Fireplaces

Finished kitchen backsplash installation with clean tile lines and a polished Charlotte-area kitchen design.
Pricing and Planning

How Much Does a Kitchen Backsplash Cost in the Charlotte Area?

Kitchen backsplash pricing depends on more than square footage. This guide explains CBC's backsplash installation ranges, what affects cost, what is included, and how Charlotte-area homeowners should compare quotes.

July 15, 2026
Upgraded kitchen backsplash replacing a builder-grade finish in a newer suburban home.
Backsplashes

Should You Replace a Builder-Grade Backsplash?

A builder-grade backsplash can make an otherwise nice kitchen feel unfinished. This guide explains when replacing a basic backsplash makes sense, what visual impact it can create, and how one focused tile upgrade can make a production-home kitchen feel more custom.

July 15, 2026
Professional backsplash installation in progress with protected countertops, clean tile layout, and organized jobsite preparation.
Installation Process

What to Expect During a Professional Backsplash Installation

A professional backsplash installation should feel organized, clear, and respectful of the home. This guide walks homeowners through the full process, including the estimate, material selection, scheduling, prep, demolition, installation, grout, cleanup, and final walkthrough.

July 15, 2026
Finished fireplace tile feature wall creating a polished focal point in a living room.
Fireplaces

Fireplace Tile Ideas That Make a Living Room Feel Finished

A fireplace should feel intentional, not like an afterthought. This guide explains fireplace tile ideas that can make a living room feel more finished, including large format tile, marble-look porcelain, stacked stone, fluted tile, slab-inspired surrounds, and clean modern fireplace feature walls.

July 15, 2026
Kitchen backsplash layout examples showing clean tile patterns, grout lines, and professional installation detail.
Materials and Design

Backsplash Layouts Explained: Subway, Herringbone, Vertical Stack, Mosaic, and More

Backsplash layout affects the entire feel of a kitchen. This guide explains common backsplash patterns, where each layout works best, and which designs require more planning, cutting, and installation detail.

July 15, 2026
Close-up of backsplash tile with clean grout lines showing how grout color affects the finished design.
Materials and Design

How to Choose the Right Grout Color for Your Backsplash or Fireplace

Grout color can change the entire look of a backsplash or fireplace. This guide explains how matching grout, contrast grout, undertones, grout joint size, pattern visibility, and maintenance should influence the final decision.

July 15, 2026
Close-up of a professionally installed kitchen backsplash with clean outlet cuts, even grout lines, and finished tile edges.
Installation Process

The Most Common Backsplash Installation Mistakes Homeowners Notice Too Late

A backsplash may seem like a small project, but small installation mistakes can become highly visible once the work is finished. This guide explains the most common backsplash mistakes homeowners notice too late and what to look for before hiring an installer.

July 15, 2026
Large format tile and subway tile backsplash comparison in a polished kitchen design.
Materials and Design

Large Format Tile vs. Subway Tile: Which Is Better for Your Kitchen?

Large format tile and subway tile can both create a polished kitchen backsplash, but they produce very different results. This guide compares cost factors, installation complexity, grout lines, visual impact, maintenance, and best-use cases so homeowners can choose the right fit.

July 15, 2026
Premium kitchen backsplash material with clean grout lines, natural texture, and a high-end residential finish.
Materials and Design

The Best Backsplash Materials for a High-End Kitchen

The right backsplash material depends on more than appearance. This guide compares ceramic, porcelain, marble, natural stone, glass, handmade tile, zellige, mosaics, and slab-style looks so homeowners can choose a material that fits their kitchen, lifestyle, and desired finish level.

July 15, 2026
Finished fireplace tile installation with clean edges, hearth detail, and a polished living room focal point.
Pricing and Planning

How Much Does Fireplace Tile Installation Cost?

Fireplace tile pricing depends heavily on scope, surface height, material selection, demolition, prep work, hearth details, mantel coordination, and finish level. This guide explains CBC's fireplace installation planning ranges and what homeowners should understand before comparing quotes.

July 15, 2026
Side-by-side comparison of a fireplace surround and a full-height fireplace feature wall.
Fireplaces

Fireplace Surround vs. Fireplace Feature Wall: What Is the Difference?

A fireplace surround and a fireplace feature wall are not the same project. This guide explains the difference between surround updates, hearth details, mantel areas, vertical feature walls, entertainment walls, and full-height fireplace tile installations so homeowners can understand the right scope before requesting a quote.

July 15, 2026
Finished bathroom tile upgrade with clean grout lines, polished detail, and a refined residential bathroom design.
Select Bathrooms

Bathroom Tile Upgrades That Add the Most Visual Value

Not every bathroom project needs to be a full remodel. This guide explains the bathroom tile upgrades that create the most visual impact, including shower walls, bathroom floors, niches, accent walls, vanity backsplashes, tub surrounds, and clean floor transitions.

