As we get closer to the start of 2025, NTCA is closing the door on the first generation of the NTCA Five-Star Contractor program. The association is happy to introduce the next generation: the NTCA Five-Star Accreditation program.
Before we explain the new NTCA Five-Star Accreditation program, it’s good to understand why the program was started. The NTCA Five-Star Contractor program was developed around 20 years ago for NTCA members to be able to differentiate themselves from other contractors by providing documentation of outstanding company performance. Each company had an application form with attachments that they had to submit for a peer review to be considered for the program. As the program began to grow and the process for approval became more complex, NTCA realized that a peer review was not what the program needed and decided to take a step back and evaluate the application process. During COVID, NTCA worked with some current Five-Star members and an accreditation expert to develop an accredited application process and an independent review process. Since all potential Five-Star members would be asked to go through this application, NTCA asked all current Five-Star members to also complete the new application process and become Five-Star Accredited.
While a lot has changed with the new program, NTCA Five-Star Accredited members are still required to be involved in the industry, which means they are attending industry trade shows or meetings, and they are keeping their team educated through attending NTCA or manufacturer training events. They prioritize training and safety for their installation teams, and they employ Certified Tile Installers (CTI) from the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation (CTEF) and/or journeymen that meet the requirements of the U.S. Department of Labor registered apprenticeship programs.
New guidelines
There are two big changes to identify. First, in order to comply with accreditation guidelines, any tile contractor can apply without being a member of the NTCA. But because the intent of the program is for the contractor to become involved in the industry and NTCA events and meetings, there is a significant member application discount as compared to a non-member application fee. Second, there are three categories of membership: residential, commercial, and large commercial. With both changes there are different Five-Star Accreditation pricing tiers for application.
Peer-to-peer networking has always been a benefit of Five-Star membership, and that will continue among all Five-Star Accredited contractors. But we also realized that residential and commercial contractors often have different needs from a business perspective. And the same can be said for commercial and large commercial contractors since they aren’t bidding on the same size projects and bonding requirements may be different. So, we opted for the three categories to better meet the members’ needs from an association perspective.
Another change is that the application process is now done online. Even though the company is required to employ CTIs and/or journeymen, the application is for the company – not an individual – so there will be a lot of information required to ensure the company meets the rigorous requirements to be a part of the Five-Star Accreditation program. Five-Star accredited contractors are held to a higher standard and stay current with our industry’s standards, technologies, and trends. After being accepted into the program, each year, the company will be required to answer questions, sign code of ethics documents, and notify NTCA of any changes to management to stay in the program.
Things to know about Five-Star Accredited contractors: they should be industry experts and understand that not all projects are the same. Many of them possess a broad labor force to complete the most complex tile projects. They should be able to dissect project needs by asking the right questions before starting and be able to fully comprehend product and project specific needs in accordance with manufacturer’s warranties and industry standards and methods.
Benefits of being an NTCA Five-Star Accredited Contractor
One of the most common questions NTCA staff gets, even from current Five-Star members, is “Why should I go through all this work? What do we get out of it?”
For starters, the company will meet qualified labor specifications requirements where a Five-Star Accredited contractor is stated. NTCA has worked with RIB Speclink and Masterspec to ensure that Five-Star contractors are listed as qualified labor. Monthly, NTCA shares with our Five-Star Accredited members reports of architectural firms. Some of those firms use qualified labor language that harmonizes with NTCA Five-Star Accredited contractor qualifications, and so our members are perfectly suited to take on these projects. Some of these firms don’t specify qualified labor, and this list is an opportunity to educate firms about why using qualified labor is a benefit to them.
To help with training, NTCA offers free access to NTCA University for our Five-Star Accredited members. And NTCA has developed literature that our Five-Star Accredited companies can use in their bid packages or when educating the design community on why they should use Five-Star Accredited contractors.
NTCA will be issuing documentation each year to Five-Star members showing that they are members of the program; this documentation can be used in their bid packages. Plus, NTCA has been working with manufacturers to develop extended warranties, rebates, and preferred contractor programs for this elite group.
Lastly, NTCA is working on a Five-Star summer meeting next year in Nashville for our Five-Star Accredited contractors. This is the first summer meeting since 2019 and will feature topics relevant to our Five-Star Accredited contractors’ business needs.
NTCA continues to invest in staff to help grow this program through 2025 and beyond to make it the premier program that it is and to help our members continue to grow their businesses. If you are interested in collaborating with peers or growing your business, visit https://www.tile-assn.com/page/ntca-five-star-accredited-program to learn more about this program.
Becky Serbin
Becky Serbin is the Education and Curriculum Director for the National Tile Contractors Association. Serbin oversees the implementation of NTCA University, a learning management software program the association offers for continuing education for tile and stone installation and specifications. As part of this program, she has worked closely with staff and committee members to develop an Apprenticeship Program that combines online courses with field experience training.
Serbin joined NTCA after having worked 13 years for Georgia Pacific Corporation where her duties included architectural and technical services, associate product management, and continuing education curriculum development and implementation. At Georgia Pacific, she served as the TCNA Backerboard SubCommittee Chairperson and participated in NTCA Technical Committee meetings and document development. She holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Kennesaw State University.
