We excel at everything from walk-ins, to curbless showers, mitered niches, frameless glass, steam showers, slab-stone walls, tile drenched walls and more. Custom Tile of Austin has been leading the craft of tile installation since 1983, expertly installing tile in hundreds of bathrooms and showers for home owners, interior designers, general contractors and architects across Austin.
The kinds of showers we install
A custom tile shower can mean a lot of things. Most of the projects we run land in one of these categories:
- Walk-in master showers. Frameless glass, large-format porcelain or stone slab walls, integrated benches, and lighted niches. Often paired with a bench seat and a linear drain over mosaic or natural stone floors.
- Curbless (zero-entry) showers. A continuous floor that runs from the bathroom into the shower with no step. They sit at the top of our build range because they require either new construction or a slab remodel to recess the drain. Worth doing when the room supports it. Not only are they incredibly luxurious, but they’re also a great accessibility feature for aging in place or handicap accessibility.
- Full bathroom wet rooms. Make your entire bathroom waterproof and open concept with a full bathroom wet room. We waterproof the bathroom for an open shower and tub concept with linear drain and the option to add heated floors as well.
- Steam showers. Sealed enclosures with a sloped ceiling, vapor-tight waterproofing, and a steam generator routed to the bathroom. We build these to TCNA tile and waterproofing standards so the membrane and tile assembly hold up to constant moisture cycling.
- Tile shower remodels. Replacing an aging fiberglass surround or a tired tile job with a fully custom build, working around the existing plumbing and slab when we can, or a complete overhaul upgrade. Straight lay subway tile, contrasting grout, large-format tile - there are many ways to elevate your space.
- Half-baths and powder room showers. Smaller footprints with the same craftsmanship. Often where designers test a new material before specifying it on a primary bath.
Linear drains, custom shower niches, miter-cut edges, bookmatched slab walls, and integrated bench seats all show up across these formats. Most are decisions that get made in the first design conversation.
How we build a shower that lasts
A shower is the assembly in a home that fails most expensively when it is built wrong. The waterproofing membrane sits behind tile that nobody can inspect once the grout is set, and a shortcut at the shower pan or the niche shows up months or years later as a leak in the ceiling below, cracked grout, or the mildew line creeping up an unsealed corner.
Every shower we install starts with a waterproofing system spec’d to the assembly. We work fluently with Schluter Kerdi, Wedi, Hydro Ban, Laticrete, Mapei, and Tile Redi, plus traditional mortar beds. The system gets chosen based on the substrate, the tile size and weight, and whether the build includes a steam component or curbless drainage. Or, based on client preference.
Tile is set to TCNA standards. Edges that meet at outside corners can be mitered rather than capped with bullnose or trim, which is the detail designers ask for first when they walk a finished job. Custom bullnose can be created for rounded edges where metal or other trim isn’t preferred. Niches are framed and waterproofed before tile lands on the wall. Linear drains are sloped to spec. Grout joints are kept consistent and sealed with the appropriate product for the material.
The owner, Paul, is on every job site. He is there in the morning when the crew arrives and at the end of the day when they wrap up. The job site is cleaned daily and communication with the client is consistent. There is no project manager between you and the person actually responsible for the work.
“The detail most installers struggle with is the slope on the pre-pan. If the membrane sits flat instead of pitched to the drain, water pools under the tile and you don’t see the failure until the grout starts coming apart a year or two in. Every shower we build gets a properly sloped pre-pan before the membrane goes down.”
Who we work with
We work best with homeowners, designers, and builders who want the job done correctly the first time and value clean, on-time, communicative work. Our typical project is a multi-bathroom plus kitchen new build or renovation, or could be a primary bathroom remodel or a new build in the West Austin corridor where the budget supports natural stone, slab walls, custom niches, carefully planned and executed work, and the waterproofing systems that protect them.
If the goal is the lowest bid, we are not the right fit. If the goal is a shower that still looks and performs the way it should decades from now and looks the way you or your designer dreamed, we are.
Materials and trade partners
We install ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, glass, mosaic, and large-format tile and slab in shower environments. The materials we work with most often come through long-standing relationships with Ann Sacks, Materials Marketing, Architerra, Stone Solutions, Travis Tile, Daltile, and Emser. Each of those shops has in-house designers who can walk you through specification before tile reaches the site, and if you are already working with your own designer or a general contractor who has a preferred tile partner, we coordinate with them directly.
Frequently asked
How long does a custom shower install take?
Most full custom showers take two to four weeks from demo to final grout, depending on tile complexity, waterproofing system, and whether the build is curbless or includes steam. The membrane has to cure, the mortar has to set, and the grout has to seal. Rushing any of those stages is how you end up with a callback in six months.
Can you build a curbless shower on an existing slab?
Yes, but it requires removing concrete to recess the drain and create the slope back to it. Plan for additional time and cost. On a remodel where the bathroom is on a slab foundation, this is the single biggest factor in the build timeline.
Do you do frameless glass enclosures?
The tile and waterproofing are ours; the glass is fabricated and installed by a glass partner once the tile is set and the curb (or curbless transition) is finished. We coordinate the measure and the install date so the project closes out cleanly.
What waterproofing system do you recommend?
It depends on the assembly. Fiberglass shower pans with a floated wall will last decades if done right. It takes time, but it lasts and is often the best approach for a fully custom build. We often reinforce these with quality backer board and Laticrete Hydro Ban waterproofing membrane for lasting protection. Schluter shower systems with Kerdi is also often chosen for standard walk-in builds and we can work to manufacture spec to uphold the full warranty. Wedi and Hydro Ban come up on steam showers and slab-wall installs. We will spec the system at the design stage and walk you through why.
Will I be without a shower the whole time?
Yes, the shower under construction is offline for the duration. If it is the only shower in the house, we will work with you on phasing or temporary arrangements before demo starts.
Is the demolition of the old shower dusty and do we need to be out of the house?
We use a 99+% dust-free demolition crew so your house stays as clean and sanitary as possible for a demolition. You won't need to move out for the renovation. It will be loud day of, but the crews are fast and tidy and out in no time.
How do I get an accurate estimate?
We need to see the space, take measurements, and talk through the design with you on site. A rough ballpark is possible over the phone with a few details, but the firm number comes after the site visit where options are discussed and exact measurements taken.
Do you do bathtub surrounds?
Yes. A tile refresh on a tub surround can really elevate your space. We can often preserve the tub and bring new life to the area that will have a big impact.
Do you do heated shower floors?
Yes. We can do heated shower floors and even heated entire bathroom floors.