Is this acceptable?

[smurfitt]

The tiler has left less than a 3mm gap between floor tile and wall. He intends to knock out some wall plaster to compensate and then fit upstands. Is this ok?.

[Colour Republic]

Not quite sure what you mean? are you saying he's going to remove the bottom wall tile and install upstands??

have you got any pictures?

[Alan.P]

Mmmmm, I think I understand what your saying, he's left 3mm to the plaster wall and will dig out some plaster at floor level to compensate, why on earth he didn't cut the tile a couple of mm shorter is beyond me, acceptable...... debatable, yes he will have the expansion gap needed, as long as he doesn't dig too much of the wall out so as not to get a decent fixing area on the upstand.

[smurfitt]

Thanks...this has been somewhat of a nightmare for me as I am very particular about who I give jobs around the house to. Rather than lift the tiles, cut them to the right size the tiler argued that cutting out some of the bottom of the wall would be a quicker solution. However, he can't do that with tiles butted up to my UPVC. I'm guessing not having a gap against it would be ok because it's flexible but the tiles are all different lengths and will look awful cosmetically.
Never again will I go anywhere else but to this site if I need a tiler!

[Colour Republic]

Mmmmm, I think I understand what your saying, he's left 3mm to the plaster wall and will dig out some plaster at floor level to compensate, why on earth he didn't cut the tile a couple of mm shorter is beyond me, acceptable...... debatable, yes he will have the expansion gap needed, as long as he doesn't dig too much of the wall out so as not to get a decent fixing area on the upstand.

ahhh get you, I thought the gap was between floor tile and wall tile, not floor tile and wall... I should take the time to read it fully, whoops.

In which case I would agree with Alan.

I take it by your question, you are aware the gap should be left clear of grout and the area by the door should be siliconed

[smurfitt]

yes, it will be siliconed between wall and floor tile and between tile and upvc.
thanks everyone for your assistance. This has cost me too much time, loss of holiday and extra expense.

[Dan]

Ouch!

Chin up. There's always tomorrow.

[smurfitt]

Yep, I wonder what else they will damage. Came back home an hour later and the top of my washing machine is cracked :0(
Should I pay these cowboys the full amount. So far their blunders have cost me 4 extra boxes of tiles, a day's holiday, 4 days without cooker, washing machine, fridge freezer and they shot off at 4pm saying they had a nother job and would be back on Monday to affix the upstands and then grout. There is still the matter of repairing a step they knocked a chunk out of before retiling as well as a threshold from hallway to lounge to do because they need to cover some tiles that are running off. I know....they should have planned it properly. I've asked them to take up the tiles and do it again but they have come up with this solution.

[mikethetile]

once they get these little niggles sorted out pay them the full amount

[Alan.P]

yep, get the problems sorted to your liking, don't take any nonsense from them, and deduct the cost of a washing machine top, or give them the option to do it.

[doug boardley]

it sounds a tense atmosphere between you and your tilers

[david campbell]

yep! don't pay a penny until your totally happy

[Phil Hobson]

I insist my customers pay me only when they are completely satisfied

[Stewart]

I insist my customers pay me only when they are completely satisfied

I'm pretty much the same, only invoice customer once they sign off on job.

[smurfitt]

They are making it very difficult and keep trying to convince me that certain shortcuts will be ok. I'm sticking to my guns but as a woman feel rather intimidated by 3 men who back each other up. I'm afraid it got to a point where I told them either they do the job properly or I'm going to ask them to leave my home and get someone else to finish the job and once I've paid the new person, they will get what's left of the total sum agreed. It's all went so quiet. I will be deducting the cost of additional tiles and replacement top for my washing machine.

[mikethetile]

why did they need additional tiles

[hillhead]

Same,if not happy don't pay me.
Keeps me on my toes too,lol.

