Tile layouts, grout colors and shower tests, signed before you set
Once the thinset cures, every decision on a tile job is permanent. Where the first full tile lands, which way the herringbone runs, how wide the grout joint is and what color fills it: if the homeowner didn't sign off on it, it's your word against their memory. SignMaster puts each of those choices on your phone for a signature or a single tap, before you mix a bag.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 3 min read
On this page
The decisions worth a signature
| Decision | Why it needs a signature |
|---|---|
| Tile, quantity and overage | Lots and shades vary. Leftover boxes are the only match for a cracked tile in five years |
| Layout and pattern | Where the cuts fall, the pattern's direction and the starting point can't change once set |
| Grout color and joint width | A sample on a scrap looks different on a whole wall |
| Substrate and waterproofing | Membrane, pan, curb and slope, plus the flood test result before tile goes on |
| Natural stone variation | Veining and color differ piece to piece, and the stone may need sealing |
| Edges and transitions | Metal trim, bullnose or mitered corners, and how the tile meets the next floor |
Start with your own estimate or the library's bathroom remodel contract if you run the whole room, then add an exhibit page for these decisions with initials beside each line.
Layout approval from the dry lay
Snap your lines, dry lay the first rows and take a photo. Put the photo in the envelope as a PDF, or scan your layout sketch in the iPhone and iPad app, and add an Approve field beneath it. A radio group can hold the pattern: straight lay, one-third offset, herringbone or diagonal. The homeowner taps Approve on their phone from work, or on yours in the room.
Large-format tile deserves its own line. Long tiles can bow slightly, and many manufacturers limit the offset you can use. Put the offset you'll use and the reason on the approval, so a smaller offset reads as a decision rather than a shortcut.
The shower flood test record
Many installers flood test a shower pan or membrane before tile goes on. Make it a short form: date, start and end time, the water line, and whether it held. Have the homeowner or the GC's super sign it, or send it to them with photos. When a leak shows up downstairs a year later, the signed record and its certificate of completion show when the test happened and who saw it.
- 1
Fill the test form
Number fields for the water depth, text fields for times, and a radio group for passed or failed.
- 2
Sign it yourself
Add yourself as the first signer, so your name is on the result.
- 3
Get the witness signature
The homeowner or super signs in person, or by link if they've left the site. Each signer's time and IP address go on the certificate.
Working through a showroom or a GC
Plenty of installers get their jobs from a tile showroom or a general contractor. Sign their subcontractor agreement once, then send each job's completion sign-off to the homeowner with the showroom's coordinator as Receives a copy. On GC jobs, the super signs your extra-work tickets and the GC's office gets your lien waiver with each pay request.
What it costs
Most setters work alone or in pairs, so Solo at $15 a month with unlimited envelopes covers a lot of shops. Crew is $49 a month for 5 people when an estimator or office manager sends too, with extra seats at $8 a month. Free includes 3 envelopes a month, and new workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. See plans.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It doesn't calculate tile counts for you, beyond the formula you put in a calculated field.
- It doesn't order tile, setting materials or trim.
- It doesn't take deposits or payments.
- Signing requests go by email. You can copy the link and text it.
Questions? Answers.
Can a homeowner approve a grout color from a photo?
Yes. Put a photo of the sample in the envelope with an Approve field under it. They tap it on any phone, and the record shows their name, the date and the time.
What if the tile is backordered and they pick a substitute?
Send a change order with the new tile, any price difference and the new start date. They sign it before you order, in person or by link.
Can I record a flood test result in SignMaster?
Yes. Make a short template with the test details, sign it yourself, and have the homeowner or super sign as the witness. Both get the sealed PDF.
Do homeowners need an account to sign?
No. They sign on your phone or tablet, or from an email link on any device, with nothing to install.