Questions

The easiest way to begin your journey with Bespoke Tile & Stone Installations is to fill out our “Contact Form” located on this website. This will provide us with some basic information about you and your project and is a great starting point for our collaboration.

Once you have done so, an email will be generated and sent out to our owner/ project manager, William Booth. From there you can expect a follow up call or email from William within the following 48 hour. This conversation will be utilized to answer any immediate questions you may have and to schedule a time for an in-home consultation if you so desire to move forward with our services.

For general information and questions we recommend you peruse our website or you may leave us a voicemail at (763) 412-6588. Please be understanding if no one is available to pick up the phone when you call. We are a small business and are typically on-site working on a project. We will return your voicemail at our earliest convenience within no more than 48 hours. Thank you for your interest in our team.

Timelines very from project to project depending on such factors as scheduling, tile availability, the size and scale of your project, and the work of other trades, such as plumbing and electrical, that may need access to the space during or before our installation may begin.

Smaller projects, like a kitchen backsplash or a small entrance foyer, are typically completed in 3-5 days where as larger projects, such as a master bathroom remodel or perhaps multiple installations in different areas of the same home may take upwards of a month or possibly more to complete.

For a better understanding of where your project will fall on this spectrum, use our “Contact Form” to request an in-home consultation.

Short answer… Probably not. Our availability changes frequently due to the current demands for our craftsmanship, and it is always best to reach out to us by phone or use of our “Contact Form” to get an accurate and up to date picture of how far out we are currently booked.

Keep in mind, we do not book projects more than three months out at a time so please be aware that our calendar can fill up quickly.

If you have a smaller project that can be completed in about three days, and your timeline is somewhat flexible, you may be in luck. We keep a separate running list of these type of projects as they are often able to be squeezed into a slot where we are waiting on another trade to complete their work temporarily pausing our ability to continue work on our current installation.

Renovations and installation costs can vary immensely due to the size and scale of your project, the number of trades required to complete the work and the materials that you select.

When selecting the projects that Bespoke Tile & Stone Installations are able to take on, our starting price points typically begin around $2,400 to ensure that we have at least three days work for our team. This allows us to work more efficiently so as not to spend the majority of our time transporting, setting up, and breaking down equipment.

If your project is smaller than this, we regrettably may not be the right fit or able to offer the best price point for your particular installation. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Large scale installations involving master bathrooms or multiple rooms in a home may reach price points in the tens of thousands of dollars, however, the best way to get a more accurate estimate as to the costs of your specific renovation is to schedule an in-home consultation by filling out our “Contact Form” located on this website.

Keep in mind, we are not able to offer ballpark estimates over the phone without having thoroughly examined your project in person and having taken the time to put together a comprehensive project proposal and scope of work.

Not necessarily. When determining what type of tile you ultimately use in your project first consider where the tile will be installed. Then take into account factors such as the tiles ability to withstand impacts, the abrasion resistance of the tile (PEI classification), the water absorption rating of the tile, heat and frost resistance, and the dynamic coefficient of friction (slip resistance).

Different materials and finishes will impact where and how a specific tile should be used. Remember, it is always best to defer to the manufacturer for installation specs and recommended uses, however, here are some general properties of different tile materials.

Porcelain Tile: Is very dense with a low porosity making it extremely durable and resistant to stains, scratches, and general wear and tear. Due to its low absorption rate, typically less than 0.5%, it is generally classified as frost proof and is also suitable for showers and steam rooms.

Ceramic Tile: Is made from natural clays and minerals and is also quite durable with a high fire rating suitable for direct contact with a flame. Though typically a slightly higher absorption rate than porcelain, ceramic tile is highly resistant to water and staining and works great in showers and bathrooms. Be aware, not all ceramic tile is approved for floor installations. It is also important to verify before using it outdoors, especially in climates that experience freezing temperatures.

Natural Stone Tile: Is a porous material that can be found in many varieties and colors. It is prized for its beauty and unique one-of-a-kind patterns. It is a hard and durable material, though generally not as hard as porcelain or ceramic tiles, and will last for many decades when properly maintained. Due to its porosity, it has a lower resistance to water penetration and staining, and for this reason, natural stone should be sealed before use and regularly there after, at least once a year.

