Professional tiling job - take a look at this please.

[david-1234]

Hi all - I'm David and new to the forum. I joined so that I could get advice with my tiling - thanks for reading this. I had this bathroom done by a plumber who used his tiler, apparently with 20 years' experience.

For months I've been debating with the plumber as to whether his tiler's work is acceptable. The tiler has said that the job isn't perfect because 1. 60x60 tiles are hard to lay flat. 2.The grout is poor quality. 3. The walls were bad (in fact the plumber had them plastered and the tiling is equally bad on the plywood boxing). I supplied the tiler with Mapei Keraflex for the walls and a two pack Mapei (Kerakwik and Latex Plus for the floor. He supplied the grout.

What's the verdict?

Thank you very much - I know it must be a pain people like me posting on a professional forum, but I don't know where else to get some good impartial advice.
David




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[jay]

not what i would call acceptable in fact its scary

[tilerjohn]

I am new on here as well but have to say STEVIE WONDER could have tiled this better. I feel sorry you have to look at it every day,

tiler john

[Sir Ramic]

Another shocker, if the walls and floor were bad then he should have prepped them until he was happy but at your expense IMO

[easyt]

No competent DIY man with just a few tiling jobs behind them should produce a job as bad as that. For a professional it is pee poor.

I AM A DIY TYPE BUT IT DOESN'T TAKE A PRO TO SEE HOE BAD THAT IS. Oops sorry about cap lock!

[jay]

just out of interest wall tiles do you have any left if so could you put two face to face to see if they are bowed thanks

[GirlRacerRed]

that's got nothing to do with dodgy grout. that's pure incompetence. those tiles were just slung onto the walls. if the walls were not level and straight before tiling, then the "tiler" should have pointed this out to start with before commencing the job.

I'm not a professional tiler, just a DIYer, and if I'd paid a professional to do that job, I'd have his danglies in a vice until he came to put it right at his expense.

[david campbell]

firstly...to the forum

that isn't acceptable tiling,it looks like he has just thrown that up and i would be demanding it sorted at his expense or re-imbursed,even if the tiles were bowed it wouldn't show up like that when layed stack bond the bow would be in the middle of the tile and not be noticable!

[jay]

if the tiles are bowed its up to the tiler to inform customer and or refuse to lay them the job is shot and so should the person who laid them getting paid for it is armed robbery



3rd full tile down from window is what im talking about shouldnt of been laid

[Dave]

I would do what Jay suggested and lay 2 tiles face to face and see what you have.. are they flat together or bowed..?

This will then see if this tiler had bad tiles to work with before we condemn him..

[Colour Republic]

I would only accept the walls are to blame if they looked like this prior to tilling




Yes bad walls can make the tiling harder but after just three tiles he should have stopped if the results were poor, the grout has nothing to do with how it looks. Lastly some large format tiles can bow but again these should have been checked before installing and if a problem existed then it should have been brought to your attention.

If this guy has 20 years experience then I shudder to think how many properties he has done this to.

That job isn't even close to being acceptable

[Colour Republic]

looking again at how twisted the tiles are and how much lippage is showing, my money's on dot and dab

[david-1234]

Thank you all very much. The tiler has told me that he's been tiling for 20 years and never had a complaint. What can I say. When I first saw the job I checked some leftover tiles and they were fine. I even took them to the shop who checked them over and showed me how to look for an untrue tile.

All I want is an honest job for an honest wage. I've seen DIYers do really good jobs because they try hard and they care. The tiler told me a while back that he had had enough of tiling and was bored with it - and it shows in his work. The saddest thing for me is that this is a high end bathroom - Duravit toilet, Alape basin, Schenider bathroom cabinet - and it's all been ruined by a tiler who didn't care.

[Sir Ramic]

The tiler told me a while back that he had had enough of tiling and was bored with it - and it shows in his work.

Then do the world a favour and tell him to find another job

[david campbell]

looking again at how twisted the tiles are and how much lippage is showing, my money's on dot and dab

i was thinking that with the lippage in the corners,he cant pack the tiles out flush with the others because theres no addy there

[Colour Republic]

Nice sounding bathroom, just about to install a Duravit Phillipe Starck toilet, nearly fell over at the £800 price tag but it is very nice.

Did you see him installing the tiles at all? or did you only see them at the end of each day?

What i'm trying to get at is, did you see him combbing the adhesive of the walls or did he place dollops of adhesive on the back of the tiles before fixing?

[Colour Republic]

i was thinking that with the lippage in the corners,he cant pack the tiles out flush with the others because theres no addy there

[david-1234]

I didn't watch him closely - I figured that with 20 years' experience he would do a great job; there's nothing worse than a customer breathing down your neck. So no I didn't notice if he combed the adhesive on or did it in dabs. I wish I had though. Now I am quite sick about what he's done.

[david campbell]

try tapping the tiles! if they sound hollow then they have been dot and dabbed

[david-1234]

Thanks - I will try the tapping test. What are the implications of using a dot and dab method?

[GirlRacerRed]

the tiles might be too heavy for the amount of adhesive that has been used and in worse case scenario, become detached from the wall and fall off.

[Colour Republic]

As GRR says the wall tiles could fail and cause injury if you were unlucky. If the floor tiles were dot and dabbed then they are likely to crack simply from walking on them if your foot was to be placed on a weak spot

[Bolter]

Thats shocking! If they were on the floor, you could trip over them.

Did you pay in full?

[david-1234]

No I haven't paid in full. I have sent various letters but to no avail. I have even offered that we jointly instruct an independent expert - funnily enough the contractor has not responded.

[kilty55]

the jobs a howler,it needs ripped out im afraid

[Stewart]

Totally unacceptable, this is poor workmanship at the very least. 50% of tiling is preparation, and this guy hasn't done any. He should be ashamed to have left the job like that and so should the plumber who got him, get your money back asap!

[CJ CERAMICS]

sorry david....this is in no way meant to compound what looks like a poor job, but what makes me laugh is the part about the job not being perfect because the grout was poor quality and HE supplied it. .

[sstilingservice]

Blimmey if thats profesional tiling I must be ELITE !!! LOL
I hope you get it sorted, if there was problems he should have shown you!!!! Small claims court is in order me thinks Good luck

[poynton phil]

Theres that much lipage, you could climb up it.

[mikethetile]

there was no care or pride taken over this job, go legal on him and get it replaced at his expense, hopefully he will give up and do everyone a favour