Tiles Can be Used to Hide a Multiple of Sins
You will probably inherit a property with quite boring and uninspiring tile designs, both on the floor and walls, especially if the house is over 10 years old.
The general principle was to tile all the walls in the bathrooms and kitchen, even behind the kitchen units. This has the effect of making the rooms feel cold and uninviting. The floors of older properties are either tiled with rustic terracotta or quite garish ceramic.
Most builders are not known for their sense of aesthetics, and so each room will have a different tile design without any feeling of conformity throughout the property.
General Problems
The outside terraces can become traitorous in the wet, as the ceramic tiles are not non-slip. Often tiles are not laid on a solid base but are point laid, they can become lose the grouting degrading and the tiles fall off over time.
Tiles can also be used to hide a multiple of sins, invariably moisture by covering over walls subject to raising damp.
If the terrace base is poorly constructed the tiles will crack and lift, the only solution is to start from scratch with a new base, using a heavy grade of rebars and hardened concrete.
The foreign buyer will generally view their potential new property during the hot summer months and be totally unaware just how cold the floor and hence the whole house can become during the winter, and how almost impossible it is to heat.
Do not despair, we are here to help and guide you through this bewildering dilemma.
First consider your budget for the retiling of the property. This will limit the range of tiles and type available. Then consider the colour scheme, perhaps taking into account what you already have and blending in new textures and colours giving a harmonious balance. If your budget is large enough, then you may consider a whole new look throughout the property. You will almost certainly know by this stage if you want a modern or rustic look or a combination of the two.
The type of tile that should be taken into account
Porcelain tiles have the advantage of giving a textured look as well as a contemporary feel. The same tile colour can be used throughout the interior of the property and the exterior terraces, giving a feel of space and bringing the outside into the interior, especially if large patio doors are incorporated into the design. If the rooms are modest in size this also has the advantage of making them feel more spacious, for example, using the floor tile on the bathroom walls.
Underfloor heating should be considered when retiling, this doesn’t need to be an expensive option. Just having the bathroom floors heated can be a modest luxury.
Contact LT Construction for all your tiling needs, call us today for a free and non-obligatory quote.