When Tiling goes wrong.......

[gazpilot]

Hi newbie question here. Like most forums, you only tend to use them when you have problems.

I have just purchased a new home and as an option had the Kitchen, utility, hall and cloak tiled in 30 x 30 porcelain tiles.

I was told by the site foreman that the skirtings would be removed and tiled under. When we moved in the oposite had been done, the tiles had been laid and grouted up to the skirting boards and to tell the truth the job was appalling, uneven tiles, ridges, and really bad cuts in the corners.

The contractor agreed with my assesment and had the floor taken up and redone (this time with the skirting off). I spoke to the guy's that did the job and they informed me that the site foreman had told them to carry on the first time and "do the best they could".

Well 3 weeks of living in the lounge with no kitchen yes it took 3 weeks from start to finish, but this included 2 days of leveling with apoxy, and IMHO the job is still bad. quite a few (@20%) of the tile corners are sticking up and sharp and there is a marked feeling of tiles standing proud when you walk around the floor.

Am I right to insist that the job is redone within British Standards. At the moment, with a grout of less than 6mm the difference in tile to tile height is 1.5 - 2 mm, I know this does not sound much but you can really tell, even my patio is not that bad.

Anyway rabbled on for quite a while and I'm after advice as to if the job is up to standard and what to do if the contractors refuse to make right.

Regards, Grant

[Dan]

The job should be done to BS especially if it's still classed as a site and there's no VAT in the new build labour and materials. The length of time sounds like a joke, I'm sure the guys wouldn't have been paid for three weeks worth of tiling in such a small area.

The tiles don't always have to sit under the skirting, but they have to be cut pretty dam accurate and neat if they are not.

There is a tolerance of different between tile height (unlike your patio slabs) tiles are cooked and can react to the temperatures differently and expand / shrink at different rates, this is usually accounted for in the tiling as you would simply 'bed' the lower tile to meet the height of the higher one.

I don't know what you mean about the 6mm grout thing.

Be all and end all, you have a right to request proof that the tiling is done correctly, listen to their explanations as to why all the things you don't like have happened and then check those out, and tell them you're checking them out to try and cut down on bullsh*cough*t.

If it is incorrect, you can hold payment maybe for a certain amount, and get them to fix it, or at the least, ask them to repair the bad bits.

Hope this helps so far.

[gazpilot]

Many thanks for the prompt reply, customer services and the Boss of the tilers are coming around tomorrow.

[Benny B]

you really need to get the guy that told the blokes "do the best you can" and confront him, tell him you want the best for your cash as it's the best cash going! nothing less will do.

it is these shmucks that kill a good name, but thankfully due to these us good tilers can have higher rates, as we would have been quick and efficient and thats how it should always be done.

if they have levelled the floor with 'epoxy' no wonder it took them ages, they could have used a simple self levelling compound that sets in three hours.

and to note, porcelain is a bitch to cut, but stll shouldnt have took three weeks unless the hallways and rooms you mention are seriously large, especially as you say there were at least two of them from what I can tell from your post.