The Art Of Tile Installation with guests Jacob Varela & JP Stanisci

In this episode of Tile Trends, Jacob and JP bring you the latest tips and tricks for successful tile installation! From choosing the right tools and materials to learning how to stay organized during a job, these two experts guide you through the entire process. They also discuss some common mistakes made by inexperienced contractors and ways to avoid them. Plus, they offer advice on how to find the perfect tile for any project and how to make sure you're following all the necessary safety precautions. Get ready to dive deep into the world of tile installation with these tiling gurus!

Follow Jacob Varela
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/sdshowerpro/
Website- https://www.sandiegoshowerpros.com/

Follow JP Stanisci
Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/jp_stile/
TikTok- https://www.tiktok.com/@jpstile
YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@jpstile364

More from Tile Club

Transcript

Jon Adams  0:00  
We're so excited to have you both here today. Let's jump into it. Jacob, can you tell us a bit about your tile contractor services? How long have you been in business? Maybe a little bit how it's changed from when, when your grandfather your dad started till today? Like, how is the tower installation business change?

Jacob Varela  0:17  
Well, I'm a third generation tile contractor, I run my father's company, he started in 1977. And also I have st shower pose, which is which is specifically a only strictly shower company. But my dad's company specializes in track homes and also commercial. But as far as the changes go, it's pretty drastic, the tiles have gotten much bigger, and the graduates have gotten much smaller, the tools have gotten much bigger, and much more higher prices. So it's definitely changed quite a bit. So I remember back in the day in the 90s, the biggest tile that they ever installed was a 12 by 12. And I haven't installed a 12 by 12. In I would say about a decade. And then as far as Yeah, and as far as like the more like the methods go like main from my grandpa's point of view. I mean, he lifted everything 100%, floors, walls, everything, and they didn't have the inset, all they had was cement, and you bonded directly you mix pier cement, and then they came out with thin set, which is you know, for the thinner applications. And then you would mix it with acrylic when you're using a bond or to more harder services. So there's a lot more, a lot more to it. But now you have the premix then says there had the additives already in it. So things are they're trying to make things easier with coming out with a lot more products. And there's a lot more companies nowadays, which it's the technology is really trying to catch up, but the tiles are getting bigger. So it's just there's a lot more tools out there.

Jon Adams  1:45  
Like a race isn't that but it's always changing. The tiles are changing. And with it comes the more challenges I know like, you know, like they have new leveling spacers to make it easier for the real large formats. And some of these are getting like what 48 by 48 size. I mean, they're like slabs going on the wall aren't there? So yeah, I hear Yeah. That's great. So, and JP, could you tell us about your experience and your services?

JP Stile  2:09  
Well, it's a very Yeah, very similar upbringing. My dad started a tech company in 1978. And, you know, I took it over kind of maybe 20s 22 years ago. And then he kind of retired and I just been doing it on my own, not as big as what he did. But just kind of keeping it simple. And just doing one washroom at a time no crews, no track building or anything like that. But just just one customer at a time. That's how I like to do it. Now that is,

Lindsay Fluckiger  2:38  
let's figure out where you guys are from in case any of our listeners happen to be in your respective areas and are looking for someone to install their tile? Let's start with you. Jacob. Where are you? Where are you located?

Jacob Varela  2:50  
I'm in San Diego, California. But I only service the area of North County only 15 minutes around because the area is so saturated with high income housing because it's right next to Rancho Santa Fe which is the highest per capita real estate in America. So there's plenty of work out here.

Lindsay Fluckiger  3:09  
Well, how about you, JP?

JP Stile  3:12  
So grew up in Toronto, Canada and just live like 45 minutes north now in the Simcoe County District now so you know, I try and stay close to home. But it's usually you know, I try and stay about an hour I'll travel an hour each way if I need to if the jobs the right one for me for sure.

Jon Adams  3:30  
Jacob so we're actually we're neighbors I'm here in San Diego as well. Yeah, so both you and JP you use I've seen on your I did a little bit of research I've seen on your Instagram on our website, use different types of waterproofing methods. So we'll start with Jacob and then JP I know you use I think it's mercury.