Concrete Tile: is exceptionally strong and dense and will withstand heavy loads and foot traffic, however, they require penetrating sealers to protect them from staining as well as water penetration when used in wet areas such as showers. This also means that they are susceptible to freeze-thaw cycles and must be properly treated when used outdoors. Cement tiles are also sensitive to acids and must be cleaned with a PH-neutral cleaner.

Glass Tile: Is non-porous and therefore holds up well against moisture, staining, mold and mildew. Its downside is that it is more susceptible to cracking or chipping and many glass tiles utilize a cheap backing to create the visual effect that we see outwardly. If you decide to go with glass tile we recommend selecting a high quality manufacturer like Fireclay Tile that uses pigmented inks to screen print the backs of their glass tiles before their final firing.

We certainly do, and we highly recommend this upgrade when updating your bathroom floors. Heated floors are a convenient way to forget about the often harsh and long Minnesotan winters that we so frequently experience. Upon your request, we will install one of these systems between your subfloor and your new tile installation providing you with warm comfortable floors all year long.

When installing heated floors, we prefer to use SunTouch WarmWire HeatMatrix. This installation begins with a heavy-duty uncoupling membrane which will be applied to your substrate with thin-set mortar.

Next, the warm wire cable will be woven back and forth across your floor through the provided channels in the uncoupling membrane; this can be preformed by our team or by the licensed electrician whom will be required for the final hookup and installation of the thermostat.

Subsequently, the thermostat sensor will be inserted into the membrane and the extra length safely set aside for the electrician to complete their installation.

During the duration of all heated floor system installations it is our policy to utilize a “LoudMouth Cable Monitor” to insure that at no point during the installation process is the heating cable compromised or damaged in any way.

Now that the WarmWire HeatMatrix system is in place, it is time to begin the installation of your new tile floors.

Absolutely, we always recommend including a niche in your updated shower installation, and provided that there is adequate space, a shower bench will make for a luxurious addition to your daily routine while also providing a level of safety for those that feel more comfortable sitting down whilst showering.

As an additional safety option we offer grab bar installations to all of our clients. When desired, this must be accounted for before the installation of tile or the waterproofing backerboard so that the necessary blocking can be placed in the wall before closing it back up again.

There are a multitude of waterproofing products and materials available on the market today. Some work better than others and some don’t work very well at all. Here at Bespoke Tile & Stone Installations, we have researched, tried and tested many of these products over the years, and on occasion, removed a failing system installed by a previous contractor. In doing so, we have assembled a list of products, materials and methods that we use in all of our installations.

When building out our custom shower pans, we utilize a 40 mil PVC liner for the majority of our builds. A pre-slope is installed underneath all of our liners and we hand-float a 1.5” thick mortar bed over the top ensuring that the liner is fully protected and can never be punctured in anyway. This mortar bed also provides us with a surface to apply your tile to.

When it comes to waterproofing walls, we commonly will use GoBoard, Prova Board Plus or HydroBlok waterproof backer boards. Each board provides a waterproof barrier behind your tile installation protecting the interior framework of your walls and your home. All boards have passed ASTM testing methods for fungi, bacteria and mold growth and have shown to support no growth. Additionally, we fill all the seams between boards with a corresponding waterproof sealant and apply a waterproof joint tape over the top of the seams guaranteeing a water-tight installation.

After receiving and approving your project proposal and scope of work agreement a 25% downpayment is required to reserve your spot on our calendar. This payment will be used primarily for materials and initial labor costs and is a good faith payment to show you are serious and ready to get started on your project.

If, for unseen reasons, you are forced to cancel your installation with us you may do so given at least 30 days notice. Your initial downpayment will be returned to you minus a $500 administrative fee. Keep in mind, we are unable to return a downpayment for a cancelation taking place within the 30 day window prior to your estimated start date as it is often not possible to fill your slot on our schedule given such short notice.

For larger projects spanning multiple weeks we ask for a payment at the end of each calendar week. These continued payments help cover our payroll and are divided evenly over the projected course of work with your final payment due at completion of your project.

Yes, per Minnesota Statute 327A.02 Subdivisions 1-3 we warrant that, “during the one-year period from and after the warranty date, the dwelling shall be free from defects caused by faulty workmanship and defective materials due to noncompliance with building standards.”

Bespoke Tile & Stone Installations is a licensed Residential Builder & Remodeler with the state of Minnesota, (License #BC809444). We hold a million dollar insurance policy per occurrence. We are also “Lead Safe Certified” to work on structures built on or before 1978.