VERY dodgy walls

[alib103]

Just finished a bathroom which had the worst walls i've ever tiled on. When i went round to quote the guy said he was going to take all old tiles off and prep walls.
Went round to start job, one wall had previous tiles left on, another 2 had been bodged up with some Wickes filler that wasn't setting and the other wall was like a wave, completely uneven with highs and lows all over the place. I said i didn't like the look of it and said it should be boarded or skimmed as it would be very hard to get a good finish, he said he just wanted it tiling and thought it might be a bit tricky to do!
I've finished the job and it looks ok but not to the level i would normally be happy with. Customer is happy with it and paid up. Basically i'm just wondering if you guys would have walked off job or insisted on fixing walls before starting, i'm pretty new and need the cash though!

[doug boardley]

if the walls aren't to my liking, the customer has two options, either let me prepare the walls to the standard I want, or get someone in to do it. If customer is not prepared to do this, I'll walk off the job. Tiling is my means of supporting my family and my reputation needs to be tip top

[diamondtiling]

I think you answered your own question there alib, with walls in that sort of condition you have more problems regarding weight issues. The tiles you have put on may appear sound but you cannot know whats behind the original tile. If they have been up for years then sometimes the only thing that is holding them on is grout. Personally I would not have fixed them although I understand what you mean about money being thin on the ground.
The customer should expect no come back from you if things go wrong, you gave him sound advice and he chose not to listen. Although its difficult when you are starting out, if you do jobs like that they can come back and bite you, ie you get a bad reputation. Customers will always forget the good advice you offered and quickly label you as a bad fixer.

[365drills]

its one of those damned if you do and damned if you dont.

Paul, our tiler will always complete a job even if things are wonky. He does the best he can but does so with the customers full support. He told me once that most bathrooms contain errors or things that could have been done better and providing he is straight at the start with the customer then its not normally an issue.

The only time he demands good preparation is on commercial jobs where he is working with a set of trades like plumbers and builders who's job it is to get the workmanship right ahead of him going in to tile.

If its not right - he wont tile.

Our other tiler (Andy Alpin) actually quotes to do the whole job himself, to include preparation, plumbing, plastering, doors & woodwork, ceilings, electrics, fitting of units, tiling, grouting and finishing. The only area he will back down on is ripping out the old stuff prior to him going in. He charges £350 a day for him and two others and can turn around a complete bathroom in 4 days after the room is gutted.

But in that case the customers expect perfection - and so he delivers it.

[davy_G]

It sometimes happens, you turn up expecting to tile but the walls and floor are in such a state you cant. You did the right thing in explaining to the customer the probles and the possible 'less than perfect' finish.
I usually just fix them myself on an hourly rate plus mats. Im happy to plaster with rapidset anything im going to tile. Its not pretty but it works

[marke]

yep its always a tricky one , its nice to be in a position to walk away im with Doug on that but if its a case of putting food on the table think you got to discuss your concerns and issues with the client and either come to some sort of compromise or (as i have done on a few occassions ) put everything in writing with the quote issues/advise/concerns and if the client is still wanting to go ahead you can cover yourself a bit ,, but they still expect more than is doable in these circumstances IMO

[whitebeam]

Keraflex maxi comes into it's own on these sort of jobs

[marbleman]

just put it in writing thats its down to them, as if you dont they deny they said it and you have problems as most are trying it on.
walked away from 200,000 a year because they became so **** and i just could not put up with it. the stress and worry when you know its wrong just was not worth it,

[whitebeam]

Take photos aswell just to cover yourself

[marbleman]

good advice whitebeam camera is the way to go , used it a few times