Jacob Varela  3:50  
Yeah, it's a P one Hydra guard made by miracoli I use it in combination with a carbon fiber mesh. It's very similar to a roofing to a commercial roofing system. Okay, it can be it's an elastic so because the router perfect by themselves, they advertise it that it can be you know, done by itself but I like reinsurance because I weren't to my showers for 10 years personally. So I the water in the shower pan is the most important part of a shower because you can do you know beautiful work and if it leaks then that's a isn't it? Yeah, it's a beautiful piece of leaky work. Yeah, there's a lot of people who do the hot mop and I love the hot mop. I think it's great. It's a turnkey solution especially for di wires you know I say don't even try to waterproof it just pay the money have professional come out and do it and you know it's gonna be done right and then you can tie their shout yourself.

Jon Adams  4:44  
JP so I think we do a lot of Deuter so what would you sell compare like a hot mop process like what was Schluter? How do you how do you find that?

JP Stile  4:52  
Well, if you're in Canada be honest. I've never heard or ever seen hot mop. Right?

Jon Adams  4:58  
It is I think it's more of a San Diego very low. Here, you're actually more like West Coast thing, isn't it?

JP Stile  5:05  
It's pretty amazing on how diverse the methods are. I mean, we're not that far away. We're still in North America, we're still in the same country, basically. And we had so many different methods. In Canada, it's always been like, PVC liner, Bodie drain. And that was it, dry pack, and no waterproofing. Just that's it for a long time. And there's not really a lot of like, there's no you don't have to pass this test. You don't have to get it inspected. And those are things like I think there's some people trying to get that change. So we can all be on the same page, get everything done, right. So nobody's getting bamboozled by bad contractors, right.

Jon Adams  5:43  
Yes, yeah, it's important, isn't it? So I know, like, you know, with waterproof, I think it's one of the most, I mean, obviously, the most important things for the shower, because especially if it's like on the second floor, or anything like that, it can cause you know, huge amounts of damage. And hot mop is like one of those true, like, tested ways, it always works. It's very, it's very solid. And I worked with like shooter and, and different types of waterproofing systems, they all kind of do the same thing. And they will have different warranties, some allow you to kind of tile a little bit faster than others, right? So you can, you can do it, and you can tile the same day kind of thing. So yeah,

JP Stile  6:19  
some of these a lot of pieces, a lot of people that just you know, they use a roll on, which is maybe you don't have their hands don't like trolls that much. Maybe troll work, it's a little bit more labor intensive. Like I was born with a trial in my hand, so I prefer the trial method, or use the kurti board, whatever job needs to be having done. But I really liked the Schluter product, that's probably my favorite. I've tried all the other ones. It's just, they just have everything in place for what you need.

Jon Adams  6:47  
Everybody has their own one they just love and they get good at it. And that's like, that's, that's what we're back. So very cool.

Lindsay Fluckiger  6:53  
So Jacob and JP, you both mentioned, you know, things that can go wrong. Like you don't want to have to double back. You don't want to have somebody put, you know, a large investment into a big tiling project only to have to come back do it again, what would be some tips that you would both give to potential clients who are vetting a contractor? They're looking for somebody to get the job done? Right? What are like some fail proof questions they can ask research they can do before hiring a contractor. We'll start with you, Jacob.

Jacob Varela  7:22  
Number one is don't just hire someone who doesn't have a license if you hire, because that's like the biggest thing I hear so many people who go then this guy did this this and like, what they have a license they got no, like, he wasn't a contractor stop saying contractor screwed you over. Because it's like, that's like the main thing. It's like, No, you're it's because there's so many things you can do for a contractor. If it does go bad itself, but you lose your license, it's called abandoning the job. That's the number one reason why people lose their license. And that's why you have to hire someone who has a license and you avoid that whole problem. But the number one thing is get at least three bids, and make sure they're all bidding on the exact same thing apples to apples, because it's not the same thing. It's not the same price. And then if you want to go get a contractor, I recommend going to your local Tile store going down there and asking them who they recommend. And they have a long list of all reputable contractors who can give

Lindsay Fluckiger  8:16  
you a bit fantastic JP any input there?

