Tiling that staysflat and square.

We set out from the most visible line in the room, not from the nearest wall. That is usually the doorway sightline, a long unbroken wall, or the centre of a feature such as a bath or island.

Rooms in Harare are rarely truly square. Starting from a wall guarantees a tapering cut somewhere obvious; setting out properly pushes the cuts to the least visible corners.

Sometimes, but we rarely recommend it. It only works where the existing tiles are firmly bonded, flat, and the extra height does not foul doors, thresholds or sanitaryware.

In wet areas we almost always strip back, because you cannot verify the waterproofing under an existing finish, and a failed tank behind new tiles is an expensive discovery.

Porcelain is fired denser and absorbs far less water, which makes it harder, more frost and stain resistant, and suitable for floors and outdoor use. Ceramic is softer and more economical, and works well on interior walls.

Porcelain is harder to cut and takes longer to lay, which is why a porcelain floor costs more than a ceramic one of the same size.

Yes, and it is not optional on our jobs. Wet areas get a liquid-applied tanking membrane over a properly prepared substrate, taken up the walls to the required height and dressed into the floor.

Corners, junctions and pipe penetrations are reinforced with tape or collars, because that is where almost every leak begins.

Allow the adhesive to cure before grouting — typically 24 hours — and then a further 24 hours after grouting before the area is used or wetted.

Rushing this is a common cause of grout discolouration and lifting tiles. We build the curing time into the programme rather than treating it as a delay.

Yes. Large-format tiles need a flatter substrate than smaller sizes, so we usually skim or re-screed first, and we use a back-buttering technique with a notched trowel to achieve full adhesive coverage.

Without full coverage a large tile will sound hollow and eventually crack under point load.

Tiles and the substrate beneath them expand and contract at different rates, particularly on large floors and anywhere exposed to sun. Movement joints give that expansion somewhere to go.

Floors without them tend to tent or crack along a line after the first hot season. We include perimeter and field joints where the area requires it.

We will try, but be realistic: tile ranges change frequently and dye lots vary even within a range. Bring us a spare tile or let us lift one from an inconspicuous area.

Where an exact match is not available, we will suggest options such as re-tiling a defined area to a natural break line rather than leaving a visible mismatch.

Yes. Outdoor tiling needs frost and UV stable porcelain, an anti-slip surface rating, a flexible external-grade adhesive and correct falls for drainage.

Interior tiles laid outside will fail, and interior adhesive outside will fail faster. We specify accordingly.

We use cementitious grout for most work and epoxy grout where chemical or stain resistance matters, such as commercial kitchens.

On colour: a grout close to the tile shade hides the grid and makes a floor look larger; a contrasting grout emphasises the pattern. Very light grout on a floor will show traffic within a year.

Yes. Strip-out, removal of old adhesive and screed, and disposal of the rubble are included in the quotation and priced as their own item so you can see the cost.

Strip-out is dusty work, so we seal off the area and manage dust rather than letting it move through the house.

We work throughout Harare including Greendale, Borrowdale, Highlands, Avondale, Mount Pleasant, Marlborough, Belgravia, Chisipite and Kamfinsa.

Commercial tiling extends to Msasa, Pomona, Westgate and the surrounding industrial and retail areas.