Tile Installation Checklist: How to Spot Quality Work

The checklist

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A. Layout and alignment Tile lines are straight and run parallel to the main walls or the focal point. Grout joints are the same width throughout. Cuts at the edges are balanced: no thin slivers at a doorway or along the most visible wall. Cuts around outlets, valves, pipes and drains are clean and tight. Tile edges are flush: run your hand across joints and you don't feel raised edges (lippage).

B. Grout, corners and finishing Grout is full and even, with no pinholes, cracks or gaps. Inside corners and changes of plane (wall to floor, wall to tub) have flexible sealant, not hard grout. Outside corners are finished with a trim profile or a clean mitre, not a raw cut edge. Transitions to other flooring sit flat and are finished with a profile. Large floors have movement joints where the tile manufacturer or installation standards call for them.

C. Shower waterproofing

You can't see waterproofing once the tile is on. Ask for photos of the membrane before tiling starts.

The installer named the waterproofing system before starting (for example Schluter KERDI). You saw the membrane covering the whole shower, including the ceiling or upper wall where the system calls for it. Seams, inside and outside corners were overlapped or covered with the system's own corners and bands. Pipes, the valve and the niche were sealed with the system's collars and corners. The drain is part of the same system as the membrane.

D. Shower floor and drainage Water runs to the drain from every part of the shower floor. No puddles stay on the floor a few minutes after the shower is off. Water stays inside the shower: the curb, threshold or curbless floor is sloped the right way. The drain cover sits flush with the tile around it.

E. Final walkthrough No chipped, cracked or scratched tiles. No hollow sound when you tap tiles on the floor (a sign of poor mortar coverage). Tile and grout are clean, with no haze or leftover mortar. Natural stone was sealed, and you were told which cleaners to use. You were given leftover tile for future repairs, and told when the shower can be used.

This checklist is an educational resource for homeowners and is not a substitute for a professional inspection. Some installation requirements can't be checked by looking at a finished job.

Questions to ask before you hire a tile installer

Which waterproofing system will you use in the shower? You want a named system, like Schluter KERDI, not “cement board and grout”. Ask for photos of it before tile goes on.
How will you prepare and level the floor and walls? Flat surfaces are what make tile look good and stop it cracking.
How do you slope the shower floor to the drain? And is the drain part of the same system as the membrane?
Which setting materials, grout and trims are you using? Large-format tile and stone need the right mortar.
How do you plan the layout? A good installer plans where the cuts land before starting.
What exactly is included in the price? Demolition, disposal, levelling, membrane, trims, sealing: get it in writing.
What happens if you find damage behind the old tile? Agree on how surprises are priced before work starts.
How long will it take, and when can we use the shower?

Red flags in a tile quote

No waterproofing system named for a shower.
A price per square foot with no mention of preparation.
No written scope of what's included.
Pressure to pay most of the job up front.

What good tile work looks like

Straight lines, even joints, balanced cuts and clean edges. A few of our own finished projects:

Marble shower with herringbone floor and niche

Large-format floor with levelling system

Walk-in shower with lit niche and built-in bench

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What is lippage?

Lippage is when the edge of one tile sits higher than the tile next to it. You can feel it with your hand and see it in low light. Flat floors, good mortar coverage and levelling clips on larger tiles keep it to a minimum.

Should the corners of a shower be grouted?

Inside corners and changes of plane, like where the wall meets the floor or the tub, move slightly. Industry practice is to fill them with a flexible sealant that matches the grout, not hard grout, which tends to crack there.

How can I check waterproofing after the tile is installed?

You can't see it once the tile is on, which is why it matters to ask which system is used and to see photos of it before tiling. Standing water, loose tiles or staining outside the shower are warning signs.

What is a normal grout joint width?

It depends on the tile. Rectified porcelain with very straight edges is often set with 1/16 to 1/8 in joints, while tiles with more size variation need wider ones. Follow the tile manufacturer's recommendation.

Keep planning

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How to recognize quality tile installation: a homeowner's checklist