What to Bring to the Showroom
Here are a few tips to help us help you.
Quantity
Knowing the net quantity of tile required for your project is the easiest place to start and will allow our Client Representatives to provide you with an accurate estimate of the tile and other materials needed for your installation (excluding labour).
Measuring is not as difficult as it may sound. All we need is the length and width or height depending on whether it is a wall or floor. For example to calculate your floor space, multiply the room’s width by the length (including closets) so a 10 foot by 12 foot room will be 120 square feet.
It is standard practice in the industry to add a 10% waste factor to the Net area to allow for cuts. A 20% waste factor is often added for natural stone to allow for sorting and selection due to the natural variations in stone.
Drawings
Architectural and Design plans have pertinent information relative to area coverage of walls and floors as well as substrate information and the tank location which can help to determine underlayment needed to protect your tiling investment. Even a hand drawn layout of your space, showing doors, windows, closets and so on, can help in your selection process.
Your style
What’s your style - traditional, contemporary or modern? Have an idea of the style or styles you like, and bring pictures from magazines, design books or our online gallery. Pictures can provide us with visual cues to what looks one is inspired by or trying to replicate. We may not have the exact item but it will lead us in the right direction so we can select similar products from our lineup. Working with a designer to assist you with this for even a one or two hour session can be a good investment to help you find your style.
Lighting
Make note of the natural light in a room during daylight hours, as well as light from other sources and how the light changes through the day. Remember that lighting can have an important impact on the look and colours you select.
Samples
Where possible bring samples of other décor in the space - paint chips, fabric or cabinetry, flooring from adjacent rooms and so on. Renovating a kitchen - then borrow a door front or wood sample, bring a piece of the countertop material. The tile is part of the whole.
Functionality and Durability
How will the room be used? Who will be using it? Will you use a base board? Will you have tight or wide grout joints? Is the area to be tiled outside or inside? Is the area to be tiled a wet area? A room used by children or pets would have different requirements from one reserved for formal adult entertaining. Wets areas will need a waterproofing system installed before tiling. Outside areas will need slip resistant tile and possibly a crack isolation membrane installed.
Budget
Tile is usually sold by the square foot while decorative and trim pi eces are typically sold by the piece. It is helpful to have a budget in mind so that our client representatives can guide you in the selection of material to fit in with your budget. Feel free to ask them for similar looks in a variety of price ranges so you can compare and contrast. Sometimes a product will catch one’s eye but not fit into the budget. Our Client representatives can often find creative ways of incorporating this item without breaking the budget or suggest a more affordable option. Don’t be afraid to talk money!!!
