Discuss Tiling Job gone wrong? in the Tiling Forum at TilersForums; We saved and saved to convert our bathroom to a semi-wetroom. We then bought some lovely tiles from Ebay and had to drive over 150 miles to go look at ...
We saved and saved to convert our bathroom to a semi-wetroom. We then bought some lovely tiles from Ebay and had to drive over 150 miles to go look at it and pick them up. All in all, the total expenditure we're likely to spend including eqpmt and labour will be £****. However, we've snagged on a problem with our tiler. He was recommended and his company is even a recognised Tiling Instructor company offering NVQ courses. Anyway, it started well, he quoted me a price of £**** for tiling 15.4sqm of wall and 1.44sqm of floor plus tanking - job will take 3 days. I provided the tile and trims. SNAG 1: Tiling grout: I asked him if he could tile with 1mm grout - he says No problem but tiles have to be dead straight. I bought high quality rectified tiles. On the day of tiling, he sent a tiler with 2 years experience and he said he wasn't told of any 1mm grout - he only has withhim 2mm grout spacers. I wanted the one piece effect - but time was critical, so accepted it reluctantly. SNAG 2: I agreed with the boss that the grout colour would be almond from the Ardex range. He changed the grout to grey without informing me. Only found out when I saw the grout on my wall - stood out a mile and defeated the whole purpose of trying to get a whole piece effect. SNAG 3: I only ordered two pieces of trim for the window sill - so the tiler asked for 3 more 2.4mtr lengths for Cistern Concelaed box and door frame. I ordered 4 just to make sure we didn't run short - but at the end of the job, I calculated that there must have been a mess-up cos where the trims meet at the corner of the cistern box, there is a razor sharp edge and one of the door trim was floating off the floor by 4 cm. There is a gap between the door trim and the door frame. SNAG 4: Tiler claimed that the tiles were running out - even though I ordered over 30% more than required cos the tiler rejected my suggestion to tile vertically and use full tiles where possible. He said it's not a professional way of tiling. He worked it out (without considering the amt of tiles I had bought) - went ahead, then said he was short of 4 boxes. At this stage I put my foot down - counted all the tiles - worked out all the spaces left and told him how to use it accordingly. In the end, no extra tiles were required. However, found that some tiles were not flushed - one jutted out and one too deep in, the edges were not level either - so for all their talk about porfessional tilers, don't think they were talking about themselves.... As a private individual, what rights do I have of insisting that they short things out - and how? Is there an association I could report them to? An ombudsman for tilers? I don't mean to nit-pick but this is the first time we're using tilers and we don't know what to do. Is this a common problem?
Last edited by Sir Ramic; 12-04-2011 at 03:13 PM.
Reason: No prices please
Hello, you should not have accepted the grout colour if it was not what you wanted.As for the other problems,talk to the company and give them a chance to put things right before you go any further. Have you paid for everything even though your not happy with the finish.Do you have paper work detailing what was agreed ?
The minimum British standards is 2mm grout joint for walls. The trim should have had a 3 way corner cut to avoid the sharp edge left, or a pre formed corner if the trim company make them for that particular trim.
There are a few other issues in you pics but you need to call them back and go through what you are not happy with. The grout colour etc
Hi wildfirejc,
Sorry to hear about the shoddy workmanship. As Scott said, the lowest British standard for tile spacing is 2mm. With regards to the tiler, taking an assertive stance with the company is the best way forward and collating evidence is even better. My best advice would be to request the required fixing from another tiler.
Hi All,
Yes, well, the latest letter I received from the tiler boss is : He won't do anything more until I paid his bill of £592.
In reply, I told him that I would settle for getting 3 corrections done before I paid him anything :-
1. Hole cut for tap on counter-top of sink is too small
2. Tile trim corner to be corrected for Health and Safety issue (yes I got that in!)
3. Square hole left for shower-tray drain is too small (fitting was there for him to check while tiling - he obviously didn't bother)
All the rest, I'd live with and then pay him what we first agreed - which was £592.
By the way, we didn't have anything written down - so it's his word against mine. He told me he would also seal the grout - cos I complained that it was too wide and mould would grow - so he said in the process that he'd seal it - however, this has not been done and I don't think I should push it. Do you?
Oh, he's threatened to take further action should I not pay him the full amt of £592 immediately PLUS he's still got my house key!!!!