JP Stile  8:18  
Yeah, I mean, Jacobs, hit a lot of key points. I mean, references are huge portfolios, like, let me see your work for clients. I think that's huge. That's one of the main reasons why I started doing social media is, you know, I used to carry around a photo album of all my work, but you know, I couldn't put pictures of anything, right? You're gonna meet this person, I gotta make it good. Maybe have some fun with it. So people feel comfortable with the work that I do. So that's how that started, you know, come into bulk. And then it just grew from there. I was like, Okay, I'm getting a little bit of a response people are liking that they're seeing what the work is done. And that's part of my selling feature when I go and quote a job is that I will videotape my whole process of your work or your job, your bathroom, whatever. And you can watch it basically live as it happens. So awesome.

Lindsay Fluckiger  9:07  
Cool. Yeah, I you know, it's I love kind of the purpose behind the social media marketing side of things, but also like, what you see is what you get. I mean, to be honest, I feel like I'm like a little star struck and you know, the presence of contractor royalty today because I watch so much, both of you. And it's so cool to see both of your personalities shine through. And you are building like this authenticity with your followers, you know, this belief in your products and your service and what you can offer So, kudos to both of you on that. It's appreciate that.

Jacob Varela  9:42  
Thank you. Yeah, the whole social media marketing thing that was honest, I didn't I did mine on with me being third generation I have about there's about 20 contractors because I am Hispanic I may not look at but I am. So there's about 20 contractors in my immediate family, tile contractors, general contractors plumbing contractors, electrical contractors, you name it, and 10 strictly just hire contractors. So there's quite a bit of us. So I started doing posting my work. So basically, I could show my family, what I do and stuff like that. And then I started getting more of a falling motor following. And then I started realizing it's like, one of the rare things that happens is you start at zero with a new customer is they just they don't know you. It's not their fault that they don't trust you. But it's an you don't blame it's human nature. And until they see it, they don't believe it. But with social media, what it's done is they've actually been following me and they've seen it and now the level of trust that people have and what I do, it's, it's a level of trust I've never really experienced before, and I really love it.

Jon Adams  10:43  
It's funny, you say that it's really true, isn't it? Because it's like, I can look at both both you Jacob and JP go on your site. I'm like, Are they these guys know exactly what they're doing like this, I would trust this guy hands down, right now to do anything, you know, it's HR related or title related. So whereas, you know, if I'm looking for a contractor, you know, in a random place where I don't know anybody, it would be like, oh, you know, I'd be very wary, I'd be asking all the questions. And it's like, it's, it'd be very more like a, that kind of conversation trying to build that trust, isn't

Jacob Varela  11:13  
it? Yeah, you will always look for those keys. Like you're seeing what kind of truck you drove in, like. Yeah,

JP Stile  11:20  
yeah, it's true. I mean, there's a lot of contracts that just work out of your truck. And that's their office. It's their, their shop. That's their everything, right. And then there's other ones that have that have a shop and have a crew and like it's there's different, different contracts, for sure. But references are huge if they come from someone that no reputable, like you said, Jacob, like your neighborhood Tao store, they have a long list of guys that are in there every day and good guys and bad guys. So, you know, it's just playing off what people know what people can tell you about certain people,

Jacob Varela  11:51  
I guess you could say. Yeah, yeah. And also a really big one is Yelp. Yelp works pretty darn good as well. Yeah, it works really good for contractors because also, too, I think Yelp kind of made contractors a little more customer service better, because I saw in my father, no offense to the guy love him, but he's a little grumpy. And it was like, he there was no ever really, you can write a review on someone. And he was like, he was really good at what he did. And he was the best, but it's customer service is kind of like he's a grumpy old Italian artist who it was after smoke. And he's like, he got a little bit edge, Shawn, you know, he was a key be a little rude. Like, you know, rude sometimes. And I'm just like, Oh, Dad, we can't do that. We gotta be nice. They're gonna write a Yelp review. You got that was in the back of your head. You know? It's like, I'm sorry about that. aglia It's like, I really like blocking don't like Yelp. I think yelps I love. I think it's great.

JP Stile  12:46  
Yeah, you can change the old school generation, that's for sure.

