Tile Center

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Mr. Zia Rhabanni was very helpful, kind and professional!

I visited the Tile Center after being to several other tile retailers. I was immediately impressed with their selection and customer service. Eddie Tirani was very helpful and did an excellent job helping me. My tiles arrived promptly and even when the price was off a bit because of shipping charges, they held true to their price quoted. I am very happy with my experience and plan to visit them soon for my kitchen back splash - Nicole Urquilla

Went fine!

The Tile Center gave me the best service I have ever experienced in the 12 years I’ve lived in the Rockville area.  They staff was always on time and extremely polite, answering all of my questions.  They did a wonderful job placing the tile, and most importantly, they treated my home as if it were their own when it came to the finish work.  The worker cleaned off the countertop and then cleaned up the floor, leaving it all in sparkling condition.  Kudos to the Tile Center!   I have recommended them already to several of my friends.

They did all of the work and finished on time.

The Tile Center salesman and designer came and measured the bathroom and later I went to the Tile Center Store. The estimates were very expensive.

The overall quality of the workmanship was great!  The precision of their tile layout is fantastic and a first rate job!  Our new vanity cabinets and countertops are beautiful.  We are extremely pleased with the overall work performed.
Our only issues stem from communication challenges with our salesperson and the workers.  During the process of securing our estimate, there were areas (ex: mirrors) which were discussed and requested to be framed out of the same wood as the vanity cabinets.  However, these were left out of the estimate.  So, if you use them, please double and triple check your estimate to make sure the scope of work is complete.  After bringing this to their attention, they made the situation right to our satisfaction.
Other communication issues involved our reuse of our 2 bathroom faucets.  During the selection process, we chose our vanity cabinets and selected a type of granite.  However, no discussion took place as to the thickness of the granite.  In the end, our faucets were not made to accommodate a greater than 1" thick countertop.  After dealing with Moen, the faucet manufacturer, we came up with a solution to make our existing faucets work.  Had we known this up front, we would have gotten new faucets OR made the granite 3/4" which is standard for most faucets. 
Lastly, our salesperson seemed to be newer to the design aspect of this and wasn't as good at making suggestions on tiles, decorative accents, cabinet / granite combinations as I would have expected.  We did, however, work through this and our selections turned out great.

I am repeat customer.  I always have a good experience with them.  They have an excellent selection.

Everything turned out excellent. They were outstanding, punctual, did everything they said they were going to do, cleaned up after themselves, and reasonable in price. I would recommend them to anyone. I had a lot of questions for the guy who performed the work and he was very knowledgeable in what he was talking about.

They came out and pretty much just gave me the same layout I already had.  There was nothing new or extra about the design.

The Big Deal was to include construction drawings, which they did not provide. They only provided the computer generated images and not the construction drawings.  We asked the designer to ask his manager, but he said he was not available and would get back to us via email.  He never did.  Their personnel were pleasant, attentive and incorporated our design desires well.  My only complaint was not receiving the construction drawings.

They were fantastic! Each specific task was done by one or more specialists with speed, accuracy, and precision. The crews cleaned up at the end of each day and were very professional. Although we found a minor issue after the work was completed and paid for, the tile center staff stood behind their work reordering and installing a replacement part with no hassle or charge.

The designer was pleasant and professional. The kitchen design was simple and functional. In the end, we wanted a more detailed kitchen design with higher end cabinetry and a better sense of the entire process ahead of us (e.g., ideas for better flow, selection of appliances, flooring, tile, lighting design, cabinetry, etc). We finally selected a local "soup to nuts" company that delivered years of experience, vendor references, custom cabinetry and a step-by-step schedule -- certainly a more costly choice but one that met our needs.
This vendor delivered what was promised, in a pleasant and professional manner. The end product just wasn't exactly what we were seeking.

It went very well the advise I would give customer is have a budget before you go to their office.

