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SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE
Designer Interior Lighting Plan, Laminate Countertops - Install, Laminate Countertops - Repair,
About us
Smooth Surface Tile & Stone will install tile for your backslashes, showers, floors, saunas, tub surrounds, and more. High quality craftsmanship and a detailed installation are guaranteed. I work alone and prefer to not have any employees to watch over, which ensures better quality than some of my competition. A lot of our business is from referrals and I believe that says a lot about Smooth Surface. . *****GREEN***** I'm going GREEN and as environmentally friendly as possible. This isn't just good news for the environment, it also means much less mess at your house. No more messy backer boards that contain silica, which is a cause of silicosis and cancer. Also,no chemicals with high VOC ratings.
Business highlights
19 years of experience
Services we offer
Tile sales and installation.
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
Reviews
4.725 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 88% | ||
| 4% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 4% | ||
| 4% |
Showing 1-25 of 25 reviews
William L.
Apr 2018
Ryan was very responsive and quick to schedule an appointment. He offered DIY solutions to our water leak first, which I appreciated. We decided it would be best for Ryan to handle the repair. He squeezed us in. He was on time and finished the job in the amount of time he indicated. I would use him again for any repairs.
Response from SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE
"Thank you for the nice review [Member Name Removed] and [Member Name Removed]!"
Katherine F.
Mar 2018
We are very happy with the job that Ryan did in tiling our back hallway. We used slate 6" x 24" tiles in a herringbone pattern so this was not a trivial job. Ryan recommended and we used an uncoupling membrane to make sure the tile and grout stays crack free as the slab may settle. The job also needed a section of the floor to be leveled. Ryan was very professional in helping us understand what needed to be done and presenting a contract with a change order when necessary. Communication in a construction job is so important and Ryan is very easy to communicate with. He was super helpful in steering us to the best products. He even recommended a cabinet shop here in Milwaukee that we ended up using because they were the best option for what we wanted. Ryan will be a go-to resource for us in the future if we have additional tiling needs.
Response from SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE
"Thank you [Member Name Removed] It was a pleasure to install this floor for you :)"
Steve E.
Jul 2016
Ryan did an outstanding job. Our backsplash and porch look great. He also did a nice job of cleaning up when done. We could not have asked for a better job and the prices were very reasonable. Thanks a lot.
Kristin D.
Nov 2014
Ryan stopped after 2 or 3 days and told us to get a plumber because he could not attach the new fixtures. We were not happy with how the new tile looked and debated what to do. The job looked amateurish. The issues were: 1) He had not centered the tiles on the wall properly around a window. Instead of spacing the tiles uniformly, he had random narrow strips of tiles, which created a hodgepodge look. 2) He'd also made a niche by hand, and it was too small and badly made, not the standard issue niche. 3) We realized that his lack of planning was also going to require using an extremely narrow strip of tiles along the edge of the tub. 4) He asked us to provide the grout with no specifications, and when we did, he said it was the wrong grout.
We asked him to come over and discuss. He became angry when we asked if he could fix any of it. He left and said that he could only come back in a month and a half, and that was our fault. In the meantime, we had no shower or sink in the bathroom. He upped the price from the original 1500 to about 1900 because of the wood repairs behind the tile. At this point, we decided to get another opinion and found another tiler from Angie's List who came out and corroborated our feeling that the job had not been thought through. We engaged this tiler for the job. He started from scratch and did a professional job. At that point, I wrote to Ryan, asking him for an estimate of what we owed for the work he did complete. He claimed that we owed him the entire amount, even though he had not completed the baseboard tiling, approximately one third of the wall, and any of the grouting, Because this was unreasonable, I sent him a check for $500, for the work completed. He returned the check, said that we had to pay his bill in full, and threatened to take us to court.
We asked him to come over and discuss. He became angry when we asked if he could fix any of it. He left and said that he could only come back in a month and a half, and that was our fault. In the meantime, we had no shower or sink in the bathroom. He upped the price from the original 1500 to about 1900 because of the wood repairs behind the tile. At this point, we decided to get another opinion and found another tiler from Angie's List who came out and corroborated our feeling that the job had not been thought through. We engaged this tiler for the job. He started from scratch and did a professional job. At that point, I wrote to Ryan, asking him for an estimate of what we owed for the work he did complete. He claimed that we owed him the entire amount, even though he had not completed the baseboard tiling, approximately one third of the wall, and any of the grouting, Because this was unreasonable, I sent him a check for $500, for the work completed. He returned the check, said that we had to pay his bill in full, and threatened to take us to court.
