MEMBER SPOTLIGHT –––––––––––––––––– sponsored by Striving for perfection is worth the investment Randy Lofthouse is an indepen- dent residential contractor, spe- cializing in waterproof showers featuring glass mosaics and large format porcelain. Lofthouse Tile & Mosaic, in Bloomington, Ind., (www. LofthouseTile.com) offers compre- hensive service relevant to tile, stone and mosaic installation. This includes demolition, framing, subfloor amend- ment, sales, design, installation, fin- ish carpentry and associated touch- up necessary to complete the project. Lofthouse started out in his home state of Texas, first using tile nippers in 2006. The creation of mosaic flower pots and coffee tables helped cultivate an interest in future tile setting. “I was on a bicycle ride in Fort Worth, Texas, when the window display at Lucasso Stone caught my eye,” Lofthouse said. “I walked in at the right time and met the owner; he referred me to an associate who needed a warehouseman. I eventu- ally gained employment with a nat- ural stone importer in Fort Worth. I was responsible for unloading freight including fine stone from Pueblo, Mexico.” The team han- dled slabs of nat- ural stone, crat- ed dimensional stone, and cases of sheet mosa- ics. This first- hand witnessing of Rojo, Noche, and Fiorito Travertine, Emperador Marble, tumbled, hammer brushed, honed and filled, and all of the terminol- ogy fascinated Lofthouse. “From material handling and gen- eral warehouseman I eventually cut and produced sample boards to dis- play at showrooms that offered our stone,” he continued. “Eventually, I tiled the entryway to the warehouse with an assortment of travertine – our best selling varieties. The owner was impressed, and com- pensated me accordingly.” From there, Lofthouse moved into small bathroom flooring remodels, and eventually acquired the correct tools of the trade. “I remember buy- ing my first wet saw at a pawnshop in Irving, Texas,” he said. “Timing was perfect. A realtor recommend- Lofthouse Tile & Mosaic 48 TileLetter | April 2017