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Ottawa & Orleans

Bathroom Tile Installation

Floor tile, wall tile, large-format porcelain, herringbone, and mosaic — installed with precision substrate prep and proper setting materials for every tile type.

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What We Install

Every Tile Format & Pattern

From simple field tile to complex feature walls — we work with all tile formats, materials, and layout patterns.

Large-Format Porcelain

30×60, 60×120, 80×160cm — and full slab porcelain panels. Requires precise substrate, spacer system, and correct coverage adhesive.

Starting from $22/sq ft installed →

Herringbone & Pattern Tile

Herringbone, chevron, basketweave, and running bond — all require careful layout planning to centre the pattern and minimize awkward cuts.

15–25% labour premium for pattern layouts →

Mosaic Tile

Glass mosaic, stone mosaic, and penny tile for shower floors, feature walls, and niche liners. Mesh-backed sheets for consistent spacing.

Great for shower floors and accent bands →

Bathroom Floor Tile

12×12, 12×24, 18×18, and 24×24 floor tile on cement board with proper transition strips. Heated floor mats available under any floor tile.

Get a bathroom floor estimate →

Subway & Wall Tile

3×6, 4×12, 4×16 subway tile in stacked or brick joint pattern. Full-height wall tile in alcoves, tub surrounds, and feature walls.

Classic look, clean lines →

Natural Stone Tile

Marble, travertine, and slate installation with the correct stone-setting mortar, grout sealer, and stone-compatible cleaning products.

Natural stone adds unique character →
Layout Planning

We Plan the Layout Before We Set a Single Tile

Tile layout is a visual and mathematical exercise. We dry-lay and plan every project to avoid awkward cuts, thin slivers, and off-centre patterns. What you see in our finished work is the result of this process.

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Centring the Pattern

We find the visual centre of the room and work outward so cuts at both walls are equal — eliminating the "sliver of tile" problem on one side.

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Managing Grout Lines

Grout joint width affects the look dramatically. We match the grout joint to the tile format — tighter on large porcelain, wider on rustic natural stone.

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Minimizing Cuts

Cuts at doorways, transitions, and obstacles are planned in advance. We use wet saws and angle grinders to ensure clean, accurate edges.

Dramatic 3D linear tile feature wall and marble column tile in luxury bathroom

Feature wall detail — marble column tile beside 3D linear tile

Why It Matters

Substrate Prep Is Everything

Tile is only as good as what's underneath it. Skipped or rushed substrate prep is the leading cause of tile failure — cracked grout, loose tiles, and lippage.

We assess every surface before any tile goes down, and we correct problems before they become yours to deal with years later.

Learn About Our Waterproofing →
Typical Bathroom Floor Build-Up
▓ Porcelain or ceramic tile — your finish surface
Polymer-modified thin-set mortar
▓ 1/2" cement board (Durock / HardieBacker)
Modified thin-set bond coat
Structural subfloor — plywood or concrete
✓ Properly deflection-rated — won't crack tile

Common Substrate Problems We Fix

Soft spots, high deflection, OSB subfloor (not suitable for tile), uneven surfaces, old adhesive residue, previous fibre cement issues — we assess and address all of these before tile goes down.

Investment

Tile Installation Cost Ranges

Ottawa-area pricing for tile labour. Material cost is separate and depends on your tile selection.

Tile Type / FormatLabour / sq ftNotes
Standard Floor Tile (up to 18×18)
Straight lay, cement board included
$12–$16/sq ft
Large-Format Porcelain (30×60+)
Lippage control, full coverage mortar
$18–$26/sq ft
Herringbone / Pattern Layout
Pattern premium added to base rate
+15–25%
Mosaic / Small-Format Tile
Sheet-set, complex cuts
$20–$32/sq ft
Natural Stone Tile
Stone-set mortar + sealer included
$22–$35/sq ft
Heated Floor Mat (under tile)
Electric mat + thermostat install
+$800–$1,600
Note: These are labour-only ranges. Tile materials, membrane, and setting materials are priced separately. See our full pricing guide for complete project cost breakdowns.
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Common Questions

Tile Installation FAQs

Porcelain tile with a PEI rating of 3 or higher is our standard recommendation for bathroom floors. It's durable, low-maintenance, and available in almost any format or look — including realistic stone and wood looks.
Matching discontinued tile is very difficult. Tile dye lots vary, and patterns often change between production runs. For repairs or extensions, we can source from specialty distributors but cannot guarantee an exact match. We always recommend having leftover tile on hand from the original installation.
Standard recommendation is 10% overage for straight lay, and 15–20% for diagonal or herringbone patterns. Always keep 3–5 tiles from the same dye lot after installation in case you ever need a repair.
In some cases, yes — if the existing tile is solid, flat, and firmly bonded. The floor height increase must be manageable (doorways, transitions). However, in a shower, we always demo to the substrate; we never tile over existing shower tile.
Yes. We install electric in-floor heating mats (Schluter DITRA-HEAT, Nuheat, or equivalent) under any tile floor. We handle the mat installation and connect to a programmable thermostat. Electrical connection by a licensed electrician is required and can be coordinated.
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Send Us Your Bathroom Photos

Upload photos of your space and tell us what you're thinking. We'll get back to you within 24 hours with a first look at scope and cost.

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