Poor Tiling Job - Advice Needed Please

[Withnail]

Hi there, I had an en-suite tiled in July 2017, we noticed a leak in the hallway in December 2019 and found it was coming from the en-suite shower.
I've added some pictures to show the damage, but in summary:

• Walls were not primed or tanked before tiling
• Tiler has used dot and dab technique
• Tiler has used Balstar Whitestar exceeding bedding depth of recommended 3mm
• The shelf was tiled 'flat' and had standing water which leaked down through the grout and gaps between the tiles
• Gaffa tape was used to seal the shelf before applying tiles

I am going for a refund from the tiler who denies it is his responsibility and blaming everything from PVA to poor sealant around the shower. My argument is around the Consumer Act 2015 and using 'reasonable care and skill', but I am also looking at BS5385

It looks like the latest release of BS5385 was in 2018 which was after the work was carried out that includes:
6.1.1.3: Tanking: showers, wet rooms, substrates should be protected with a tanking membrane system

But... BS EN 12004-1:2017 talks about not using dot and dab...

Does anyone have experience in this type of issue and what would be the best British Standard given the job was done in 2017? Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks

 

[Dave]

Have you spoken to your installer yet. ?

 

[Withnail]

Have you spoken to your installer yet. ?

Yes. He denies it is anything to do with him; says there was PVA on the walls, the walls were uneven so he had to dot and dab, water has got in through the shower tray and run UP the wall.... been going on for about 12 months now... I've got an application into the small claims court.

 

[Dave]

PVA shouldn’t have been used. It isn’t a suitable primer for tiling. That’s why the tiles have come away so cleanly , read this >> PVA Vs Primers | Find PVA Vs Primers Advice Tips And Tricks - https://www.tilersforums.co.uk/pva-vs-primers/353/
The rest of what you have speaks for itself, good luck with your claim.

 

[Withnail]

PVA shouldn’t have been used. It isn’t a suitable primer for tiling. That’s why the tiles have come away so cleanly , read this >> PVA Vs Primers | Find PVA Vs Primers Advice Tips And Tricks - https://www.tilersforums.co.uk/pva-vs-primers/353/
The rest of what you have speaks for itself, good luck with your claim.

PVA hasn't been used, the trade is coming up with every excuse in the book to wriggle out any accountability. He didn't prime or tank the walls and he used Bal White Star dot and dab with a bed thickness greater than 3mm, that's not what Bal recommended. Bal recommends tanking and priming when using White Star in a shower, it's in their technical data sheet.

 

[Dave]

Just your statement above says pva on the walls. So I’m just stating that there shouldn’t be who ever applied it.

 

[Withnail]

Just your statement above says pva on the walls. So I’m just stating that there shouldn’t be who ever applied it.

Ah, okay... even if the PVA was used as a bond for the plaster, and the plasterer used two coats of multi finish? Meaning the PVA is behind two coats of plaster . . .

 

[Dave]

Ah, okay... even if the PVA was used as a bond for the plaster, and the plasterer used two coats of multi finish? Meaning the PVA is behind two coats of plaster . . .

So it wasn’t on the surface then lol.
Let us know how your claim goes. Certainly isn’t the correct method he’s used.

 

[Withnail]

So it wasn’t on the surface then lol.
Let us know how your claim goes. Certainly isn’t the correct method he’s used.

right... exactly . . . and as you say, the pictures speak for themselves....

 

[bsc ceramics]

But they are just recommendations, im not saying hes done a good job because he has'nt
but who did the silicone, was it the tiler or the plumber? You have to be carefull and state who did what and when.