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Excellent: Very nice experience. The person who helped us from start to finished was very helpful and professional. Eddie Tigani have guided me and my wife in choosing which floor tiles, back splash and countertop we should have. color matching and materials wise blends well. They are very courteous and informative as well in dealing with the customers. I had my kitchen done before Christmas. I informed them about my big party on Christmas eve and they tried their best to have the floor and counter top done before the Christmas eve which I am really amazed. Eddie who had his knee replaced dropped by at the house as soon as he's back to work, I have never seen a well dedicated employee like that. Another nice thing about this company is that they give you a call before and after the work hours every day just to give an update of the people working and the progress of the job. I have more more upcoming projects in the house and I am pretty sure I will let them take care of these projects.

The tiling job was very well done and professional. There were some issues with communication and scheduling.

We found Tile Center to be very professional in their approach to the project from start to finish.  Once we made final decisions and settled on design, materials, and colors, they established an installation schedule and managed to it.  The work was very high quality and when a small finish-work issue arose at the end Tile Center agreed to make it right and do so promptly.  I would not hesitate to work with them again.

|They gave me a weird set of plans for my kitchen. Dishwasher wasn't near sink!

I visited the store before purchasing the deal special from Angie's list for $1,200. Went to the showroom before to vet the quality and type of porcelain tiles.  Talked to Frank, a manager, to see what type of service to expect. Scheduled a visit for Frank to come and take measurements which he did.  He said since the floor to be removed  was not laminate which I hadn't seen when buying the deal, there would be further cost of $800, which seemed fair.  He brought samples of the tiles to choose from and took measurements when he came to the house.

Frank scheduled an appointment for installation.  I received a call a couple of days before to tell me the name of installer and the time he would come.  Henry showed up on time and was very diligent in doing the work which took almost 4 days. His boss came a couple of times to check the quality.  Henry was professional and pleasant and was careful to maintain the area clean. 

Frank called during the installation and after to ensure my satisfaction.  I told him I was very satisfied.  I love my new kitchen floor

The design was very good, and we are very happy with the new kitchen and family room.  However, the work got dragged out from mid-June to mid-September.  This was partly because there were some misunderstandings of the details of our intentions. 
For example, we already had bought a gas range and had informed Tile Center of that fact, but the gas installation was not planned by the lead person.  And we said over and over that we wanted a drop-in sink, but, I guess because that is not a popular option, Tile Center arranged for an undermount sink.
So it is very important to keep on top of everything as the work progresses.
One aspect of the remodel seemed to be a stretch for their abilities.  We wanted a charcoal grill taken out of the family room.  A grill was part of the original family room in our group of houses.  The master carpenter,  his assistant and a helper were game to take on the masonry work to remove the grill, but they hurt their wrists and arms using the small pneumatic chisels.  It took 3 days of grueling physical labor.
The major part of the work was completed in 6 weeks, but little details dragged on for another 6 weeks.  It seemed they lost interest in our remodel.  I had to call over and over to have little things done.  Some corners were cut doing these diddly little things.
I think we were a bit lackadaisical about keeping on top of the work.  And it was hard to disagree with people who know much more about their trades than I do.  But I hired them to do things I do not know how to do.
I wouldn't be using them again because we will not do such an extensive remodel.  But we are satisfied with the result and would hire them again if we were starting this project again.
I guess I am torn between an A and B rating.

The showroom is helpful. We picked out what we wanted quickly and got help right away. Our Salesman, Joe, was really nice. The tile was expensive and fragile so it took twice as long to install and the installer ran out of tile. Not sure if enough was ordered or not in the beginning. So we had to wait for a week to get the tile in since it wasn't one they typically stock. We also changed our mind on the color of the grout after the tile was up but before the grout was in.  That was an easy fix for them and they were happy to switch it for us. The installer was also nice. He would at times arrive a little later than he said but not by too much and he did have to keep coming back since it was a longer job.  Joe also stopped by to see how it looked - the tile was a new tile they just started selling.  We did have to point out some areas we wanted touched up but they did it for us right away. The finished product looks amazing. I absolutely love it.  We'd consider using them again.

Tile Center ran an Angie's List Big Deal -- $5,999 for Complete Bathroom Demolition and Remodel Including Labor & Materials! I immediately recognized this as a good price and after checking out the firm's reputation on Angie's List and Washington Checkbook, I signed up. This was back in April or May, and for one reason or another (all on me), I didn't schedule the work until October.

