S & S Ceramic Tile

We hired Ali Rajabi in April 2016 to tile three walls of a shower that was being installed by a larger home contracting company. The company’s tile crew wasn’t available right away, so a friend recommended Ali to do the job to help keep us on schedule. While we found Ali to be skilled at installing tile so that it looks good aesthetically, there were underlying problems with his wall preparation behind the tile that led to warranty issues on our new siding and ultimately the need to retile the entire shower in December. We originally paid him $3,700 for labor and backing materials (plus we paid $1,000 separately for the tile) to tile three walls of a 32” x 66” shower — a high price by industry comparisons. But now we also have had to absorb the cost of retiling the entire shower, including the cost of new backing materials and new tile — totaling an additional $4,500. Since January, we have attempted to resolve these issues directly with him to reach a fair settlement, but he has not responded to any of our communications. Needless to say, we are very disappointed. Here are the problems and issues we encountered with Ali’s work: 1. Because one of the studs in the shower wall was crooked and not aligned with the other studs, Ali decided to pull it out and replace it instead of blocking or padding the wall out to the proper level with additional 2 x 4’s. Unfortunately, it was an exterior stud that he removed, which compromised our new siding and Tyvek wrap and voided the warranty on the siding in that area. 2. Our major problem arose when the general contractor realized at the final stage of fixture installation in May 2016 that there was a creaking noise when you stood in the Corian shower pan that they had installed, and the only way to remedy it was to remove and reset the pan. They assumed full responsibility for this problem, and the work was scheduled for later in the year. This involved removing the lower row of tiles in order to remove the pan. In the process of doing so, a crack formed in the shower wall 5 feet up, which turned out to be along the seam in the Durock backer board that Ali installed. Our contractor realized that Ali had installed two layers of Durock on the two walls where the tile cracked and they were not secured together, so there was movement when the lower tiles were taken out, causing the upper tiles to crack. Our contractor said that even if the pan weren’t being switched out, the natural movement of the house over the years would have caused the same result. At that point, we were faced with starting over on the whole shower to correct the installation of the backer board and reinstall all the tile! 3. In the process of doing the tile work over, our contractor realized that Ali had not done a proper job of blocking the wall with the shower fixtures – and that wall would not have been blocked at all had we not pointed out to Ali the need for it before installing the backer board. In addition, working with Ali on the original job was not easy. Several of our requests were met with resistance or were ignored. For example, we requested a 1/16” grout joint and Ali said he would only do a 1/8” joint with no explanation why. Our general contractor was surprised at his use of unsanded grout in joints that were 1/8” or larger, saying that it would not hold up well over time. And, during the week of work, Ali left the work area in a total mess each evening, with tools left uncleaned in the shower pan, scraps of cardboard on the floor, and clumps of thinset and dust all over the room. We had to come home from work and clean up the area each day. Given the problems caused by the way Ali installed the backer board, replaced the stud, and handled fixture blocking, we felt it was reasonable to ask him for reimbursement of a portion of our original cost. Another reviewer commented that she was very pleased that Ali told her he would come back to fix any problems that might crop up in the future. That has not been our experience. As we said earlier, we've been trying to get him to agree to some sort of fair settlement since January, and he has not been responsive.

Ali was very professional and did an excellent job with our floor. He returned my initial call promptly and scheduled an appointment for an estimate. He was on-time, provided suggestions on tile (buy American made, shop at this store for tile, etc). Once we selected a tile and grout, he provided an estimate. We selected Ali to do the work, he ordered the supplies and scheduled a date for the installation. He arrived on time, worked full days until the floor was completed, and left us with a professional and beautiful floor. We are very satisfied with everything and so glad we selected Ail.

Ali does great work. He started on time and delivered a great final product. He is very meticulous and makes sure you are very happy with his work. I would definitely recommend him to my friends.

