loves2read... Check out John's ideabooks or his blog. Excellent pro here on Houzz.

http://www.houzz.com/pro/johnfrwhipple/john-whipple-by-any-design-ltd

Or maybe Fred S. will see your post?

I had the same issue with my showers in our new home last year. I had done a ton of research and came to the conclusion that Schluter/Kerdi was the way to go. But, the tile installer insisted on using a different method. However, when he went to pick up some of the materials we needed from the tile distributor, the expert there convinced him Kerdi was what he needed. So, maybe being a woman had something to do with it, I don't know? I think installers just get comfortable doing things the way they've always done it. If he can guarantee his work using a different method of waterproofing, that should be fine, too.

Fred?????? I dropped ya a bread crumb here!

Old installers who are set in there ways, perhaps????

I did look at John's web page and apparently he has gone off Kerdi and favors Lacticrete--which is fine by me--
I just think SOME type of waterproofing is required--
I don't care how thin the grout lines are--any grout/tile surface can fail given the right circumstances...or wrong as the case may be.

But I think you are right--a woman asking hard (?) questions about construction technique doesn't go over well with most trades...

The #4 contractor came back today with his demo/sheetrock guy and basically was trying to tell me what type of tile job I wanted...based on job he had just finished for someone in neighboring town...so I am thinking this is going to be push-me/pull-me relationship unless I really put down some firm guidelines. My husband is a great guy and very supportive of what I want to do--but he isn't kind of guy to argue with a tile guy or plumber if he is doing something that is different from what is on the game plan.

I sent email to the guy we used for big remodel at house we owned and did remodel on in TX...this FL house is vacation home now that we are retired. I asked him to give me some insight into what was the right way to build a shower--since he rebuilt ours before and did use a Kerdi membrane...
hope he will give me some feedback tomorrow...

but anyone else -- give me your insight...
This house is south of Sarasota FL--
so any specific tile company recommendations???

Since I carry the reputation that I have, I will hazard an educated guess.

It isn't necessarily the "woman asking the contractor tough questions" thing; it is a combination of you insisting on him using a system he has hasn't used before or(and this might be repeating myself) he has a way of doing things that has been very successful in the past and you are asking him to risk his contract on a system he doesn't know will work. To a man success=a job well done with no call-backs; no call-backs=no lost profits and not having to deal with "that lady who was trying to tell me how to do my job" if stuff goes wrong.

Personally, I like to stay on top of the newest better way of doing things; I had never laid tile before and tried Schluter Ditra right off the bat and laid the tile in a diamond pattern. It was in my own house, so my risk was pretty low. Not everyone would do that though, especially if he thought the customer was going to be high maintenance.

You misread what I wrote--
I haven't demanded anyone do anything at this point--
I have just asked what type of waterproof system they use when creating a shower--
and they don't use one--
they apparently just tile to the backer board...or they are just not able to explain what their system is to someone who has seen a shower installed with Kerdi membrane and who does have an English degree.

I said that requiring someone to use a system he wasn't familiar with could be just as bad as not using a system at all--and I think that is fair comment. I don't want someone "learning technique" if I am paying for them full price...perfected technique is they are getting paid...
I was never one of those people who went to the local dental college to get cut-rate dental work...

I think you have a good handle on the overall situation. Do they sell Kerdi where you are getting your tile......guess I should ask if it is local? Anyhow, the best place to find the best answer around there is probably going to be the local tile stores. If they sell Kerdi, then they should be able to tell you which installers are proficient with it.

Can you ask the tile store to recommend someone? Not a big box, but a good small shop?

Fred? Where'd you come from? You weren't here a minute ago!

Oh. So, you were just reading my mind, and not copying my answer? ;D

Yup! Well sorta.

Don't you know I'm your secret apprentice? Everything I know I got from you or John!! I'm going to start following RV, too! Another 15-16 years I ought to be ready to put my basement back together!

;-D

@loves2read-I think I was addressing your second post; I understand the contractor hasn't started installing yet. I was trying to let you in on how guys look at things. It does seem a little odd that none of the 4 contractors you called use Kerdi or even seem to use a waterproof membrane, spray-on or otherwise, especially if the supply house salesman seems up on the procedure.

We haven't actually spoken to the tile subs for any of the contractors--but I would think a contractor would know what his tile people install if he is using same people job after job.
Two of these contractors were known and apparently well-regarded by the local Ferguson's and a plumbing supply house that deals with top $$$ fixtures...
I know where the local Dal-Tile place is--not convenient to our location--but maybe I can just call them.

