I have heard plenty of stories of how difficult it is working with family. I sure have a lot to add on that front, me and my dad have been working on and off together for almost 20 years. It is rough, I tell you that much. I grew up hearing I'm the spitting image of him, no one can dispute I'm not his son and so forth but on the other hand, I'm so not like him. Personality wise we don't have anything in common. He is funny, I take things too seriously, He doesn’t fret, I stress a lot, He's too subjective, I'm too objective... In other words He's light, I'm heavy. I tend to come out too strong in the way I express myself and he tends to be too sensitive about my way of being, instead of understanding what it is I'm saying.
And I think over the years these differences have been made even bigger, it's like we inhabit disparate worlds of thought and we don't know which words to use to understand each other. Can you imagine how difficult that would make our day to day activities at work?

By being the way I am have closed off the door for big growth opportunities and I will tell you why: Throughout the years I have been able to deliver above average satisfaction to all of my customers, building a strong reputation and exposing my brand to a certain limited level. My experiences in life though have made me choose to build a shield around myself where my trust tolerance level is very low which presents itself as a huge barrier when it comes to leadership and makes it impossible for me to delegate new people to be part of this journey that is Davie Mac Tile. Another thing is is the fact that, by being so meticulous and serious about my work I tend to expect the same level of effort out of other people that would eventually work with me which I realize is unattainable and... At the end of the day I also realize it might be kind of unbearable to work with me... Well, my dad has been dealing with all that this whole time.
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He's been there. We've had horrible fights over the years but he's been present whenever I needed it. He's been there with his powerful lightness. Sometimes I wonder what's going to be when won't be able to be together anymore, how would we carry on? I hope that in my case, if he goes on first, I have had finally passed on to me how to be there for someone like he is there for me: regardless of anything.

As you can see these are only 10 of tile patterns we can choose from and have an infinite of unique ways of decorating your home. The amazing thing is that with color, shapes and formats we can create something only you will have and to me that's one of the most appealing reasons to have tile installed at our homes.

​A kitchen remodel should represent 10 to 20 percent of your home's value.

Add style with lighting, tile and hardware. Granite is resistant to stains, but a sealant should be applied to minimize absorption.

Stainless steel is the most sanitary of the major kitchen materials.

Cabinets typically amount to half the cost of a kitchen remodel.

Remodeling your kitchen is one of the best investments you can make in your home. Survey indicates that you can recoup 88% of your investment in a minor kitchen remodeling.

kitchen island = 32" minimum space between cabinets. 42" is preferred

Preserve the "triangle" design - sink, refrigerator and stove


6 Remodeling Mistakes to Avoid

1. Measure Properly for appliances: Width, Hight and Depth

2. Evaluate Cabinet Strength: Wiggle the drawer a little bit; Put on a little weight while you push them close;

3. Take samples home with you: Play, throw some wine on it

4. Order Attic Stock: extra material that you keep on hand

5. Think about your sink: One sink don't do all, one for food prep another for cleaning

6. Work with a professional

We are working on this project remodeling a master bathroom this week and I just could not get over how sexy this design for a bathroom is. First this mosaic for the floor is so sleek and modern and to my taste simply amazing. What a great choice by the designer to go with something so unique like a basket weave design which it does not feel like a basket weave at all. At least it doesn't look like the basket weave mosaics we have done in the past, which I think it's great! It's not often that tile manufactures come up with things like that and I just love when that happens: It's something but it doesn't look like that something we name it after, so... it's something else! Something new, something no one has seen it yet. A new star is born! Thassos Marble with Gray inserts

Now, what really impresses me is how well it pair with a linear drain by Quick Drain USA. People should really get on board of this train. Even if we do it we a curb it still looks like "OF Course!" How didn't we think of this before? It makes so much sense. I don't know if maybe I'm only really excited with this one pairing so well with the mosaic but it just makes so much sense. That's why I felt inspired to write this post since it's been so long I haven't posted anything.

The process of installing this is really straight forward but very meticulous with making sure waterproofing is well done.

1. We pack the floor with cement making sure the drain is level, straight and well supported.

2. We apply a first coat of HydroBan by Laticrete

3. Add an extra layer of security with Laticrete Waterproofing Membrane. With it we cover everything, including the drain.

