement-based grout benefits from a penetrating sealer, and natural stone such as marble or travertine needs sealing on install and periodically afterward. We tell you exactly which surfaces need care.

Can you match tile from an older part of my home?

We can help you search for a close match, and when an exact match is impossible we often suggest a deliberate contrast, such as a border or threshold, so the transition looks designed rather than patched.

Do you supply the tile or do I buy it?

Either works. Many clients choose tile at a showroom and we coordinate quantities and delivery; others prefer that we source it. We always confirm square footage, overage and setting materials before ordering.

Is heated flooring possible under new tile?

Yes. Electric radiant mats or cable systems install beneath tile with very little added height. They need a dedicated circuit, so we coordinate with a licensed electrician for the connection.

Tile Installation in Everett, MA | Showers, Floors & Backsplashes

Tile Installation in Everett, Somerville and Medford

Tile is where AP Tile started, and it is still the work the crew is proudest of. A tile job looks simple from the doorway, but the result you live with for twenty years is decided underneath the surface: how flat the subfloor is, how the shower is waterproofed, where the layout begins and how the grout joints line up with the walls, the tub and the door casing.

Most of the homes we work in around Everett, Somerville and Medford were built long before modern tile backer boards existed. Floors dip toward the center of a room, walls lean a quarter inch over eight feet, and old mortar beds hide behind vinyl. We open things up, measure, and correct the substrate before a single tile goes down, because no amount of careful setting can hide a floor that is out of plane.

For showers we build a continuous waterproof assembly, from the pre-sloped base to the top of the wet wall, and we flood-test the pan before tile so you know it holds water where it should. Niches, benches and curbs are framed and waterproofed as part of that system instead of being added as afterthoughts.

Layout is planned on paper and on the floor before mixing thinset. We find the room's real centerlines, balance cuts so you never end up with a two-inch sliver at the doorway, and align vertical joints with fixtures where the eye naturally lands. Large-format porcelain, subway, hexagon, herringbone and natural stone each get the trowel size, back-buttering and leveling method they require.

When the last tile is set, we grout, clean the haze, caulk the change-of-plane joints that should never be grouted, and seal stone or cement-based grout where the material calls for it. Then we walk the space with you and explain how to care for it. If you are also updating trim or doors in the same room, our finish carpentry team can close out the project without a second contractor.

Walk-in shower with a herringbone back wall, vertical stacked tile, brass-trimmed niche and marble mosaic floor

What you get

Flat floors, no lippage

Substrate correction and leveling clips keep tile edges even, so bare feet and vacuum heads glide across the surface.

Showers built to hold water

A continuous waterproof membrane and a flood test before tile mean leaks are found on day three, not in year three.

Balanced layouts

Cuts are planned so the visible edges are full or near-full tiles, and joints line up with doors, tubs and vanities.

Material-matched setting

Large-format porcelain, glass mosaic and natural stone each get the right thinset, trowel notch and coverage.

Clean, sealed finish

Grout haze removed, movement joints caulked, and porous materials sealed before we call the job complete.

One crew, start to finish

Demolition, prep, setting and grout are handled by the same people, so nothing gets lost between trades.

What is included

Preparation

Removal of old tile, vinyl or carpet
Subfloor inspection and stiffening
Self-leveler or patching where needed
Cement board or foam backer installation

Waterproofing

Sloped shower base to the drain
Sheet or liquid membrane on wet walls
Niche, bench and curb detailing
24-hour flood test of the pan

Setting

Layout lines and dry-fit approval
Back-buttering of large-format tile
Leveling system on big tile
Schluter or trim edge profiles

Finishing

Grouting in your chosen color
Silicone at changes of plane
Sealer for stone and cement grout
Final cleaning and care walkthrough

Our tile process

Measure and choose
We visit, measure, check the floor and walls for flat and plumb, and talk through tile size, pattern and trim.
Plan the layout
You see where the pattern starts and how cuts fall before work begins, so there are no surprises at the threshold.
Prepare the substrate
Demolition, structural fixes, backer board and waterproofing are completed and inspected first.
Set and grout
Tile goes in with consistent joints and full coverage, then cures before grout is packed and tooled.
Seal and review
We clean, seal where needed, and walk the space with you before final cleanup.

Why hire a professional

Tile is unforgiving. Thinset cures within hours, and a hollow spot or a sloped shower floor is not something you can fix by touching it up later; it usually means tearing out and starting over. A professional installer brings the flat-checking tools, the leveling systems and, more importantly, the habit of verifying every step before covering it.

Hiring the crew that does this every week also protects your materials budget. Porcelain slabs and natural stone are expensive to replace when they crack from poor coverage. We order with the right overage, cut accurately, and keep breakage low, which often offsets a large part of the labor difference compared with a weekend attempt.