No products in the cart.
TileWise Cartoons
Cheaper Is Not Better
About Cheaper Is Not Better
Often these days, general contractors and homeowners can be enticed with a low installation bid and go for the low price that they feel is too good to pass up. They assume that the installer is qualified and will do good work, but they really don’t have any idea if it’s true or how to even verify their qualifications. If the client is unlucky, the tile installation could end up being a problem with the tile installed in an unsatisfactory manner with poor workmanship in regard to layout, cutting, and fitting. Even worse, the installation may look ok on the surface, but can be hiding potentially devastating flaws that will eventually cause a failure.
The client could be left with a project that likely needs to be completely redone or be very expensive to repair. The installing tile contractor may or may not be willing to fix the problem. When there is a problem, it’s not only the cost to redo the work that is costly, which likely will be several times higher than the initial price, but the inconvenience and the loss of time that can never be recovered is another cost when there is a problem. Nobody wins in these scenarios and the tile industry is left with a negative story about a bad tile job.
Avoid these types of scenarios by vetting the installers and their bids and verify that the tile installation contractor is qualified. A quality tile contractor will usually have a higher price than the low bids. Ask the companies bidding if they use installers that are Certified Tile Installers (CTI), or if they have Advanced Certifications for Tile Installers (ACT), or are their installers ITS Verified through the University of Ceramic Tile and Stone, meaning that their installers have taken the 5 hour Tile Installer Thin-set Standards Verification (ITS) online course available at www.UofCTS.org. Remember the old saying “you get what you pay for.” A cheap tile installation price will not do anyone any good if it’s not installed correctly, which can end up costing much more in the long run.
About the Tilewise Cartoons
TileWise cartoons were developed under Donato Pompo's leadership for Club '84 (Ceramic Tile Action Group). Club '84 was a non-profit organization of accomplished individuals from all segments of the ceramic tile industry. The group's mission was to develop and distribute educational aids to educate, train and bring quality awareness to the distributors, specifiers, installers, and consumers of Ceramic Tile.
The TileWise cartoons were created to communicate issuses and concerns in the business of using ceramic tile for all segments of the industry. The objective was to educate to promote the quality use of ceramic tile. In each cartoon the screen exaggerates what you shouldn't do or emphasizes an issue or concern, then George the Bucket (named after CTI founder George Lavenberg) says what is correct. The cartoons ran for twelve years in each issue of the Tile Industry News, a major industry publication, published by the Ceramic Tile Institute until 1999 when it ceased.
Use these cartoons to educate your customers and employees to help avoid potential problems, and to promote a positive image of your company through newsletters, posters or mailings.
We hope you can put these cartoons to good use to help your industry and your business, and we know you will certainly benefit from them if you do. Good Luck!
The TileWise Cartoons will be displayed and available for your use. Restricted to limited single use. Randy’s cherished wife, Suzanne, is working hard to care for their precious sons, Rudie and Remie. Randy’s sudden illness left them with limited resources. If you can benefit from the use of the TileWise Cartoons, and if you can afford it, a donation to Randy's family would be very much appreciated. Please see form below to pledge whatever amount you would like to donate.
Right click the cartoon of your choice (Restricted to limited single use) and do a "Save Picture As..." to your hardrive.
(over 50 TileWise cartoons for your pleasure, and to use to educate your customers and employees)
Please take the time to learn about Randy.
Fill out my online
form.