Collins Tile and Stone

About 4-5 years ago I started looking to do a bathroom remodel. I met with several contractors and indicated I wanted to do ‘x,y, and z’ in my bathroom. All of the contractors had reasons that I should not do ‘x,y, and z’. I knew ‘x,y, and z’ were possible and were being done elsewhere, but if I couldn’t have what I wanted, why do a remodel? Fast forward 4 years. I could no longer wait on a remodel. I started doing research and came up with several possible contractors and interviewed them. I also started researching bathroom remodels in general as well as getting more details on some of the major items that I wanted to include in the bathroom – we have a large master bathroom; around 250 square feet. From our first interview with Buck of Collins Tile and Stone, I knew this was someone who understood what I wanted and could achieve it. He was able to explain that if I wanted ‘x’, it meant ‘this’ and would cost ‘that’ and was I willing to pay that amount of money to get this one thing – granted at this stage is was an extremely rough estimate but did help to provide clarity to make an informed decision on having ‘x’ or not having it. Other contractors interviewed said I could get ‘x’, but not ‘y’ – why did I even want ‘y’, etc. Other contractors agreed way too quickly to giving me anything I wanted making me leery that they actually understood what I wanted or the technical aspects of it. Additionally, Collins Tile and Stone use their own employees for everything but the granite countertop, glass shower enclosures and electric. This made me more comfortable with using Collins as it their employees during the majority of the work. As we got deeper into the details of what was possible (and realistic), Collins had relationships with people that were able to provide the architectural/engineering drawings for the county for getting the appropriate permits. The other thing I noticed is that depending upon the contractor involved you had typically one of three ways to reach a final cost: 1) allowances, i.e. labor will cost ‘$x’ and you get ‘$y’ to pick out cabinets, hardware, tile, etc. 2) pick from what you see in our showroom and after you pick we will get you final pricing, but if we don’t have a specific item you are looking for, then you may not be able to have it, or 3) make all of your selections at various retail locations and they will inform us of your choices and we will get you the total costs. There is nothing wrong with any of these approaches and eventually you have to make all of your selections anyway. Collins Tile and Stone uses the 3rd approach. It is a LOT of decisions to make when doing a bathroom remodel. The people that Collins referred me to were first rate – they don’t just say go to store#1; Collins says go to store#1 and speak with Mary. All of the people they referred me to were patient, had great ideas, listened to what I wanted the room to look like and then helped me to pick ‘fixtures’ within a price range to achieve what I wanted in a painless manner. It took a little more time going from place to place to pick out plumbing, cabinets and tile than using an ‘all-in-one showroom’, but I got to see more items and be sure that what I picked was ‘right’ for me – this was worth the extra time for me. Additionally, Collins had their electrician come out and listen to what I wanted; dimmers, where I wanted things switched at, type of ventilation fans, etc. This also allowed the final pricing to be completely accurate for what I had chosen, my tile design, etc. – everything was known about what was being down prior to the pricing so it was accurate and there were no surprises. The main reason that I selected Collins was the comfort that I felt in their ability to get the job done correctly. I wanted Schulter waterproofing – I was told by a lot of contractors: you don’t need Schulter, it is difficult to work with, etc. With Collins, they use this product, they feel comfortable with it and I got the Schulter waterproofing. I wanted an ADA compliant (curbless) shower and a linear drain in a neo-angle shower – you would have thought I wanted to launch the space shuttle from my bathroom. With Collins – it was a discussion of the pros and cons, additional costs, etc. and was I ok with the ‘cons’ and the price. With the most of the other contractors it was either 1) ‘are you sure you don’t want a little curb?’ questioning or 2) ‘yes we can do that’ with no hesitation – in both cases the contractors never explained the pros and cons/ramifications of doing this. Pricing – Collins was not the cheapest, nor were they the most expensive. In throwing out one of the absurdly high prices (almost twice that of the others without having the ‘features’ I wanted), I was left with 3 bids that were close. We went through and checked everyone’s references; went back through Angie’s reviews (again). There were 4 major items we looked at: 1) time to complete the remodel – i.e. how long would our bathroom be unavailable. 2) How much of this is sub’d out – granite and shower glass are such specialized tasks that we didn’t really count those, but concentrated on electrical, plumbing, carpentry, tile work being sub’d out. 3) Were we getting what we wanted: curbless shower, linear drain, Schulter system, radiant floor heat, and larger shower by securing a microlam beam differently. 4) What was our comfort level with the contractor delivering what we wanted, as well as the quality of the overall remodel. It became an easy decision at this point – Collins Tile and Stone. Why: attention to detail, ability to give us what we wanted, comfort with their ability to do the job from a quality perspective as well as their technical ability in dealing with both Schulter and the curbless shower, unusual shower system, and dealing with the microlam beam ‘anchoring’. In dealing with Collins back office I was constantly impressed with their attention to detail. I am in the computer field and I know that the ‘devil is in the details’. It is way too easy for things to be forgotten or misunderstood. They didn’t miss anything – totally on top of their game. I was also impressed with the collaboration with Collins – i.e. you could do this or that, what that meant, exact placement of controls for the shower, orientation of the lights, granite templating, etc. I like this way of working because I think you get a better finished product at the end. You can plan for everything and then when the walls get opened up, find out that that the shower niche you were planning on putting on one wall doesn’t really fit due to the existing studs, plumbing, where you are putting your accent tile (whatever) and need to move to another wall – Collins didn’t just blindingly follow ‘the plan’. Additionally, Collins made several suggestions prior to the start of the project that added value to the overall look of the remodel (additional recessing of the toe kick of the cabinets, doing a tile wainscot on a wall, etc.). Their project lead, Steve, kept us thoroughly informed of the progress, let us know what was going to happen next, and what we might want to have a say in or be home for. As far as the remodel itself: 1) they showed up when they said they would – which was every day. 2) Collins’ workers were polite and worked full days and made progress every day. 3) Collins ‘operations’ lead visited daily. 4) Things were kept clean as much as possible in a ‘work zone’ – they laid ramboard over the wood floors and plastic pretty much everywhere else. 5) If either Collins or we had questions, a call or text was sent and the questions answered quickly. 6) Collins did not finish on time, however, I am not upset by this and I suspect based off their references that it is very unusual for them to go over on their timeline. They had a very aggressive timeline to start – 22 business days. It was a complex job. I would rather that they ran over by 4 days than to have shortcuts taken. Last but not least, I am impressed with the follow-up. Are we happy with everything? Did it turn out as you expected? But more importantly, what can they do better? What process improvements can they make? I think this says a lot about their business model and customer satisfaction – they are always striving to improve. I would highly recommend Collins Tile and Stone. I love my bathroom remodel – it exceeded my expectations.