4. Then add another rich coat of HydroBan to the whole spectrum.

I Like to apply waterproofing material vigorously, 4 to 5 coats of it. Once it dries it creates 1/8 to 3/16 of inch thick impermeable waterproof membrane, which I like very much.

The next day I have a little trick using blue tape that actually is very helpful for laying mosaics in a smooth manner. Check it out on this little video I made.

Beautiful Thassos Marble with Gray inserts

This is what have done so far, Still waiting on the stones to be delivered so we can finish the curb and the niche, which always bring every else together. Stay tuned!

More often than I would like to I encounter Homeowners frustrated with bad work done by contractors whose present themselves as professionals. They usually have a sad demeanor and a lost look. They think something is off, but they can't really put their finger on it. How come we end up with something so different than what we saw on Houzz?

Well, as a tile setter myself let's say it's a tiled shower stall project they had going on and they're suspicions about. Then they call another contractor to check it out and this is where I come in when I get the call.

The urge to make a face is contained by my subpar sense of etiquette as my eyes gaze upon such unbelievable work of art (not). The look of disbelief once on the Homeowner pales in comparison to the look I'm trying to hide. As someone whose they seek a solution/opinion from, I need to be thoughtful and try to alleviate the situation by restraining my impressions to a brief comment and jump to solutions right away. In regards to tiling the problem might aways be worse than it looks. In a bathroom tile installation project for example aesthetics it's only 50%, the other 50% it's its functionality, its ability to make water go down the drain only and preventing moisture from getting inside the walls. 
It seems to me tile setting requires steady hands like no other trade and - here comes the catch - being clean.
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This goes for every trade, really, but if you find yourself in a situation where you suspect something is off, pay attention to Cleanliness! I can't stress this enough. Good professionals will be mindful of your home as a whole, not just the area they're working on. If you want to spare yourself of further problems, don't double down and keep on betting on a loose horse. If you notice the contractor is not clean and organized, take action and cut your losses.

Let’s talk tile floors for a moment, here. Tile floors provide that clean, beautiful, natural feel for any room. They’re popular choices for kitchens and bathrooms because they protect the floors from water damage, keep the floors from becoming slippery, and there are plenty of stunning options available for every taste and style. But tile itself is only a portion of the luxury that awaits your new floors.


What is Radiant Flooring

Radiant floors are on everybody’s remodel wish list lately. Radiant heating, in the case of bathroom flooring, is a layer of heating beneath the floor that amplifies the heat from a heating source and distributes it across an entire floor. Examples of these systems can be found from NuHeat and from Schluter. As a result of this wonderful heating system, your bathroom floor is as warm as summer beach sand every time you walk on it. In other words: no more frozen feet in the mornings!

Aside from being a treat every time you walk into your bathroom or kitchen, radiant heated floors have other benefits as well. For one, they’re warmer than normal flooring, therefore they help keep the floor dry as they help the water evaporate faster. Beyond that, radiant heated floors are also an eco-friendly approach to heating. According to energy.gov, “It is more efficient than baseboard heating and usually more efficient than forced-air heating because it eliminates duct losses. People with allergies often prefer radiant heat because it doesn’t distribute allergens like forced air systems can.”


The Difficulties of Radiant Flooring and Tile

There are numerous ways in which people use radiant heat in their home. It can be used in walls, floors, with carpet, and more. But by far, the most common way that radiant heating is used is underneath ceramic tile in the bathroom. Ceramic tile is a popular choice to use with radiant heating because it works well as a conductor for heat (meaning you save energy and have more heat) and actually stores some of the heat so it doesn’t require the heater to continuously run. It’s also a popular choice for the variety of styles, shapes, and aesthetics, as well as for its durability and ability to protect the system below. For the most efficiency and best payoff, ceramic tile is the best bet.


