Free AI-generated tile installation proposal — substrate prep, waterproofing, grout selection, and cost breakdowns. Customize in 2 min, send as PDF.
Proposal from
Precision Tile & Stone
Prepared for
Derek & Anita Solberg
Master Bathroom Floor & Shower Tile Installation
Master bathroom at 4412 Creekside Drive. Two-part installation: 1. Shower surround (floor and walls): Demo existing 1990s ceramic tile and backer board. Install new waterproofing system, backer, and 4x12 white glazed ceramic subway tile on walls. Install 2x2 white porcelain mosaic tile on shower floor with linear drain. 2. Bathroom floor: Remove existing vinyl sheet flooring and prep concrete subfloor. Install 12x24 light gray porcelain tile throughout main bathroom floor (approx. 68 sq ft), including transition strip to hallway hardwood.
Shower walls: Remove existing tile and backer board to studs. Install 1/2-inch cement board (Hardiebacker) with alkali-resistant mesh tape and thinset at all joints. Apply two full coats RedGard liquid waterproofing membrane to all shower surfaces, extending 6 inches onto the floor and 6 inches above the showerhead rough-in height. Third coat at all corners and seams. Shower floor: Install Schluter Kerdi-Drain linear drain assembly with Kerdi-Band waterproofing fabric bonded to drain flange and overlapping wall membrane by minimum 2 inches. Bathroom floor: Evaluate concrete subfloor for flatness (ANSI 1/8-inch/10-foot tolerance for 12x24 tile). Fill low spots with self-leveling underlayment as needed (allowance of up to 1 bag included; additional leveling billed at $55/bag installed).
Shower walls: 4x12 white glazed ceramic subway tile (American Olean Bright White, rectified): 95 sq ft + 10% overage = 105 sq ft Schluter Schluter-JOLLY aluminum edge trim, brushed nickel: 22 linear ft Mapei Ultraflex 2 medium-bed thinset: 3 bags Fusion Pro single-component grout, Bright White: 2 units Shower floor: 2x2 white porcelain mosaic on 12x12 sheets (Daltile Color Wheel): 16 sq ft + 15% = 19 sq ft Schluter Kerdi-Drain linear drain (24-inch), brushed nickel grate Mapei Kerabond T medium-bed thinset: 1 bag Mapei Flexcolor CQ urethane grout, Bright White: 1 unit Bathroom floor: 12x24 light gray porcelain tile (MSI Montagna Smoky Taupe, matte): 75 sq ft Schluter Schiene transition strip, brushed nickel: 36 inches Mapei Ultraflex 2 thinset: 2 bags Fusion Pro grout, Warm Gray: 2 units
Shower walls: Demo (tile, backer, haul-off): $480 Cement board install and waterproofing: $620 Tile setting labor (95 sq ft walls): $760 Grouting and trim: $280 Materials: $1,105 Shower wall subtotal: $3,245 Shower floor: Linear drain and waterproofing: $540 Mosaic tile setting and grouting: $390 Materials: $485 Shower floor subtotal: $1,415 Bathroom floor: Vinyl removal and subfloor prep: $260 Tile setting labor (68 sq ft): $510 Grouting and transition strip: $185 Materials: $720 Bathroom floor subtotal: $1,675 Project total: $6,335 Subfloor leveling allowance (1 bag) included. Additional bags at $55 each — assessed and approved before installation begins. Deposit: 40% ($2,534) due at signing. 30% ($1,901) due when materials are delivered and demolition is complete. Balance due upon completion.
Day 1: Demo shower tile and backer, remove bathroom vinyl. Day 2: Install cement board, waterproofing membrane (first coat). Day 3: Second and third waterproofing coats — 24-hour cure required before tile. Day 4: Set shower wall tile. Day 5: Set shower floor mosaic and bathroom floor tile. Day 6: Grout shower walls. Day 7: Grout shower floor and bathroom floor, install trim and transition. Day 8: Caulk all changes of plane (floor-to-wall, inside corners), final cleanup and walkthrough. Shower must remain dry for 72 hours after grouting. Full waterproofing cure before use: 7 days.
Labor warranty: 2 years on tile setting and grouting. Covers cracked grout joints and loose tiles attributable to installation, not substrate movement or misuse. Waterproofing: RedGard membrane carries a manufacturer's limited lifetime warranty when installed per spec. Installation documented with photos before tile is set. Exclusions: Hairline grout cracks caused by seasonal subfloor movement are not installation defects. Any tile or material supplied by the client carries no labor warranty — cracks, chips, or calibration issues in client-supplied tile are not our liability. Caulk joints: All changes of plane receive caulk, not grout, per TCNA guidelines. Caulk at floor-wall transitions, inside corners, and around fixtures is expected maintenance and requires reapplication every 3–5 years regardless of installer.
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Create Your Free AccountSubstrate prep is where most failed tile jobs start. Before you quote material and labor, you're quoting flatness. ANSI A108.02 requires no more than 1/8-inch variation over 10 feet for standard tiles up to 15 inches. Larger format tiles (anything over 15 inches) tighten to 1/8-inch over 10 feet with no more than 1/16-inch over 24 inches. If the floor doesn't meet that spec, you're patching or floating before you set a single tile. Put the substrate assessment in the proposal as a line item, not a footnote. Clients who understand they're paying for a flat floor before tile goes down don't argue about the overage when you find a low spot.
Waterproofing membranes belong in every wet area proposal — shower floors, shower walls, steam rooms, curbless transitions. Schluter Kerdi, RedGard liquid membrane, and WEDI board are not interchangeable. Liquid-applied membranes work on backer board. Sheet membranes go directly over studs. Foam board replaces the backer entirely. Know which system you're using and spec it by product name. When a grout line cracks three years later and water finds the framing, your proposal either shows a waterproofing system or it shows you skipped it.
Grout selection isn't an aesthetic choice — it's a maintenance decision. Sanded grout for joints 1/8-inch and wider. Unsanded for joints under 1/8-inch (including polished stone). Epoxy grout for commercial kitchens, around pools, or anywhere chemical resistance matters. Urethane grout (Fusion Pro, Starlike) for residential installs that want near-zero maintenance. Write the grout type and joint size in the proposal. When the client reseals the grout six months later with the wrong product and it turns pink, your spec sheet is your defense.
Labor and material should be separate line items. A client who gets one number for 'tile installation' can't tell whether they're paying for expensive labor or expensive tile. Split it: materials (tile, backer, membrane, thinset, grout, trim pieces), labor (demo if any, substrate prep, waterproofing, setting, grouting, cleanup). This matters most when the client supplies their own tile. A tile supplied by the client is your liability the moment it cracks — write 'labor only, no warranty on client-supplied material' and price accordingly.
Large format tile installation requires a different thinset and a different technique. Tiles over 15 inches need a medium-bed mortar to achieve full coverage without lippage — standard thinset shrinks too much under large panels. Coverage requirement is 95% in wet areas, 80% in dry areas per TCNA standards. Back-butter every large format tile and use a notched trowel matched to the tile weight. If you're not achieving 95% coverage, you're setting tiles that will crack under point loads. Put the thinset product and notch size in the proposal so the client knows you know the difference between setting a 4x4 subway tile and a 24x48 porcelain panel.
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