The substrate decides more than the tile does
Whatever sits behind the tile — plaster and lath in an older bungalow, poured concrete in a converted mill building, drywall in a postwar ranch — determines how a membrane system gets installed and how long it holds up. That decision happens before anyone picks a tile pattern.
Build a complete scope
- Existing conditions and likely cause
- Preparation and protection
- Materials, compatibility, and installation details
- Permits, testing, cleanup, and restoration
- Exclusions, warranty terms, and change-order process
Durham context
Durham combines nineteenth-century tobacco and textile districts, early streetcar neighborhoods, postwar ranches, and fast-growing suburban edges. Humid Piedmont summers and mature tree cover common in older neighborhoods keep ventilation and drying time worth planning for alongside the tile itself.