Jon Adams  12:48  
So what advice would you give to the aspiring tile installer out there? Like, what would you say to them? What's the

JP Stile  12:54  
was my thing is pure honesty. Just be honest with the client, what they need, what they would, what they can expect. You know, if you as a contractor see that there might be an extra charge, because you might see a problem down the road, you might have to change as you're demoing or whatever. Just be honest with them. Don't tell them after getting that bill at the end and saying, Yeah, I had to charge you $5 Extra because your wall was not dumb. So just be open and honest. That's my like, failsafe I tell them right off the bat, listen, this might be a problem, this might be a problem, that's fine. The solution before we get too far. And that's where that's where you can make or break the contractor clients relationship. You know, they might not like it, they don't want to spend any more money. So that's when you have to be the honest person say, Okay, you want it done, right. But you don't want to pay for it. Okay, maybe this is not the job for me, it might be a problem, right? So contracts, contract does have to be wary as well, for sure. You have to bet

Jon Adams  13:54  
your customers just like they're betting the contractor. So I mean, that's part of it.

Jacob Varela  13:59  
Definitely. That's really good advice. I really like that. Honesty, and communication. And communication is the biggest deal. It's, it's the more you there's no such thing as over communicating with your customer. Also, what I like to do is when I'm doing showers, there's often dry rot. So what I do is I and then also is write a contract of exactly what's going to be done, what area is going to be tiled and list the type of tile you're using, because we all know that different types and types of tiles take different times to install. And there's a lot of misconceptions that people so know what type of your tile you're going to using beforehand, don't give them a price and they give then you show up and it's 24 by 48 and they say why that was bigger, so cover more, it would be go cheaper, and it'd be easy for you. So the biggest myth out there, it's like no, actually when it gets bigger, it takes more time. It's more of a hassle. The tools required to do it are three times as expensive and you know, it's just like I'm doing a shower right now with 12 by 24 by 48 tiles and There's not one, there's only two full pieces his entire shower, and there's over 34 pieces and is only two full ones. And when you're cutting these things, you know, they're $100 a tile, so there's a lot more pressure. And it's just, there's a lot more to it. So it's also when you go smaller with a three by six subway and you're doing actual quarter rounds, you know, those, those all take more time. So just to list the type of tile you're gonna use. So everything's nice and like, just be as clear as possible before you even start the job. And then also, when you're doing showers, nine out of 10 times there's dry rot. So have a clause in there for doing dry rot and have an hourly rate and then charge them to separate. And if you just have that little clause already set up and tell them if you're going to charge them for any unforeseen things at this rate, then they already have it in their mind, you know, that's gonna happen. So it's just like, as long as you give them pre occupied expectations, you're it's amazing how smooth things go. For sure.

JP Stile  15:54  
I love it. Love it.

Lindsay Fluckiger  15:55  
Awesome. Sound Advice. Thank you so much for that. So I have a question because you both have kind of mentioned materials and the 24 by 48. And all that is there like one tile material or style that you wish you never had to see again, or install again.

Jon Adams  16:12  
I got one.

Jacob Varela  16:13  
I hate subway tile three by six. Oh, yeah, it's confession. I really don't like it. I wish it would just go away forever. In quarter rounds, big Not a fan, but I can do it. And I'll do it to the best quality but a little bit of my soul was lost a little after that job. But I love big format 24 by 48 Those. I love those. And also one thing I really think looks beautiful, but it takes so much time to do is miter cut edges on instead of using trim. I love the look. But man is that timely, awesome,

Lindsay Fluckiger  16:46  
funny joke on our team that if we ever see another white subway tile, so they are you know, all over the place. But good thing for you, Jacob that the large format, like stone look taller, more trendy right now and they're beautiful. So

JP Stile  17:01  
I'm along the same lines. I mean, he hit some really good points. I mean, the three by sixes even though it's come in and out of popularity so many times over the last 30 years that you you know you doing back to back three by six for weeks, and then it goes away and you're like, Oh, I wish I got a three by six back. But just just to get off these Penny mosaics or these marble mosaics that are also hard to work with. But definitely probably the worst for me is mosaic backsplashes mosaic backsplash is really it's probably one of the more difficult ones to do just because you know, it's mostly waterside grinder and half the time those mesh pieces fall apart and you're trying to stick them to a wall so it's very time consuming. All depends on when they're made or where they're made. It makes a big difference but my favorite right now is probably large format like anything bigger than 12 by 24 square or rectangle but yeah, I mean it's such a clean look let's grow joints I mean it'll look cleaner longer than 12 by 12 is used to in the 80s for sure