However, installing a radiant heating system in the floor and tiles on top of it isn’t a walk in the park for the Do It Yourself-er. There are numerous reasons why people shy away from taking this task on themselves. For one, there is a laundry list of steps to take to ensure that the system is installed correctly. Any misstep can result in an equally long list of problems, such as appliances and fixture sinking, uneven heating, and leaking, that will likely require replacing the entire floor and heating system. There are also specific products and instructions that need to be obtained, and some of those products like priming and mesh aren’t easily found at local hardware stores. Tile and radiant heated floors are a wonderful combination, but the installation is best left to professionals.


Go with a Pro

When in doubt, it’s best to go with a pro. This is especially true for tricky, detailed projects like radiant floor heating coupled with tile. While it might be above budget for your renovation project, or might bring it close, it’s a lot cheaper to hire a professional who’s going to do it right the first time. The cost of ripping up your new flooring when something goes wrong and needing to get the supplies to do it all over again can over double your project cost. If you’re gifting yourself the luxury of a heated tile floor in your bathroom or kitchen, you deserve to give yourself the luxury of making the installation process somebody else’s responsibility. Life’s a lot easier when you go with a pro!

Tile is easy, right? It seems pretty straightforward, anyway. It’s placing squares on the ground or the walls. How hard can it be?


Tile installation can be easy to do yourself. However, flooring and wall tiling are a major project and no matter how easy they may seem, there are dozens of steps that you may be overlooking. When it comes to tile, there are vital steps to take before laying the tile itself. This is called prep work.

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Prep work for tile installation is important for a few reasons, each step holding its own independent value. For example, after you tear up the old flooring and are going to later place down a tile floor, it’s wise to sand and level the subflooring so that you get an even tile placement with no protrusions. Some would say that’s pretty important, no? But beyond that, the most important step in tile preparation is waterproofing. Waterproofing is vital for a number of reasons. Here are a few:

• It prevents any dampness or moisture from seeping into the floor.
• It provides a barrier that blocks wetness from setting in and allowing the breeding of mold and mildew.
• It improves the insulation beneath your tile, whether that be on the floor or the walls.
• It stops leaks from forming and spreading.
• It can increase your property value if you’ve used waterproofing to create a wet room in your bathroom.

Despite these important and beneficial reasons to waterproof, some people still frequently ask, “is it necessary?”. Technically, no. But neither is paint on your walls or furniture in your home. Are those things important? Yes. Often times, it’s even a requirement per law – and for good reason.
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Moisture can destroy homes. It’s part of what makes hurricanes so devastating. The water itself is only part of the problem. What it leaves behind in its tracks is often what results in the destruction of homes, vehicles, and buildings. Moisture is a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and bacteria, as well as promotes rot, rust, and breakage. Porous materials like stone and wood absorb water which causes deformities in floors, foundations, structures, and more. When the water eventually evaporates, it leaves behind a slew of problems like cracks, voids, and crumbling structures. But – you don’t need a hurricane for these horrors to become a reality.


Waterproofing is an obvious and easy way to prevent these problems completely. While waterproofing won’t save your home in a hurricane, it’ll stop your house from looking like it went through one after a small leak becomes a massive structural problem because you or an underqualified handyman decided to skip the waterproofing step. 


So, how do you actually prevent these problems and make a floor or wall waterproof when you’re going to tile it? The solution is simple. There are a few different ways, but the best way by far is to use a waterproof membrane such as RedGard or Hydro Ban. It’s important to choose a membrane that is rated for the area that you intend to use it on. Areas that frequently experience a large amount of water on their surface, such as a shower area, will require a different membrane than that of an area that typically stays pretty dry.  In most places, building codes will require waterproofing wherever there’s a shower. This is an obvious necessity. Furthermore, some materials in a certain waterproofing membrane may not be suitable for your specific needs. For example, frequently using heavy duty cleaners and disinfectants may not be compatible with some membranes, as the chemical compounds can react and leave holes for water to seep through.


Waterproofing isn’t expensive. However, it can save you massive amounts of money – even in the short-run. The costs for repairs of a leak or mold problem are exponentially higher than what it costs to grab a tub of waterproofing membrane, and it doesn’t take much time to add a layer of it under where you intend to lay tile. In this case, taking the extra step is wise. Your kitchen, bathroom, foyer, walls, floors, and whatever else you decide to tile will be thankful for it – and so will your property value.

3x6 Marble Carrara provided by The Builder Depot