Poor external tiling... Next steps? - TilersForums.com

[HeyMacarenaAye]

Hi all

A driveway and patio contractor just laid my 56m2 patio using 1000x500x20 Italian porcelain tiles. It looks terrible, but the contractor says it's fine for a patio. The tile supplier and Larsen rep both took a look and agree that it's not fit for purpose. Both suggested a TTA inspection, but that costs £1800!

I'd like to get an opinion from a TTA inspector before committing to such an expense. Can you help put me in touch with someone who can help?

Concerns:

• Unacceptable lipping
• I requested 2mm spacing, they changed to 5mm (due to lipping) without consulting me
• The grouting is horrendous. Discoloration, probably due to over-washing according to grout rep. Extremely lumpy and uneven. Already cracking.
• When replacing chipped tiles, they laid them loose on dry cement with no adhesive, only grout to hold them
• Installed on a wet bed of cement without back buttering, adhesive or admix. Many areas sound hollow. Grout rep says patio will fail due to water ingress.

The advice from the Larsen rep was to pull it all up and start again.

Thanks very much for your help.

 

[Just Rizzle]

have you got pics

 

[Dan]

It's not the only inspection that would stand up in court. They're making silly money out of those. If you get the Larsen reps statement, and the tile suppliers statement, and an actual professional tilers statement and quote for repairs. You'd have just a strong a case and be £1800 up.

I remember when those were £750 just 2 years ago I think.

 

[HeyMacarenaAye]

Hi Ray,

Here are a few.

The Larsen rep wasn't able to identify the correct grout colour because it's so much lighter than expected.

My main concern is the high risk of patio failure due to poor adhesion.

I'd asked them to repoint some areas an they damaged some tile edges as shown in one of the pics.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It won’t last the first winter!

 

[Bill]

To be fair...I don't think 2mm joints on those pavers is a good call.
However, I do concur that it is poorly laid and the job could have been much neater.

 

[HeyMacarenaAye]

It won’t last the first winter!

Thanks John. Everyone is telling me the same thing. But unless I can obtain a report from a recognised authority in this field then I doubt these guys will budge on making it right. They won't admit fault.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

So what’s the financial situation?
You paid them?

 

[HeyMacarenaAye]

So what’s the financial situation?
You paid them?

Mostly, yes. I withheld £1000 as a token amount until the issues were resolved. At the time I thought it was "just" poor pointing. It's only when I started digging that I discovered that the patio wasn't laid properly and won't last long. Also, I supplied the tiles (£3500) because their supplier couldn't supply this particular Italian brand. So now they either need to make it right at their cost, or refund all costs including tiles plus any other impacted works. We had artificial lawn laid also which will probably need to come up to redo the patio.

 

[Dumbo]

They don't have the knowledge to make it right , also it will cost more than you paid them to correct it .