Ann Sacks opens in Houston

[Houston Remodeler]

The new 1700 sf showroom opened a few weeks ago. Had the pleasure of meeting Tamara the store manager today. No longer will Houston be the forgotten stepchild to Dallas.

As NTCA members Tamara reached out to the very short list of fellow members in Houston. She is a real go getter and interested in great customer service.

I referred her to the JB Forum, encouraging the staff to ask questions.

[pooky]

I remember the good ol' days when they were on 23rd NW in Portland Oregon

Cute lil' shop with big ideas . . . now they are owned by Kohler . . .

Paul I wish you coulda seen them way back when --

If you'd like to see another cool Portland Tile Company who still makes there own tile, check out Pratt and Larson . . .

http://www.prattandlarson.com/

love those guys . . . I remember when they were making stuff in there garage.

Best price on true handmade cream crackle in the market --

anywho, I'm gushing about PDX

stay weird

[Davy]

Unless things have changed, they don't have a warehouse. Everything has to be ordered and they ship it to the job or where ever you want it shipped. Nothing wrong with that except that I would have to wait for the truck to show up when I had other places to go. I'd rather have a place to go pick it up at my leisure.

[Tilehelperdan]

Only had experience with Ann Sacks material once, and it can stay that way. It was 3x6 honey onyx which was being cut into 3x3 and laid on a 45 on a backsplash. I expected breakage what with it being onyx, but it was garbage material. Some of the pieces dissolved on the saw, almost none of it was square and there was probably 1/8" variation in thickness. I spent five days on a wetsaw squaring it up and getting everything cut. Garbage material, and the customer paid a hefty premium for it.

[cx]

So, Dan, just so there's no confusion here, are you saying you were not completely satisfied with that particular product?

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

Good point. By cutting the stuff square you've messed it all up. People pay twice as much for tile that crappy unique.

[Houston Remodeler]

My experience with AS tile has been great. No complaints at all. Maybe I just got lucky.

[tilemanct]

Oh Dan
I thought I was the only one who was blessed with the Honey Onyx from Ann. Never again!!! You have to admit she was ahead of her time with 3D tile. No two pieces were the same thickness. The ol mud box got a workout on that one.

[jcsa]

I would box it up and send it to the complaint department of the country it was made in. Might have more success. LOL

[Houston Remodeler]

This is why we are planning for me to give a the staff a seminar on the hazards of certain tile, installation obstacles, and design mistakes to avoid. Tentatively set for early April.

[initiate]

Isn't the tile designed to have variation in it? I understand everyone is use to tile being "square" and the same thickness, but isn't the point of handmade tile to be different?

Kind of like when people buy antiqued furniture or old barn wood. It's all different. That's the point.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Tilehelperdan]

Well Luke, a polished stone install should look like a mirror when done, so no on that. Other stones, slate, tumbled stuff, and hand made tiles are another story. There the fun is in the variation.

[Houston Remodeler]

The old tile master who taught me;

"I don't make them, I just put them down. "

[Davy]

I like going by what the sample or display looks like in the showroom. If it is out of size and thick an thin , then it's okay for the ordered tile to be.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

It's sort of like installing ungauged slate. They want the rustic uneven look but the customer wants the tile installed perfectly flat with uniform grout joints. "Oh, and can you pick out the reddish ones? I don't like those."

My old boss calls it "Ann Sucks".