When ceramic floor or wall tile becomes loose, it allows water to get behind the tile and damage the underlayment. So it’s a good idea to fix it before that occurs.
It’s a doable maintenance job that requires a small investment and tools and time, so it’s a good project for a beginning do-it-yourselfer.
We found that a handyman service will charge about $185 to regrout 90 square feet of ceramic tile, but we estimate you can do the job for about $40, the cost of the tools and material, and save approximately 80 percent. You’ll need a knife, chisel, hammer, glass cutter, ceramic nippers, tile latex adhesive and caulk.
The project involves removing the old grout, cleaning out the grout joints, applying the new grout, smoothing the joint and then wiping off the glaze from the grout.
To complete the job, caulk all the openings to seal them. The grout needs two days to cure and the caulk needs another day. If the tile is around a high-use bathtub or shower, make sure you take the drying time into consideration.
This is such a small repair, you may have difficulty finding a handyman service willing to do it. If you hire one, make a “to do” list of other odd jobs to have completed at the same time. You’ll probably be charged a minimum fee to cover the expense of traveling to the job site, so make it worthwhile for both of you.