I only have high praise for Bud Collins and his staff. Steve (the project manager) Abraham(the tile installer) , Jason (the plumber) and John (drywall). The bathroom remodel began at the end of June and ended four weeks later. The exact time frame Bud Collins estimated. Our bathroom remodel was technical difficult due to the amount of glass used. Bud had us first meet with Tricia with Conestoga tile in Sterling, Va. As a designer she had the ability to know what I wanted and liked and I'm not easy to please. Our next appointment was with Pamela at Fergensons. We picked out our fixtures. It was helpful that Fergenson has a working display with running water how the rain water comes out as well as the power of the jets.and lastly we met with Sommerville for our cabinets. All these appointments occurred before we had signed a contract. Being a perfectionist I noticed at the beginning a few flaws but by the end of the first day Steve noticed errors before I did! Needless to say I stopped worrying and let them do their job. They are ultimate professionals , pleasant and accommodating. The only problem is keeping my husband out of my new bathroom. That will be another review.

We have recently completed a kitchen renovation with Collins Tile and Stone, our third project in three years with them acting as our contractors. Obviously we have been pleased with their services or would not have continued to do business with them but this is the first review I have written. My husband and I live in a 1930’s era home in Arlington. Like many of these homes, our kitchen was smallish, on the back side of the house and in our case on the north side. We had five doorways/entrance ways, two small partially enclosed alcoves and two north facing windows. Since we were not going to add any new space nor incorporate space from another room we assumed we would have to keep the same general design, as the space was awkward to work with and our options seemed to be few. So Buck Collins arrived that first day back in January with a kitchen designer to begin the process. I had a clear idea of some of the things I wanted (gas stove, cabinets to the ceiling, light colored wood, retain small eating space, etc.). The designer agreed that it was a difficult space but she would see if she could come up with something new. A week later she emailed us a plan that was so different and exciting that we were hooked right away. Buck and the designer worked with us and refined the plan over the next month or so and we decided to cut back the walls enclosing the alcoves thus opening up the entire space. Of course this involved more work and money but it was not prohibitive. Buck works with a structural engineer who came out and checked the room to see what was necessary and possible, and drew up the plans for the permitting process, required because one of the walls was a bearing wall. The fee for the engineer was $500.00. The additional cost for the labor and materials added to the cost, but was not a huge amount. For those who have never done a complete makeover before be prepared to spend the time traipsing around showrooms looking at cabinets, fixtures, tile, granite, appliances, etc. It is time consuming. But if you work with Buck Collins and his team they can provide a lot of help with the various suppliers and can recommend people who work at the showrooms to help you make your decisions. He also works with various designers, architects and engineers if you need them for your project. We did not use a designer on our other two projects, which were bathrooms but are very glad we had one in for the kitchen, we would never have thought up the new floor plan on our own. Renovating a kitchen is disruptive, expensive and time consuming. But the kitchen is the ‘heart of the house’ as my husband said he realized when we were washing dishes in the laundry tub in the basement. If you go down this difficult and nerve wracking road a reliable, honest and skilled contractor is crucial. Collins Tile and Stone will be with you every step of the way. Almost all the work is done ‘in house’ with their own craftsmen, with the exception of extensive electrical or plumbing/gas changes, in which case they will call in their subcontractors. Once the job has started you need only deal with Collins Tile and Stone, they will handle all the arrangements and scheduling. Once the job starts, work will continue every day, Monday through Friday until the job is completed. If there are unexpected problems (there are always unexpected problems, especially in an older home) they will be handled and the work will continue. You will be kept informed regularly of the progress and expectations of the project. And your calls, emails or texts will be answered promptly. If a problem crops up after the job is completed Buck Collins (the President of Collins Tile and Stone) will see that it is fixed. Buck Collins is not satisfied until you are happy with the result. Our project took six weeks to complete, and our kitchen was pretty much gutted, even the ceiling was removed. As I said earlier our house is fairly old and there is not a square corner or a flat wall or floor in the place, so working on it is a trial. But all the changes were made and we have a now have a beautiful kitchen: open, harmonious and functional. We have all heard the horror stories of kitchen remodeling: work crews disappearing for days or weeks at a time, shoddy workmanship, failure to return calls, projects that take months and months to complete, I shudder to think what this project would have been like with a careless of less skilled contractor. If you decide to go down this road the most important thing you can do is choose a good contractor. Pretty cabinets and gorgeous granite aren’t much good if you don’t have a contractor who knows what he is doing. I have no hesitation in recommending Collins Tile and Stone. Buck and his team will do a terrific job. Over the last three years and three projects my husband and I have gotten to know Buck and some of the staff so we want to say thanks to the kitchen team: Steve, Shawn, Kirk, Keith, Oscar, Adrian, Mario, Eric, and of course Buck. Dana and Diana in the office were always helpful and pleasant. I hope I’ve not forgotten anyone. All of you helped us turn a dark, gloomy and not too functional kitchen into a delightful and functional one. Now we are headed to the basement where Collins Tile and Stone will build out and finish an area that currently has nothing but a concrete floor, block walls and overhead duct work. It is, of course another tricky space but I have no doubt that Buck and his team will do the job and make it beautiful.

9 years ago we had the kitchen and laundry room redone. A new tile floor was part of the renovation. Lately we had noticed missing grout and loose and cracked tile. A grout service told us they could fix the problem but the repairs wouldn't last because the floor had not been laid properly and the service guy recommended Collins Tile and Stone because of Buck Collins technical knowledge in this area. This is the greatest referral I have ever received. Buck Collins runs this company and let me say hands down that they are simply superb and the best at what they do. This was a big job, They came every day and finished ahead of schedule. These are not craftsman, these are artisans. They take pride in their work. The work as clean as possible, they leave the worksite as clean as possible. Every morning a supervisor reviewed the previous day's work. This was the second review because every night pictures of the day's work are sent to Buck for review. Buck himself was here most days to review the work and he came when it was finished to make sure we were happy. I got a lucky referral but if you are reading this review you don't need luck, if you don't use Collins Tile and Stone for all the services they offer then you missed the best home improvement/service experience you will ever get. You can't make a mistake using Buck Collins and when you meet Buck you may think he is too good to be true, but he is a businessman who understands that the success of his business is built on the value he provides to his customers.