We are just having other issues getting a final plan with this remodel. Concrete block house and this bathroom has two exterior walls which makes a difference and a slab foundation...
previous owners had vinyl tile (nice stuff) laid in most of the areas. The master bedroom and bath area have one style--and they used other styles/colors in two other areas plus left original tile in 2nd bath and laundry and carpet in guest bedrooms. (NOT what I would have chosen to do in 2200 sq ft ranch)...
Laying porcelain/ceramic tile flooring means having a threshold lip which personally I think is tacky and borderline dangerous. We tried to get more of same vinyl which I like to relay in wet area, but it isn't in production anymore we found out yesterday.

So to get a "seamless" floor, now I guess we will need to redo the master bedroom, the walk-in closet and the vanity area that leads into "wet" area of the bath, and of course the wet area itself...
which I know my husband is not going to want to do...

Today is my birthday--maybe he will spring for it as a birthday present...

And while I think Kerdi works great after seeing shower done that way--I am not adverse to other waterproof systems if they work after proper installation...
So what would the other waterproofing membrane systems be that a tile person might be using to go a great job???

I did a little quick research on Finehomebuilding.com. There was an article from 1995 showing the author using 15# felt between the cement board and the wall; that is old technology though, but it may still work. Unfortunatey, for the new articles, you have to be a member to access that info. I subscribe to the magazine, not the website.

I know for things like shower niches, they use some sort of bituminous tape. Also, there are brush-on membranes too. I have never done an all-tile shower, just tub surrounds. I'm sure there are other contractors that could explain it more fully.

loves2read - I hope you ended up finding someone. I can tell you that I had the exact same problem when I needed to repair my leaking shower pan a few years ago. Now I'm about to embark on another reno and am stressed about finding someone knowledgeable about waterproofing.

Realize this is an old thread, but folks apparently still deal with this issue. One reason that we have never used any of the Schluter systems (other than the strips to cap off the end of a tile run) is that the inspectors where we live will not approve the drain system - they do not believe it meets code. We won't do a project without pulling a permit, so everything has to pass inspection. Maybe we could use one of the products without the rest of the Schluter system, but why spend the time to try/learn something if you can't use all of the pieces. Not sure if the inspection dept has changed it's stance on this - haven't asked in the last year. We use the Laticrete Hydo Ban waterproofing product and paint it over the entire shower floor, curb, outside of the shower floor for several feet and up the shower walls past the shower head. Works great and we don't get call backs (12 years and counting).

A) expensive
B) new product and people fear change.
C) tile guys can just use a hardy backer that they know how to seal - it fast, and will be done before i could even write a response to your question.

We finally found someone to build our shower who wanted to make a waterproof one...not Schluter products but he used the right kind of cement board, used the Lacticrete waterproofing roll-on for walls and ceiling, and hand-built an old-school, packed-cement shower base that drains great...

This is a large walk-in shower-10 X 4.5 I think--In place of the original 70's faux-marble Roman soaking tub. He was great to work with and did what we think was a awesome job...

think it is like 10 x 4.5--no glass installed at this point...

he also was helpful in retrofitting the vanity for this sink in the guest bath he redid...we used a Loft sink as a farm sink and had the vanity built to hold the heavier form...Quartz countertop and in the tub/shower as well...

I still find that many men in construction/trades aren't comfortable working with women--but I have found a great electrician, my tile guy who can do lot of other work, and a decent plumber that we will just continue to use as needed. The difficult part is FINDING them...

I’m Rob Mac Superior tile installations in palm beach gardens and I use Kerdi membrane on every job I do.
I’ve been using it for over 20 years.
It should be code!!

Progress Profiles Waterproof systems out of italy are superior to Kerdi.

2 Reasons and neither has anything to do with your gender (sorry to disappoint). First, Kerdi is a DIY product. Until recently, most Pro's would not touch it because brands like Lacrite, are more proven brands. It's like Dr's when you show up claiming you saw a commercial for XX drug, it looks so great. You know nothing about it other than the promo material but insist it's great... usually it's not. If you know what to use, why are you calling us? It's DIY friendly so "do it yourself." Second, your biggest concern as a pro is callbacks. No one likes them and an unproven product increases the chance for callbacks 10x. We do not want to use a system that has a very short track record. Remember, if a product has been out for 5 years what happens after 15? We've lived through it sooo many times. In the 80's Green Board was absolutely, 100% waterproof. In the 90's "Oops. We meant water resistant" as it was torn out thousands of times. Then Durock is 100% waterproof,. It's not... get the picture? Again, sorry to tell you it's not your sex, race or religion. It's about our business. If you trust us to do the work, trust us to know the best products to use.