Renovated bathroom with a tiled tub and shower and a rain shower panel

Home › Tile installation

Tile installation in Ottawa

Tile is only as good as what is behind it.

Liability insurance and WSIB coverage
5-year warranty on construction
2-year warranty on painting
Free in-home consultation

Tile installation

What we tile

Tile is only as good as what is behind it. A good-looking shower set over the wrong backing can look fine for a year or two and then start letting water into the wall. Carleton Prime installs tile in showers, bathrooms, kitchens, entries and basements, on its own, as part of one of our renovations, or as a subcontractor on someone else's project.

Walk-in showers, including curbless showers, niches and benches
Tub surrounds and tub to shower conversions
Bathroom, entry, laundry and basement floors
Kitchen backsplashes
Feature walls and fireplace surrounds

Book a free consultation

Basement bathroom with a jetted tub and a patterned feature wall

Bathroom remodel with a blue double vanity, round mirrors and a wood makeup counter

“Indiana and his crew renovated a bathroom for me and the process was seamless, respectful and completed with extreme care and quality. I consider Carleton Prime the best construction company in Ottawa. I will use them for all future projects. Very pleased, would highly recommend.”

Wesley Ford · Bathroom renovation · Google review · More reviews

Waterproofing comes first

Grout is not waterproof, so water gets through the joints in any tiled shower. What keeps it out of the wall is the layer behind the tile: a backer board with a waterproofing membrane over it, lapped at every seam and sealed around the valve, the shower head and the niche. On the floor, the membrane runs up the walls and ties into the drain, so water has only one place to go.

We build that layer as one system, following the manufacturer's instructions for the products on the job, before any tile goes on. It is the part nobody sees, and the part that decides whether the shower stays dry for years.

Flat, solid and laid out before it is set

Large tiles show every dip in a floor and every bow in a wall. Before setting, we check floors and walls for flat and fix what needs fixing, because a floor that flexes will crack grout and tile over time.

The layout is planned before the first tile goes down: where the cuts fall, how the lines meet at doorways and at the vanity, and how the pattern lines up with the niche and the fixtures. Thin slivers of tile at the edge of a room are a layout problem, not a tile problem.

Whole bathroom or just the tile

Most of our tile work is part of a bathroom remodel, a kitchen or a basement, where we handle everything around it. We also take on tile by itself: for a homeowner who has the rest of the project in hand, or for a builder or general contractor who needs a tile crew. More on that on our subcontractor services page.

Basement bathroom with geometric feature wallpaper and a jetted tub

Whole job or one part

Just the tile installation, or the whole project

You can hire Carleton Prime for tile installation on its own, or as part of a renovation or new build we run from start to finish. Builders, general contractors, architects, designers and engineers also bring us in for tile installation as a subcontractor: we work from your drawings and specifications, carry liability insurance and WSIB coverage, and hand over cleanly to the next trade.

Subcontractor services Book a free consultation

Frequently asked questions

Do you install tile on its own, without a full renovation?

Yes. We tile showers, floors and backsplashes on their own for homeowners, and as a subcontractor for builders and general contractors.

How much does tile installation cost?

We quote each job on its scope. The area, the size and type of tile, the pattern, how much prep the floor or walls need, and the shower waterproofing all affect the price.

What goes behind the tile in a shower?

A backer board with a waterproofing membrane over it, sealed at every seam and around every opening, and tied into the drain. The tile and grout are the finish. The membrane is what keeps water out of the wall.

Can new tile go over an old floor?

Sometimes. It depends on whether the old floor is flat, solid and well bonded. We check during the consultation, and if it is not, it comes up first.

Why do grout lines crack?

Usually because the floor underneath moves. A subfloor that flexes or a crack in the concrete below shows up in the grout, so we look at what the tile will sit on before we set it.

Can you build a curbless shower?

Often, yes. The floor has to be recessed or built up so water drains to the shower and not into the room, which is decided early in planning.

What warranty comes with tile work?

Tile installation is construction work, so it carries Carleton Prime's five-year warranty.