CTEF has evolved the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) hands-on test with a transition from bullnose to metal transition profiles. In this article, I'll share perspective on the change as, by now, you may have seen and heard about it.
CTEF has a question for you: What made you the ceramic tile installer you are today? What unique experiences affected you in such a way that you embraced education and training to become a successful Certified Tile Installer?
Seriously, if you install ceramic tile, you have a story about your journey.
When you talk with others who are successfully earning a living in the trade, they too have a story. It may be completely different than the pathway you followed, yet equally valuable.
Fred Hueston, President and Founder of Stone Forensics, recently published Why It Is Important to Hire a Certified Tile Installer, Including CTEF Certification. Have you read it?
The article is so powerful that - with Fred's permission - we are sharing highlights with you here.
Are you wondering how to elevate your reputation in the marketplace? If you install tile, the ideal way is through the CTEF tile certification programs.
Martin Brookes is the owner of Heritage Marble & Tile in Mill Valley, California. He's involved in the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) including as past president, is a Five Star Contractor, and is a strong supporter of the CTEF tile certification programs.
He has seen firsthand how certification affects the entire ethos of his business. Certification has enabled Heritage Marble & Tile to stand out not only as highly reputable and expert but also as the San Francisco Bay Area Premier Tile Installation Company.
We caught up with Martin to learn more.
Why should a tile installer consider becoming a Certified Tile Installer (CTI)? We asked the community to weigh in on Facebook, so you can read about some of their reasons - in their own words - for becoming certified and Qualified Labor.
This is a classic from 2018 that is as relevant now as it was then. You'll find the responses organized into 10 themes.
Are you a tile contractor? Do you have at least two years of experience as a full-time lead tile installer? By experience, we mean that you have full responsibility for substrate prep, and layout, along with properly installing underlayment, tile, grout, and sealant materials.
If yes, consider becoming a Certified Tile Installer (CTI).
If you're curious about tile installation certification and the benefits it offers homeowners, specifiers as well as tile installers, you'll want to watch "Certification in Action," a 6-minute video embedded at the end of this article.
The video answers questions such as:
- How do you choose a tile installer or contractor?
- How can you be sure the job will be done correctly?
- Why should you hire a certified tile installer?
Are you a CTI? If you've not completed the Certified Tile Installer program, you should reconsider. Don't take it from CTEF. Instead, we invite you to learn from Chris Osterritter CTI #1800 in this article from the Qualified Labor Series.
Are you wondering how to leverage your Certified Tile Installer (CTI) status in your business? This well-earned professional distinction offers tile installation professionals many benefits as Mark Heinlein, National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) Technical Trainer and Presenter and CTI #1112, explains in this article.
There's no denying that without companies like Tile ProSource to support CTEF, the Certified Tile Installer program would not be what it is today.
The CTI program requires hands-on testing locations around the country, not just in Pendleton, SC where CTEF is headquartered. Furthermore, in addition to the hands-on test itself, the program includes an orientation the evening before the test, not to mention cleanup.
So committing to being a CTI test location host means you're willing to give up a good bit of space for some serious tile installation action over more than a day.
In the case of Tile ProSource in Tennessee, the owners not only generously offered CTEF warehouse space but also treated everyone involved in the CTI test to a tile-themed feast. Plus, they've also added to their online checkout process an option to donate to the CTEF Mission!