Response from SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE
"Well, I don’t feel it’s completely proper to respond directly to removed members name posting because this matter is ongoing. I do disagree with almost everything she has written. Having been in business since 2006 this is the first time I’ve had such an incident. My Angies List ratings can speak for themselves and if you require more referrals from people who aren’t members I have many. I’ll take this opportunity to give some advice: -Always ask for a contractor’s proof of insurance. Have their agent send you a “certificate of insurance.” My agent has sent these in less than five minutes of receiving my request. -Always have a written contract. It protects BOTH parties. Many people think they’re safer without one, but they are wrong. -After paying your contractor have them give you a lien waiver. A proper contract will define this timeline and terms. -Wisconsin Circuit Court has records of all businesses and people. You should background check them if they are going to be in your home. -You can receive a large discount from me on your tile purchases. Unfortunately removed members name project was very small and I relied on email exchanges in lieu of a professional contract. Generally, this works fine for me with most people."
Sudhir C.
Jul 2014
They did a perfect job. I have used him before. He is efficient on time and does good work
Barbara S.
Mar 2013
work was dome promptly, completely and to my total satisfaction
Response from SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE
"For [member name removed], I polished the edge of her granite countertop to relieve its sharp edge. Not all tile installers will have a polisher with dry use discs so if this is something you need just give me a call. [member name removed] project was fairly quick. This type of procedure isn't always as quick and often times the polishing procedure requires many steps in the abrasion process working to the proper sheen of your stone."
Jon A.
Feb 2013
I was very impressed with the entire interaction with Ryan. He responded quickly to setting up the initial visit to give the estimate. He returned phone calls and e-mails promptly and was very professional in all my dealings with him on this project. He did the work with a great deal of attention to detail and cleaned up after the work. His estimate of materials was exact and there wasn't any
wasted materials. I am very happy with the results. He did a great job. I would highly recommend him to anyone.
wasted materials. I am very happy with the results. He did a great job. I would highly recommend him to anyone.
David C.
Feb 2013
After completing the installation of new cabinets and counters in our kitchen, we contracted Smooth Surface to install a glass tile mosaic backsplash. Ryan returned my initial inquiry within a matter of hours. We were able to agree on an estimated cost and schedule via email (which was super convenient). Ryan stopped by one night a few days before the job was scheduled just to make sure the project could be completed on time/budget. He showed up on time and was very professional. All checked out and he was back a few days later to start the project. Again, Ryan was on time and professional while doing the installation. He completed the project in two days and I must say, it looks fantastic. The cuts are all straight and smooth, all outlets and switches in the backsplash area were built out, and the grout work is clean. Our house was built in 1919, so the walls are...less than perfect. Ryan took the time to build out the walls in areas there was warping with extra layers of thinset. The backsplash Ryan installed is definitely the focal point of our new kitchen. I would highly recommend Smooth Surface to anyone looking for tile work. Definitely worthy of the A rating.
SANDRA M.
Aug 2012
He did perfect work and cut the price down for me. He was always on time and very neat.
Isabel E.
Apr 2012
Ryan did a fantastic job. He was always on time and was great to work with. The bathroom looks like a million bucks!
Timothy K.
Oct 2011
I have an old claw foot tub that was surrounded and tiled in. The tiles on the deck were coming loose and needed to be replaced. Other contractors all wanted to do a complete remodel costing thousands. Ryan was able to do what I needed, tiling around the curves of the tub. The job was done well and for much less than a remodel. Ryan was very professional and the job was done well.
Walter B.
Sep 2011
Looks good,Ryan did a nice job. Keep it up.
Edith B.
Aug 2011
We contacted Ryan on a Friday asking for an estimate on re-grouting and replacing broken tiles, and redoing silicone seals in four bathrooms. He came to inspect the site on Monday, checked out some other tiled areas (front hall granite floor tiles with old grout), answered questions, and submitted an estimate that afternoon. He was able to come on Thursday, arrived promptly at 8am, stayed most of the day and completed all the work we had discussed. The results are neat and professional, blending seamlessly with the old tile work. We would definitely use him again!
Libby T.
Jul 2011
see above..
Response from SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE
"While the grout I used to repair the member's shower did lighten in color, the colored caulk of the same brand and color did not. I had to use some colored caulk because of the size of the gap between adjoining walls. Caulk will flex and move with walls while grout does not move nearly as much. I always tell clients it's impossible to exactly match materials in a repair. After the initial repair I had then asked the member to pick up some grout and caulk at the hardware store, to be sure that she would like the color. The member told me that the hardware store she went to only had white grout. Afterward, the hardware store did not tell her where she could find what she needed, she did not ask them where she could find what she needed, and she did not call me to find out where she could pick out some grout or advise me of the situation. And so, I felt that she did not care very much and would rather surprise me with this information after I had showed up, which is not very useful to either of us. I found this attitude difficult to work with."
