What we do
- Cracked floor and wall tiles cut out and replaced
- Loose or hollow-sounding tiles lifted and reset
- Chipped edges repaired with color-matched filler where replacement is not possible
- Grout around the repair cleaned out and regrouted
- Vintage tile matched from salvage or spares
- Sealing grout after the repair
In Alhambra homes
About 77 percent of Alhambra’s homes were built before 1980, according to a city housing report, and many still have original bathroom and kitchen tile, including colors and sizes no longer made. A spare box in the garage is the best source of a match. Failing that, we look for salvage or a close modern tile, and tell you how close it will look before we cut anything.
Get a quote in one text
Send a close photo of the broken tile, a wide shot of the room, and tell us if you have any spare tiles. Our number for photos is (626) 684-3505, and the price comes back before any work is booked.
Removing one tile
We cut the grout around the broken tile, score it, and break it out from the center so neighbors are not disturbed. Old thinset or mortar is cleaned off the bed.
Setting the new tile
The replacement is back-buttered and set flush with its neighbors, then left to cure before grout goes in. On mud-set vintage floors, we build the bed back to the right height.
Loose and hollow tiles
A tile that clicks or sounds hollow has lost its bond. We lift it, clean both surfaces, and reset it. Several loose tiles together can mean moisture or movement below, which we point out.
Matching grout
New grout looks brighter than old. We clean and regrout the joints around the repair so the color steps down gradually rather than changing at one tile.
Cracks that come back
A crack running through several tiles in a line often follows a crack in the slab or subfloor. Replacing the tiles helps, but the crack may return; we say so before starting.
Not ours
Retiling a whole floor, shower or backsplash is a remodel and a separate job.
Why tiles crack
A heavy object dropped on a floor, a hollow spot under the tile from poor coverage, or movement in the floor below. Knowing the cause tells us whether replacement alone will hold.
Wall tile around fixtures
Tiles often crack around a towel bar or soap dish that was pulled loose. We replace the tile and reset the accessory into proper backing.
Chips you can live with
A small chip at an edge can sometimes be filled and color-matched instead of replacing the tile, which avoids disturbing old tile around it.
Spare tiles
If you have extra tiles after the repair, label the box and keep it; it makes the next repair much easier.
Bathroom floors
Small mosaic and hex tile in older bathrooms can be replaced a few pieces at a time; we cut sheets to fit the gap and blend the grout lines.
Showers
Cracked shower wall tile lets water behind it. We replace the tile and check the grout and caulk around it so the wall stays dry.
Sources: City of Alhambra, housing needs report (age of housing stock).
Repair guides for this job
- Reading the cracks in a 1920s Alhambra plaster wallWhy plaster cracks in Alhambra's 1920s Spanish and Mediterranean homes, which cracks are cosmetic, how we patch them, and when to text us a photo.
- Touch-up painting that actually blends in on old wallsHow we touch up scuffs, patches and chipped trim in older Alhambra homes so they blend in with the color, sheen and texture around them.
- Five-minute checks before you call usFive-minute checks for dead outlets, a running toilet, a leak under the sink and a stuck door, so you know what you are dealing with before you call.
- Getting an older house ready for the first rainA fall checklist for older Alhambra houses: doors and windows, caulking, drains, outdoor outlets and the small leaks that turn into big repairs after the first storm.
Looking for a handyman in Alhambra for more than one job? Send the whole list and we’ll price it together.
We serve Alhambra first, plus Monterey Park, San Gabriel and other nearby cities. Have a question? See the handyman FAQ.