After determining our unique goals for our new kitchen, Collins Tile & Stone made sure our small dated kitchen became absolutely stunning. Every employee was always polite and professional throughout the entire project. Our kitchen remodeling project began with an extensive demolition, completely down to the studs. Then after noticing minimal insulation in the outside walls, supplemental insulation was added, making the kitchen feel far warmer. Several layers of flooring also needed to be removed before being replaced with exceptional maple hardwoods. Numerous creaks throughout the previous flooring were also completely eliminated. Three beautiful newly sized windows replaced the non-functional bay window, allowing the placement of the new stainless steel sink, on the opposite wall. The original plywood cabinetry was replaced with exquisitely impressive hickory wood cabinets. Making sure we achieved our goal of maximum storage, each cabinet was made to my specifications. The cooktop was changed from electric to gas and a new outstandingly artistic backsplash was created to surround the entire area. New stainless appliances were also installed along with a new strikingly phenomenal granite countertop. Even when the remodeling project proved to be more challenging then was originally anticipated, Collins Tile & Stone made sure that the final product was completely flawless, without any addition to the original time-frame outlined in the contract. Even issues that came up after the final payment had been made were also completed without question. Pictures of our kitchen can be seen at collinstileandstone.com.

Buck Collins and his team did a fantastic job with my bathroom renovations. Buck likes to give accurate estimates, so you do need to do a bit of upfront design work, but it is worth the effort to know how much you will spend on your project. I worked with Tracy Sheffield on the design of my two bathrooms. She is a very talented designer and helped me immensely. The entire team was extremely professional and when I had an issue with one of the vendors, Buck stepped in to personally resolve the issue to my satisfaction. I did spend a fair amount of money on my renovations, but the quality work of Collins Tile and Stone was well worth it. I love my bathrooms! I highly recommend Collins Tile and Stone!

My wife and I would highly recommend Collins Tile and Stone to anyone planning to remodel a bathroom. They were one of three contractors recommended to us by Architectural Ceramics in Alexandria, VA, a very helpful design resource and supply vendor. After discussing the proposed job with all three contractors and reviewing their submitted bids, we selected Collins Tile and Stone because of the training routinely provided to their entire work staff, the level of Buck Collins’ personal expertise, the detail contained in their proposal and the fact that Collins would purchase all selected materials and in doing so, would pass on the savings that resulted from their buying power with vendors. Collins Tile and Stone started the job on the agreed to date and conducted a complete inventory of all delivered materials. Buck Collins personally reviewed the schedule and what was to be done with his foreman and myself. He discussed starting times, storage options for materials, and answered all our questions. During the job, Buck sent an email each evening asking us to identify any issues we might have had. Each morning he stopped by to review progress, outline what was to be done that day, address identified issues, answer any questions we might have and introduce us to each workman that was to be there that day. During the period of the renovation, Buck made a number of suggestions as to how we might achieve a better result. We accepted his suggestions and are glad we did. Although I was at the house about half the time during the job, Buck’s diligence ensured that we were completely comfortable leaving the workmen in the house alone. They were respectful of our home, cleaned up every day and laid plastic on the floor wherever they walked. The bottom line is simple… Collins Tile and Stone did a fabulous job and the bathroom is even nicer that we had planned. We couldn’t be happier and were very pleased with the extent to which Buck kept us engaged and explained what was being done and why it was necessary. The expertise of the Collins work staff was evident at every stage and the value of their training was evident in the final product. Collins Tile and Stone is certainly not the least expensive professional one can find, but they are certainly one of the highest trained, most professional and most capable one can find.

Collins Tile and Stone did an outstanding job on our master bath remodel and we would highly recommend this company. Buck Collins is a NTCA 5 Star contractor and he and his crew are the best.