How to Hire a Tile Contractor: 5 Checks Before You Sign

Hiring a tile contractor is a five-part check: confirm the license, confirm the insurance, read the written scope, look at real finished work and get the warranty in writing. That is how to hire a tile contractor in Massachusetts without guessing. A good installer passes all five checks without being asked twice. In Greater Boston, expect professional tile labor to run about $8 to $18 per square foot (based on current Greater Boston rates). This page is part of our Bathroom Tile Installation Complete Guide.

Key Takeaways

• Check the HIC number. Massachusetts requires home improvement contractors to register with the state. Look the number up before you sign.
• Get the insurance certificate from the agent. Ask for a certificate of liability insurance sent straight from the contractor's insurance agent.
• Read the waterproofing line. A shower quote should name the membrane, such as RedGard or Schluter Kerdi. No product name is a red flag.
• Ask for photos behind the tile. Mid-job photos show the waterproofing and prep you will never see once tile is up.
• Watch the deposit. Massachusetts home improvement law generally caps the upfront deposit at one-third of the contract price, with an exception for special-order materials.

Comparing quotes for a shower or bathroom floor right now? Send us photos of your bathroom for a same-day tile estimate, then hold it up against the checklist below.

How Do You Pick a Tile Installation Company?

Pick a tile installation company by running five checks in order. Each one takes a few minutes and filters out most bad fits. Searching "tile contractors in my area" gives you names. These checks tell you which name is a real tile installation pro.

1. License: A current Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration that matches the business name on the quote.
2. Insurance: A liability insurance certificate, plus workers' compensation if the company has employees.
3. Scope: A written quote that lists demo, prep, waterproofing, tile setting, grout and cleanup as separate items.
4. Work: Photos of their own jobs, including mid-build shots of waterproofing and floor prep.
5. Warranty and terms: A written workmanship warranty and a clear payment schedule.

Tile Specialist vs General Remodeler

• Tile specialist: Does the tile work with their own crew. You talk to the people setting the tile. Prep and waterproofing are their core skill.
• General remodeler: Runs the whole project and often hires a tile sub. Useful when you also need plumbing, electrical and cabinets.
• What to ask either one: Who will be on site setting tile, and who checks the waterproofing before tile goes up.

Local experience also matters. Older Boston homes have out-of-plumb walls and bouncy floors, and condo buildings add their own rules. Our condo bathroom tile Boston guide covers what HOA boards usually ask contractors for.

What License and Insurance Should a Tile Contractor Have in Massachusetts?

A tile contractor working on your home in Massachusetts should have a current Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) registration and liability insurance. The state's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation runs a public HIC lookup. Search the number on the quote and make sure the name matches. Massachusetts contracts for home improvement work should also list the contractor's HIC number.

If the job includes structural work, such as moving walls or changing framing, ask whether the contractor holds a Construction Supervisor License (CSL). Permit rules depend on your town and your scope of work. Ask the contractor who will pull any permit, and check with your local building department if you are unsure.

Ask for the insurance certificate to come directly from the agent, not as a photo from the contractor. Condo buildings often want to be named as certificate holder. For reference, Aguirre Modern Tile is registered under MA HIC #655072 and carries $1M in liability insurance.

What Does Quality Tile Installation Look Like?

Quality tile installation looks flat, straight and even, with nothing hollow underneath. The industry rulebooks are the TCNA Handbook and the ANSI A108 and A118 standards. In plain words, they ask for solid mortar coverage, flat surfaces and the right membrane in wet areas. For wet areas like showers, the target is 95% mortar coverage under each tile.

What to Look for in Finished Tile Work

• Flat planes: Lay a straightedge or level on a wall or floor. It should sit flat, with no rocking or gaps.
• No lippage: Run your hand across the joints. Tile edges should sit flush, especially on large format porcelain like 12x24.
• Even grout lines: Joints stay the same width and run straight across the whole wall.
• Planned cuts: No thin slivers at corners. Layout centers on the main wall, niche or window.
• Solid sound: Tap tiles with a coin. A hollow sound can mean poor mortar coverage.
• Sealant at corners: Inside corners and wall-to-floor joints get flexible sealant, not hard grout.
• Clean trim: Metal edge trim is straight, mitered at corners and finished to match the grout.
• Floors that drain: In a shower, water runs to the drain with no puddles.

What About the Parts You Never See?

The most important work disappears behind the tile. Ask any contractor to describe the layers in order and to send mid-job photos. In our showers, walls get RedGard liquid membrane and the floor gets a Schluter Kerdi tray or a sloped mud pan. On bathroom floors we set Laticrete STRATA_MAT uncoupling membrane with 254 Platinum thin-set under the mat and 253 Gold over it. Our bathroom floor tile installation article walks through that floor build step by step.

What Are the Red Flags in a Tile Quote?

The biggest red flags in a tile quote are vague line items, no waterproofing, cash-only terms and no warranty. Any one of them is a reason to ask more questions. Two or more is a reason to walk away.

• Placeholder "allowances" instead of scope: A quote full of allowance lines makes the real price a guess. You should see the actual prep, labor and setting materials listed. In our model you choose and buy the tile, so the quote covers everything else.
• No waterproofing line: A shower quote that never names a membrane, such as RedGard, Kerdi or Laticrete Hydro Ban, often means none is planned.
• Cash only or a big upfront payment: Massachusetts law generally limits deposits to one-third of the contract price, except for special-order materials.
• No written warranty: Any warranty should be on paper, with the length and what it covers.
• No HIC number: The registration number should appear on the contract.
• A price far below the others: Compare scopes line by line. The cheap quote often skips demo, prep or waterproofing.

Price ranges help you spot a quote that is out of line. Our town pages, like bathroom tile cost in Brookline, MA, and our bathroom tile installation cost in Boston guide show current local numbers. A full bathroom typically runs $12 to $35 per square foot installed (as of 2026 pricing).

How Many Quotes Should You Get for a Tile Job?

Two or three detailed quotes are enough for most tile jobs. More than that rarely adds information. The goal is to compare the same scope, so send every contractor the same photos and measurements. Then line up the quotes item by item, not just by the total.

What Questions Should You Ask Before You Sign?

Ask these questions before you sign with any tile contractor. A good installer answers each one clearly and puts the key answers in the contract.

1. What is your HIC number, and can your agent send me an insurance certificate?
2. Who will be on site setting the tile each day?
3. What waterproofing product do you use on the walls and the shower floor?
4. What goes under the floor tile, such as an uncoupling mat or cement board?
5. Is demo and haul-away included?
6. Who connects the shower drain, and when would I need a plumber?
7. Which grout do you use, and how should I clean it?
8. How many working days will the job take, and when does it start?
9. What is the payment schedule, and what is due upfront?
10. What does your warranty cover, and for how long?
11. Can I see photos of a job like mine, including mid-build photos?

For background on the build itself before you talk to anyone, read our tile installation for bathroom how-to guide.

Ready to Hire a Tile Contractor You Can Check?

Knowing how to hire a tile contractor comes down to proof: a registration you can look up, insurance from the agent and a scope that names every layer. Aguirre Modern Tile has installed tile across Greater Boston since 2016 and puts all of it in writing. Ready to compare a quote that passes every check on this list? Send us photos of your project and get a same-day tile estimate.

Back to the Complete Guide to Bathroom Tile Installation