[Ken Bruty]

They are making it very difficult and keep trying to convince me that certain shortcuts will be ok. I'm sticking to my guns but as a woman feel rather intimidated by 3 men who back each other up. I'm afraid it got to a point where I told them either they do the job properly or I'm going to ask them to leave my home and get someone else to finish the job and once I've paid the new person, they will get what's left of the total sum agreed. It's all went so quiet. I will be deducting the cost of additional tiles and replacement top for my washing machine.

Good for you standing your ground

[smurfitt]

Well, here's the latest:
Tiling (so far) has been checked by a kitchen bathroom fitter, whose opinion is that they didn't use use spacers in some places as some tiles are skewed, with gaps ranging from 3mm to 6mm. The worst area is where the floor units are going, meaning it will be even more noticeable. There's also a chipped tile which they argue will be hidden once my fridge freezer is in place. That surely isn't the point because if I decide to move it somewhere else later on the chip will be noticeable.
In addition, the hallway has not been planned correctly to create balance with the tiling. To explain, there is a 3inch tile one end and a full tile the other. I'm told if should had been planned so there was a half tile either end.
I am going to ask them to take the chipped tile up and replace and also ask them to remove 6 tiles that will accentuate the crooked grout line that will run 3inches parallel to the base of the units. There's not a lot I can do about the hallway as they refuse to redo it.
So, although some problems may get sorted with a lot of time wasted on them trying to convince me that grout will hide a lot, I've been advised that unless the whole lot is re-done properly the finished job is going to be below standard.
It's a week down the line and still nowhere near finished. Apart from the inconvenience, I've lost a day's holiday, got a damaged washing machine, have a garden that resembles a rubble site and so far it's cost me £60 for extra boxes of tiles/adhesive.


I have taken photos of the work but they are supposed to completing the work tomorrow and I'm really not happy about paying out the full amount

[Sir Ramic]

Is the hallway and kitchen a continuation ?
Any chance of photos?
Its hard to get a picture of some of these issues althoough if you are not happy and have just concerns then I would not pay.

[Phil Hobson]

Pictures would help us, if poss

[smurfitt]

[floor 022 [1600x1200].JPG
The hallway joins kitchen and lounge and front entrance via doorways. There is a small step up to the kitchen. Pic attached showing view from kitchen towards lounge, entrance door on left. I will post some more including some images of skewed tiling. Whilst I have our attention, can I ask another question as they are coming back tomorrow evening and I want to make sure they don't make a hash of something else.
I understand that they need to keep the gap clear between floor and upstand for the silicone sealant so should they grout the floor before fitting the upstands.

[smurfitt]

This pic shows view of hallway from lounge to kitchen, entrance door on right.floor 024 [1600x1200].jpg

[smurfitt]

This is a pic is an example of the the floor tiling.

floor 027 [1600x1200].jpg

[Phil Hobson]

Initial reaction, not good setting out ( small cuts) but hard to say without more pics

[Sir Ramic]

Initial reaction, not good setting out ( small cuts) but hard to say without more pics

Yes without knowing the full layout of all areas it would not be fair to say. You could say that those small cuts are bad but if they werent there , it could be worse else where.
Strange they have used spacers in places and not in others ?? may as well have not bothered.

Whats with the architraves being so far off the floor ?

[Phil Hobson]

Sorry post overlap I only saw your 1st pic, not the best tiling I have seen. Sadly not the worst either

[smurfitt]

Thankyou for your comments.
Regarding the 1st pic - it was pointed out to me that had they planned the hallway with half a tile at each end the small cut around the corner would be avoided and the tiling would look more balanced. As it stands, there is a full tile one end and small cut tiles the other.
Architraves were cut for laminate flooring prior to me moving in the house. They will be rectified by a carpenter at a later date and will have silicone sealant in expansion joints so they are not resting on the tiles.

[Oli]

Its hard to comment on the layout from just the one or two pics, can you post up some photos of the entire area instead, as doug said, if the cuts were moved then it could look terrible at the other end of the room.

[smurfitt]

Hi, that is the whole area of the hallway. You can see the edge of the concrete step from kitchen towards the lounge entrance.