Ali Rajabi, owner of S & S Ceramic Tiles, did an excellent job, working quickly and efficiently, anticipating what I needed/wanted, and completing the work beautifully and on time. Also, he cleaned up the bathroom, hallway and the outside patio where he staged all his equipment and supplies. Wonderful! This is the third time I have used hired S & S Ceramic Tiles and I would gladly hire them again.

Ali was prompt and courteous. His workmanship is second to none...the laundry room turned out beautifully. We are so happy with S & S Ceramic Tile and plan to use Ali in the next year when we remodel our kitchen.

I couldn't be happier. Ali is a professional, through and through, and it shows in the quality of his work. My previous contractor left chipped and poorly cut tiles, placed by a subcontractor who clearly didn't know the trade. Ali self-performed all work (the same man who comes out to give you pricing and scheduling is the same man who follows through on the install) and his trade is clearly high quality tile install. He removed all of the previous contractor's work, took his time prepping the surfaces correctly, and then reinstalled with a meticulous eye to quality. In the tub surround, Ali installed new 4x12" porcelain tile in a subway pattern up to the ceiling, with a glass/marble accent band and two niches with glass/marble accents. The end product is just gorgeous. We also selected a 6x36" italian porcelain on the floors. New quartzite countertops, and new fixtures finished out the look (Ali did not self-perform the plumbing, but did coordinate the work with his plumber). In the end, I have a beautiful guest bathroom. I will use Ali again for the kitchen backsplash & the powder room, and recommend that if you want it done RIGHT, give Ali a call.

Ali is simply the best in the business. He creates beautiful masterpieces-wheather it's a bathroom remodeling, or new tiles you want, Ali IS the go-to person. He is responsible, meticulous, trustworthy, has good eye for details, and always shows up as promised. I can't say enough about his workmanship or his great personality. A gem if you can find time on his busy schedule.

Ali has very high standards and is meticulous in his work. This is the second time we've used him, he did our master bathroom eight years ago. The work is beautifully done. He's very professional and a pleasure to work with, offering helpful suggestions and ideas. He's reliable and diligent. Not only would we not hesitate to use him again, we are planning to have him come back and renovate our last undone bathroom.

We love our new tile floor in the powder room. Ali did a beautiful job laying down new tiles on our powder room! He was professional and easy to work with. He has great work ethics! We have 2 little kids who loved to talk to him while he was working and he was very kind and friendly with the kids. Most importantly, Ali completed the work that met my expectation. I have high expectation. He was very neat and cleaned up very well each time after he left.

I sent him a note with my problems....it was a tiny little job, and he just happened to be able to come over and fix everything the very next day. Beautiful job, would never even have known we had issues. He exceeded all of my expectations. I am planning on renovating another bath soon, and I won't call anyone else. Great job.

Ali Rajabi is recommended by a local high-end tile distributor, where we chose our Porcelain floor tile, and his work ethic and quality is outstanding. After having several bids by various general contractors, we realized why he is recommended so highly. His specialty is tile installation, and he is very experienced in using high-end mortar and grout products, which were what we specified. Other tradesmen do not have enough experience in tile installation, and do not want to take the time to use high-end products, because they want to use consumer grade, cheap, and easy tile installation products. Every tile Ali installed is aligned perfectly, and Ali will work long hours if completion time is limited to get the job done, including tile material pick up and delivery. Every cent spent on our flooring by Ali was worth it, and we couldn't be more pleased. He is on time, always dedicated to detail, and has excellent communication skills. Based on our experience, he is the best tile installer in the Greater Washington DC area. We highly recommend him. There is no need to do any work on our floors in the future, because his quality is meant to last as long as the house is standing. If you want the highest tile installation quality, for the best price, contact S & S Ceramic Tile!

We had Ali do all the tile work in three bathrooms about 4 years ago. We liked his work so much, that when it was time to update our kitchen, he was the only person we called. He tackles one job at a time, so the project is completed in a very timely manner. He also takes great care in cleaning up the site at the end of the day. He does meticulous work and has a great eye for design. We will gladly hire him for any other tile projects that might come up in the future.