The first step is a salesman comes out and discusses with you the scope of the project. My guy was Eddie Tirani from the Gaithersburg office. It took him about an hour to take detailed measurements for both the bath and the entire second floor (I was considering hardwood floors for the upstairs). We talked about procedure and scheduling and since he wasn't sure of the specific parameters of the Angie's List deal (they run several promotions), that would have to wait for a future meeting.

About a month later, again at my convenience, I went to the Gaithersburg showroom for the express purpose of selecting the materials, planning a schedule and signing a contact. I took a family member along and we spent the better part of a Saturday afternoon there. The way the Big Deal works is they give you allowances for various fixtures -- so much for a tub, so much for a sink, toilet, etc. If you buy your own they subtract the allowance. I wouldn't call the allowances generous but it's enough to get quality pieces if you shop around. If you want extras like grab bars, you can buy your own and they will install or you can choose from their stock. Their showroom gives a good indication of what's available as well as design ideas. Even though I just wanted a simple update to my 20 year old bathroom, Tile Center can make it as elaborate as you want. If you have special building requirements, I'm sure they can accommodate you.

Now, the actual work. I was given the impression that in three to five days of working sun up to sun down, they'd be done. Not so. The way it seems to me is that Tile Center has some employees on staff, but it contracts most of the job with others to do specialized work. First a crew came in and did the demolition and the rough tile work. They broke up the old tile and removed it along with the tub, toilet and vanity. They installed a new sub-floor the installed a new tile floor and tile surround for the tub. They also put in a new tub that I bought independently. That took three days. Then there was a gap of a couple of days and then some plumbers came in for two days to add the fixtures and set the toilet. What's left? A vanity, grab bars for the tub surround, towel bars, drywall repair and painting. Some time later a guy came to do laser measurement for the vanity. Somehow there was a delay in the vanity's manufacturer. Finally the vanity arrived a week later and two guys came to install that. Then days later a painter came to visit and scope out the job and a week later he came back to paint. It took him two days along with all the drywall repair. In another few days a guy came back to do finish work on the tile and more drywall repair. The complete job stretched out to nearly a month and thankfully I had another bathroom on the same floor I could use. For me that wasn't the issue. It was taking time off from work to manage these guys. Tile Center says you don't have to stay home and that might work for some but not me.

Pros: Tile Center will work with you, especially up front. However you have to be proactive in keeping track of the details. Once into the job the bosses are concerned about the schedule and finishing the job, but they're still polite and professional for the most part. No matter. It's the individual workers who are your best friends. They will bend over backward to please you , within reason. They are also friendly and mindful of your stuff. They keep the job site clean and do not wash out in your sink. You have to be invested in what's going on though. It's not turn key.

Cons: The work progresses in fits and starts. They say you don't have to be there, but I'm not comfortable with a bunch of strangers in my house when I'm not home. If you have the time and inclination, buy your own fixtures and take the allowance. That way you get exactly what you want instead of the necessarily limited choices from a showroom. I bought my own toilet, tub, vanity, towel bars and grab bars. I let the salesman select my sink and tub faucets sight unseen and I regret it. Also, once you order fixtures from them, they will not take them back if you find something you like better. Here's a biggie (to me at least): Unless you're fastidious about care, tile and grout deteriorates over time and can become impossible to keep clean (yes I'm talking about mold and mildew). It needs to be sealed after it's first installed and regularly thereafter. It seems that Tile Center would offer this service as a matter of course and then use it in their advertising. I mean who wants to spend a Saturday afternoon in a bathroom with a face mask, a bottle of bleach and a toothbrush?

So once I seal the tile and grout and use the new bath for a year or so, I'll update this review. This is the only bath I've ever had remodeled so I can't really judge Tile Center against others. On balance though I'd say they're pretty good, not great, and you could do a lot worse, especially for the money. One thing I feel compelled to say. My job was relatively small given the projects they usually take on. Not only that, when they factored in the Angie's List Big Deal and Angie's cut, I'm sure they knew their margins would be uncomfortably slim. At times I felt pressure from the salesman to conform to his schedule so he could finish the job and move on. This especially after I postponed a $10,000 hardwoood floor project.