July 15, 2026
Finished shower tile installation with clean grout lines, niche detail, and polished bathroom tile work.
Installation Process

What Homeowners Should Know Before Starting a Shower Tile Project

A shower tile project is not just a decorative upgrade. This guide explains what homeowners should understand about waterproofing, slope, substrate prep, layout, niches, grout, movement joints, and why proper preparation cannot be rushed.

July 15, 2026
Tile contractor reviewing project details, tile samples, and installation scope before a professional tile installation.
Pricing and Planning

How to Compare Tile Contractor Quotes Without Choosing the Wrong Installer

The cheapest tile quote is not always the most complete quote. This guide explains how homeowners should compare tile contractor estimates by scope, prep work, materials, layout, grout, edge details, demo, cleanup, timeline, warranty language, and portfolio proof.

July 15, 2026
Premium finished tile installation with clean edges, even grout lines, and professional craftsmanship.
Pricing and Planning

Why the Cheapest Tile Installer Can Cost More in the Long Run

The real cost of tile work is not just the installation price. This guide explains how poor prep, uneven layouts, bad cuts, weak waterproofing, cracked grout, unfinished edges, and redo work can make the cheapest tile installer more expensive over time.

July 15, 2026
Close-up of a high-end tile installation showing clean cuts, even grout lines, and a polished finished edge.
Materials and Design

What Makes a Tile Installation Look High-End?

High-end tile work is not only about the tile itself. This guide explains the layout, cuts, grout lines, transitions, edges, and finishing details that make a tile installation look polished and professional.

July 15, 2026
Close-up of a finished tile edge with clean trim detail and professional installation.
Materials and Design

Tile Edge Trim, Schluter, Bullnose, and Finished Edges Explained

Finished edges are one of the details that separate polished tile work from average installation. This guide explains metal trim, Schluter-style profiles, bullnose, mitered edges, caulked transitions, and natural stopping points.

July 15, 2026
Tile samples selected to match the style of a refined residential kitchen and living space.
Materials and Design

How to Choose Tile That Fits the Style of Your Home

The right tile should feel like it belongs in the house. This guide explains how to choose tile for traditional, transitional, modern, farmhouse, coastal, luxury, and builder-grade homes without creating a mismatched design.

July 15, 2026
Warm neutral kitchen backsplash with handmade-look tile and timeless design details.
Materials and Design

Kitchen Backsplash Trends That Still Feel Timeless

The best backsplash trends feel current without looking dated in two years. This guide covers handmade-look tile, vertical stack, warm neutrals, marble-look porcelain, soft contrast grout, full-height range walls, and textured tile.

July 15, 2026
Small custom tile upgrade with polished finish detail in a residential home.
Feature Walls

Small Tile Upgrades That Make a Home Feel More Custom

A home does not always need a full remodel to feel more finished. This guide explains small tile upgrades that create a custom feel, including backsplashes, fireplaces, mudrooms, laundry rooms, powder baths, vanity backsplashes, accent walls, and entry details.

July 15, 2026
Expensive-looking kitchen backsplash with clean layout, refined grout tone, finished edges, and polished installation details.
Materials and Design

The Details That Make a Backsplash Look Expensive

An expensive-looking backsplash is usually the result of restraint, planning, and execution. This guide explains the details that make backsplash tile feel polished, including tile scale, layout, grout tone, range-wall treatment, outlet placement, edge finishing, cabinet alignment, and lighting.

July 15, 2026
Upgraded tile detail in a newer builder-grade home with a more custom backsplash or fireplace finish.
Backsplashes

What Builder Homes Usually Get Wrong About Tile

Builder-grade does not mean bad, but it often lacks personality and detail. This guide explains what production homes commonly get wrong about tile in kitchens, fireplaces, bathrooms, and transitions — and how focused upgrades can make the home feel more custom.

July 15, 2026
Finished tile upgrade creating visual impact in a kitchen, fireplace, or bathroom.
Pricing and Planning

When Is Tile Worth the Investment?

Tile is worth the investment when the surface is highly visible, frequently used, or central to the room. This guide helps homeowners decide when tile makes sense for visual impact, durability, resale preparation, personal enjoyment, and finishing an otherwise upgraded space.

July 15, 2026
Open-concept kitchen and living room with a finished backsplash and fireplace tile focal point.
Materials and Design

How Tile Changes the Feel of an Open-Concept Home

In an open-concept home, tile helps decide where the eye lands. This guide explains how backsplashes, fireplaces, and feature walls create focal points, texture, warmth, contrast, and visual structure in connected kitchens and living spaces.

July 15, 2026
Tile project planning with samples, measurements, notes, and inspiration images before requesting an estimate.
Pricing and Planning

The CBC Guide to Planning a Tile Project Before You Request an Estimate

A smoother estimate starts before the first appointment. This guide explains what homeowners should know before contacting CBC, including photos, measurements, inspiration images, tile preferences, timeline, budget range, decision-makers, and project goals.

July 15, 2026
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