SCOTT V.
Jul 2011
The whole process went well. He was timely in responding to our call, always showed up when he said he would, and completed the work in the time frame he indicated. The job was simple, was done well and kept simple, and cost contained as we desired.
Gary S.
Jul 2011
Ryan did super work and the floor looks great. He showed up when he promised, completed on schedule and cleaned up when the job was done. This young man is a pro who understands the meaning of good service.
Steve K.
Jun 2011
Ryan was fabulous! He did a ceramic tile repair that I had put off for a long time because I did not know who to call. zi found him highly recommended on Angies list so I gave him a call and he was able to fit in the repair the next day.
Ryan arrived promptly and impressed me with his knowledge, professionalism and reasonable price. He works quickly and efficiently. Overall it was an A+ experience. I am recommending him to all my friends for big tile or stone jobs - or small repairs.
Ryan arrived promptly and impressed me with his knowledge, professionalism and reasonable price. He works quickly and efficiently. Overall it was an A+ experience. I am recommending him to all my friends for big tile or stone jobs - or small repairs.
Erin E.
May 2011
It went awesome! I called him on Wednesday and i didn't have the tile to replace it with. I sent him a picture of it, he went to the store, picked one out and came 2 days later to replace it. It was a perfect match! I really liked that he came out to do such a small job. I would definitely use him again.
Mark B.
Apr 2011
I was most pleased with the entire experience. Very professional--timely--efficient-- cost was most reasonable would recommend for any job. This one involved a slate floor with uneven pieces----not the usual "tile" job
Sudhir C.
Aug 2010
Ryan took his time and was easy to work with. I found him to be careful and professional. I will use him again for further work.
CHARLES B.
Apr 2010
Ryan did an excellent job in all aspects from estimating to installing to cleanup. Would not hesitate to use Ryan again. Would recommend Ryan to anyone.
CHESS B.
Dec 2009
Excellent. While he was out of town when I called, he returned call upon his return. Fit me into his schedule easily as mine was a small job. Came back soon after to do the bathtub. He also provided a very competitive quote to replace the entire tile shower which we may do when we redecorate.
John R.
Apr 2009
Ryan was very easy to communicate with--he was polite and professional. He was able to start work on our new basement bathroom within a week, and finished in 5 days (includes drying time). We thought his work was excellent,and he provided us with helpful information about installing the tile, etc in the bathroom. he helped problem solve a few issues..all around a great experience. We would hire him again in a heartbeat. Not to mention--he's a really nice guy. He was even kind to our very fearful/probably sometimes annoying dog.
KIMBERLY S.
Dec 2008
Overall, I am very happy with the outcome of the tile. Ryan was very timely in his start time and was able to complete the project about a week past his original estimate. He worked full days daily while he was on the job and did even come on a couple of Saturdays to help stay on track. Even though we discussed in detail the layout of the project, I did have an issue whereby he installed some of the border tiles in an awkward fashion. I asked him to reinstall them a different way which he did with no problem. However, I had to pay for the replacement tiles as a result. I would have expected if there were any questions along the way that he would ask first before setting the tiles (it wasn't like he was at the end of the project). The other issues I experienced were regarding pricing and clean-up. I had brought Ryan in after a bad experience with a contractor who abandoned the job 1/2 through the tiling of the basement. In Ryan's original estimate, it included clean-up from the previous tiles laid as well as physical removal of the tile from my property. However, after signing, he "underestimated" the amount of work for both, so I personally ended up spending about 6 hours cleaning up myself to avoid "additional charges" as well as I had to then pay for a dumpster service when he originally told me he would remove on his own. In addition, since I had to have a new concrete sub-floor laid, there were 3 rooms which I did not have the concrete poured which resulted in them needing transition pieces. Even though the original estimate was based upon those 3 rooms not being poured, at the end of the project I found myself being subjected again to additional charges to finish the transitional pieces (which I ended up taking care of myself). Lastly, I assumed sealing of tiling was something which was done as part of a tile installation job (I had a smaller room in my house tiled a few years ago and it was part of their installation with no additional costs), however, bad assumption on my part--additional charge for that. In summary, Ryan's quality of work is great, however, he does a poor job of estimating total costs.
Russell S.
Nov 2007
Ryan was very professional from start to finish. He was accurate and timely in his estimate. He completed the work on time. The new tile floor looks beautiful. We are extremely pleased with his work and would recommend him highly.
Licensing
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FAQ
SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.
SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard
Yes, SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE offers free project estimates.
No, SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE does not offer a senior discount.
No, SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE does not offer emergency services.
No, SMOOTH SURFACE TILE & STONE does not offer warranties.