Jon Adams  18:08  
yeah I think that I think that large format is gonna be stepped in around pretty much

Jacob Varela  18:11  
it's it's gonna force the towel guy because what used to be as used to be like you know tile and stone basically separate trades and then the tile guys kind of came in and push out the stone guys you know or they became one and then because these to get back in the 80s You're getting $10 a square foot to put in natural stone because only a Mason had to do it right so they need the towel guys came in and kind of took that over and now I see with the slabs I see a lot of the slab guys kind of really hesitating for the persons and I see the tile got the tiles are getting much larger. So I really I think in the future that's at trade is going to be meshing here pretty soon. That's what I signed. Right? That's that's

Jon Adams  18:53  
very interesting, actually. I mean, it's a whole different be a whole different segment for Monday but uh, yeah, like porcelain slabs versus because they're getting to a similar size actually. And there there are some people that specialize just in porcelain fabrication on slabs and they do an amazing job so it's I think I can watch

JP Stile  19:11  
out for and slabs are definitely harder to work with them, let's say natural stone just because that's what stone the grant, it's the marbles there. There's so much you can do with them in terms of finishing. You can you know, so many profiles on the edges on counters and stuff like that porcelain you're almost forced to miter everything all the time either

Jon Adams  19:28  
pretty much

JP Stile  19:29  
no and that's and that's such a fine line of holding that grinder or the machine that does it. I mean, you have one chance and it could explode or you could get a chip or whatever with a granite you know you could you could steal that chip. You can work with it, sand it out or whatever. Right. So there's Yeah, definitely very tricky.

Jon Adams  19:47  
Good point. Good point.

Lindsay Fluckiger  19:48  
What would like be your three go to brands and types of tools that you just have to have for the perfect job.

Jacob Varela  19:54  
My favorite saw nowadays is the Ruby Rails saw I really love that. I think it's A best real sell on the market. And I've had other brands before. And they honestly stopped cutting square after about a year I just went I've had for about five, and it's still cut square. True, I love it. And then also the blades that they make, they are a lot more, because you have a lot of deflection with different types of blades and thinner, cheaper ones. So they have a really stiff blade, which allows for a lot less walking, they call it when you're doing long, long cuts, and then it allows for and then the day pacifically put a blade pattern diamond pattern on the blades, which allows for a lot more of a smoother, less chipping of a cut. And it allows for a faster cut. So and then as far as hand tools, other than the walkie because I feel like Milwaukee is the Gucci power tools.

JP Stile  20:48  
For me, it'd be good to have a good granddad, I'm a Makita grinder kind of guy. But I also have my Milwaukee stuff as well. I'm a huge Milwaukee fan. And definitely a sigma for just regular snap cutter. Been a sigma guy for a long time. And for Westside, I have my DeWalt which is my go to because it'll just work all the time. And, you know, change the blade to different kind of stones. It works pretty good all the time. But yeah, those would be my go twos. Definitely.

Jacob Varela  21:20  
Actually I was gonna say is like, you know, it's impossible for one company to make the best of everything. And I think that Makita as like Makita grinders, no one could touch them. If no one could touch them. Yeah, these little tiny. They're miniature jackhammers for the Nikitas those little smaller ones. Yeah, that one. That one is the best but then you go to the bigger ones. And I feel like Bosch are the best check. Every company every company has their best of everything. But I feel like for your like your battery operated tools and your tool bags and the care pack outs like that's that's what I meant by walk. Yeah. You look pretty cool when you walk in with that pack out like

JP Stile  22:03  
it's not it's not by accident that their Ferrari colors to like the price. But anyway.

Jon Adams  22:10  
Yeah, I think it's the movie. What 250 You have right that railside Yeah, it's amazing. If I ever got into the installation part, I'm like, that's what I would use.

Jacob Varela  22:20  
It gives you muscles. Yeah.

Jon Adams  22:24  
Oh, it was great. Having you guys. Thank you so much. You've been really good. So it's been a great conversation. I feel

Jacob Varela  22:29  
so yes. Thank you for the invitation. Yeah,

JP Stile  22:31  
thanks for having us.

Lindsay Fluckiger  22:32  
Thank you guys so much.