Absolutely beyond my expectations! Ali is an artist and a gentleman who knows his trade and is proud of his skill. Explained everything, worked quickly, took wonderful care of cats left at home with him here. Went above and beyond. Gave us a shower we could never have imagined before working with him, at a reasonable price.

Mr. Ali Rajabi called me the morning after I had posted the job. We met at the house, he estimated the job, and I accepted his offer. He started the job on the Friday after Thanksgiving and it was complete by Monday night. Mr. Rajabi is a true professional. the advantage of working with him is that he does all aspects of the work from start to finish, with no middlemen or similar delays. Most importantly, he does impeccable work and takes great pride in it.

The work is absolutely beautiful! Ali went the extra mile on the entire project. We could not be more pleased!

Ali is terrific, professional and courteous, his work is of the highest quality and he is always collaborative and easy to work with

Ali arrived at exactly the prearranged time for each of the seven days it took him to do the work. He completely demolished the old bath tile (both wall and floor tile) in a very clean, methodical, and efficient manner. He installed new Durock around the tub area right to the ceiling. He took up the old tile floor right down to the sub-floor and installed Durock there as well. He laid new tile on the walls and floor flawlessly. The entire bathroom looks perfect. You can tell that he takes the utmost pride in his work. He even oversaw the plumber's work when we had a new toilet installed as well. On the lower lever he took up the old tile in the entryway and put in beautiful porcelain tile. He never worked less than 8 hours daily and even did more than was called for. For instance, he installed new molding around the new tile in the entryway. This was something I was going to do, but he insisted on doing it to save me the effort. I can't say enough good things about this guy. He even said if some problem crops up related to his work, to just call him, and he will be over to fix it. If all service people worked to his standard, nobody would ever have a complaint!

Ali Rajabi, proprietor of S & S Tile, is an artisan. While installing our tile back-splash, he was extremely careful in making sure the job was well done. He was also very helpful and offered suggestions when we were unsure, especially as to the color of grout to use and tile design. Based on his experience, we made some changes to our original plan that turned out beautifully. He was very friendly but also was a professional craftsman. We would certainly use him again and recommend him highly. Mary Ann, Mary Ann and John

Ali is terrific! He is smart and pleasant and does beautiful work. The tile is so neat and tight against the walls that no baseboard is needed. He discovered a leak under the toilet and told me about it so I could call a plumber and get it fixed before putting the toilet back in place. I really appreciated that. I will definitely use Ali in future and recommend him to friends without hesitation.

Another perfect tile job by Mr. Ali!

From demolition to perfection. Ali is extremely talented, hard working, and honest. He worked from early to evening every day until my job was done. Details are meticulously done, with patterns and cuts perfect. What stood out to me was that he does one job at a time. When things happen, he always finds a solution. I would highly recommend his services. More than installing tile, he can do other handyman services as well. Whatever he does, his pride shows through. He will deliver a top notch finished job.

We hired S & S Tile to redo the floor in our full bathroom upstairs. He removed the old tile, installed new tile, and grouted. He was able to tile under the radiator and did not damage the tile on the walls, which was nice. It looks great. We were able to still use the shower during the whole process, which was key, since we only have one full bathroom. I would definitely hire him again for another tiling projection. He was responsive, professionalism, and does great work.

The work was done to perfection. All was done in a clean and efficient manner. All tile cutting was done outside and he even hosed down the area where the tile cutting had taken place. There was a minimum of disruption to us during the two days in which he accomplished this. He also suggested alternate ways in which the tile could be laid. It was a pleasure to deal with such a professional. I am going to use him to do the two upstairs bathrooms as well. It was money well spent.

He cares. There were times he would make two cuts because he cared enough to get the job done. He was very good on punctuality.

Excellent service. Good advice on which tile to use. Our house was built in 1939 so the walls were a challenge. I also have many outlets and switches which require many cutouts. Ali is meticulous. He plans how he will install the tile so installation looks professional. He is a true craftsman. Ali does an excellent job with cleanup. He cleans up the job every day. He never leaves a mess.