One cracked tile in the middle of a room points to an impact or a gap in the mortar under it. A crack that runs in a straight line through several tiles is the floor underneath moving. In Calgary that is often the basement slab: expansive clay moves floor slabs far more than footings. Replacing tiles over a moving slab puts the crack straight back, so we check the substrate before quoting.
A repair should blend in and stay put.
Impact, hollow mortar, slab movement or water, named before anything is replaced.
Spare boxes from the original job, a donor tile from a closet or under an appliance, or the closest current match.
The grout around the tile is cut out first so neighbouring tiles are not cracked during removal.
Old mortar is cleaned off and the new tile is set with full coverage, flush with the surrounding floor.
New grout is colour-matched to the existing joints and sealed where the grout type needs it.
A photo of the damage and the whole room gives us a first read on the cause.
We tap the surrounding tiles to find hollow spots the eye cannot see.
Damaged and hollow tiles come out and go back with full mortar coverage.
Joints are grouted, cleaned and sealed, and the cure time is explained.
Repairs are priced per job because the work depends on the cause, the tile and access rather than the area. Where a section has to be re-laid, our installation rates apply. All prices are in Canadian dollars. We charge based on your written quote.
Priced per job
One or several damaged tiles cut out and replaced with a matching tile, grouted and sealed.
Priced per area
Cracked, crumbling or stained grout raked out and replaced, colour-matched to the floor.
$8-$25 per sq ft
Where hollow or cracked tiles cover a larger area, the section is lifted and re-set at tile installation rates.
$1-$3 per sq ft
Old tile and mortar removed back to a clean substrate before new tile goes down.
Most repairs are one of three jobs: replacing cracked tiles, re-setting hollow tiles, or raking out and renewing failed grout. Every one starts with finding out why the tile failed.
A single cracked tile is replaced by cutting out its grout, breaking the tile out from the centre so the neighbours stay intact, scraping off the old mortar and setting a new tile flush with the floor. The new joint is grouted to match and sealed.
The match is the hard part. Spare boxes from the original installation are the first choice; a donor tile from a closet or under the fridge is the second. When the tile is discontinued, we tell you before quoting.
Cracked, crumbling or dark grout is raked out to depth and replaced, without lifting the tiles. Regrouting is a quick way to make a tired tile floor look new, and it is a common fix in kitchens and entries where grout has darkened over the years.
Tap a tile with a coin: a hollow sound means it has lost its bond. Hollow tiles crack under load, so we lift and re-set them with full mortar coverage during a repair rather than leaving them to fail next.
Repair is the right call when the damage is contained, matching tile exists and the cause has stopped. When cracks run through several tiles in a line, when many tiles are hollow, or when water has reached the subfloor, re-setting a section or the whole floor gives a better result for less money than a run of patches. We price that as tile installation, with tile removal and floor levelling as separate lines.
Yes. We cut out the grout around it, remove the tile without disturbing its neighbours, clean off the old mortar and set a matching tile with full coverage. If the crack came from the floor moving, we tell you before replacing it.
We look for the tile by name or by sample. When it is discontinued, the usual answer is to take a donor tile from a closet, under an appliance or another hidden spot, and put the closest current match there instead.
A hollow tile has lost its bond to the mortar or substrate, from thin mortar coverage, movement underneath or moisture. Hollow tiles crack under load later, so we lift and re-set them during the repair.
Yes. Failed grout is raked out to depth and replaced, colour-matched to the existing joints. If grout keeps cracking in the same place, the floor is flexing and the cause gets fixed first.
Yes, when the waterproofing behind the tile is intact. If water has got behind the tile, the membrane needs repair, and that becomes a partial or full re-tile.
Not if the cause is fixed. A crack that runs through several tiles in a straight line comes from the slab or subfloor moving, and repairing the tile alone puts the crack back. We name the cause in the quote.
Repairs are priced per job because the tile, the cause and access matter more than the area. When a section has to be re-laid, we charge $8 to $25 per square foot, the same rate as new tile installation.