Hi and welcome to the forum.
you definitely have some issues with the work in the pics
your best option is to try and sort it out with the tiler ( or so called) legally we can not advice ,
if he doesnt rectify what is wrong then you need to go to the next level of action
good luck
Large format tiles + 2 mm grout joins sorts the tilers from the so called tilers!
Down at my sport centre there has been a tiler in doing all the work, was eager to see how they where getting on with it, poped in the other night to the toilet they where working in, he is tiling with 600 x 300 white ceramics and using 4 mm grout joins and sometimes not even getting them straight!! quite shocking really! The grouting in places is a joke! silicone joke!..quite shody in places but when you first walk in it acyually looks ok until you have closser look, maybe im too picky??
Large format tiles + 2 mm grout joins sorts the tilers from the so called tilers!
Down at my sport centre there has been a tiler in doing all the work, was eager to see how they where getting on with it, poped in the other night to the toilet they where working in, he is tiling with 600 x 300 white ceramics and using 4 mm grout joins and sometimes not even getting them straight!! quite shocking really! The grouting in places is a joke! silicone joke!..quite shody in places but when you first walk in it acyually looks ok until you have closser look, maybe im too picky??
Hi All,
Now this is what the tiler has come back to say: He'll recut the hole for the sink tap and he will grout and seal the shower tray drain - hopefully he won't break it while forcing it into a smaller hole.
But the main thing I worry about is the tile trim. He says:-
I myself have been to see the trim around the cistern boxing, it has been mitred to a very good standard and cannot be done another way. If you would like we can file down the edge, but this may remove the chrome finish and look different, but I am happy to do this if you wish.
What should I do? Please could the professional tilers among you look at my picture of the tile trim - top row, middle photo and let me know if what he is saying is acceptable? Or should I insist that he redo the whole trim again.
OK - I have done some qucik search on the web - and there are tilers out there who cut the vertical end straight (which is what my tiler had done) and then cut the top left and right trim at 45 mitre, meeting at a sharp point - cos the tile trim we have bought is round-edged.
Then someone else suggested a 3 mitre cut - which will work better. Obviously my tiler who claims to have over 30 years experience in the industry may not have been working in the Tiling industry....
There are 3 options to cure your trim issue, a 3 way mitre as you say, a corner piece as Sir Ramic has pictured in the above post or use a square trim, all of these will cure the issue but I'm afraid the old stuff and the tiles attached to it will have to be removed.
OK - what if I buy a corner piece from the tile-trim supplier - could the tiler then fix this onto the current position without having to tear everything off and start again? Seems a bit drastic...
OK - what if I buy a corner piece from the tile-trim supplier - could the tiler then fix this onto the current position without having to tear everything off and start again? Seems a bit drastic...
If you can find a corner piece to match your trim it could be possible, you will find it hard to get a hacksaw into cut the offending mitre off. If the tiler has a fein multi tool (or something similar) then maybe there is an attachment for it that will cut the trim in situe without having to take it off the wall or damage any of the surrounding tiles.
I doubt that you would be able to cut a section of trim out to put a corner piece in without damaging the trim or tile, even with a fein saw. IMO a 3 way mitre is a gimmick and doesn't look nice, especially with metal trim and just as sharp. I would strip out that whole section and replace with new trim with corner piece.
The 3 way in metal trim takes some skill to get it to look nice, for me i buy the corner piece, its time thing too. Much cheaper than sitting cutting and filing.
What about the fact that you have the wrong grout? Surely he doesnt expect full pay for that mistake?
It is was me and a customer wouldnt pay until things are changed, and i have had this happen before when they have changed their minds on things like decor tiles or random patterns on splashbacks. You just have to do it regardless, it can sour the deal but this has already gone pear shaped for your relationship with the builder. Im sure you can find a nicer tiler/builder to send that christmas card to Ill send you my address is you like
You should not have to put up with all this hassle.If I had done even one of those mistakes I would expect not to be paid.If the tiler did all that which we can see in the pics,I would question the quality of the entire job.I would check my walls with a spirit level,,and knock on all the tiles to check for voids beneath them.I would also think about the materials that were used.I dont think this company sent you a proper tiler based on those pics
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Re: Tiling Job gone wrong?
Originally Posted by charlie1 
Ill send you my address is you like 
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