Help!: B&Q Installation

[Grahamb12]

We have recently had a bathroom installed by b&q, the wall tiles we chose were travetine 480mm x 330mm. i have several issues, of which the project manager is coming to inspect.
I need to be armed with information on accepatble levels of lippage and quality of tiling. I will post as much information as i can .
1. There are many areas of the tiling that has in excess of 2mm lippage, this has been measured against a 2p piece.
2. the tiles were cut with a circular saw, so many of the cuts have very rough edges and are not straight.
3. the window return is 10mm different in width from top to bottom, and i have used a spirit level to confirm this, needless to say, the blind that used to be in the window, now doesnt fit. it is an exact fit at the bottom, but now wont fit at the top.

My question is where do I stand in asking for these problems to be rectified, i have put poly coving up over the tiles at the ceiling and this shows many of the lippage problems too.

[andy allen]

what surface were the tiles fix to.

could you post some pictures that would help us to see how bad it is.

[Sir Ramic]

Photos would help here.

[Stewart]

Posting pics would be a great help in giving you some info, but as a rule lippage of any kind is unacceptable imo...

[Grahamb12]

P1040120.JPGP1040115.JPGP1040116.JPGP1040114.JPGP1040117.JPGP1040113.JPG

[Grahamb12]

the tiles were fixed to both plastered wall and stud wall. the tiles that came off the wall were all level and straight

[Stewart]

Those tiles are just ceramic and not Travertine, but the standard of fixing is not the best. There should be no grout in the internal corners and these should be finished with matching silicone. That amount of lippage is unacceptable and really down to poor workmanship.

[Grahamb12]

oops, sorry, the style was called travertine.
So can I ask for them to refit the tiles?

[Stewart]

they should replace any tiles that are lipping. The internal corners need the grout removed to allow for expansion and replaced with silicone....

[Grahamb12]

what about the cut tiles, example in picture 6, they used a circular saw, and as you can see, the finish is not the best, also the window surround.. 1145mm gap at the bottom, 1132mm at the top, this is down to the left hand side not being straight

[Sir Ramic]

Quality of the actual grouting is bad too.

[Sir Ramic]

what about the cut tiles, example in picture 6, they used a circular saw, and as you can see, the finish is not the best, also the window surround.. 1145mm gap at the bottom, 1132mm at the top, this is down to the left hand side not being straight

Could have cut that better with a manual dry cutter.

[Dan]

And I would push that the window reveal is well out. It should at least be square. Not all windows you can do this with as some old houses just are not square at all but a tiler is meant to have the skill to make it look as square as possible. Though a window that was square in the first place, it's shocking to see it so out. While they're there, they may as well re-do that too.

[Stewart]

They should also replace any chipped tiles. No care taken when cutting those and there is no excuse for it!

[Aspect Tiling]

Nothing to add to what issues you have noticed yourself and what the guys have noticed from the pictures. You are completely within your rights to ask them to sort the problems out. I'd place a good bet on there being other issues in the bathroom too (e.g other internal corners grouted and not siliconed). Have a good look round before the project manager comes round in the hope of getting them all sorted.

[Del W]

Bad workmanship.get them to rectify anything your not happy with.

[andy allen]

get your self a snag sheet, write down everything your not happy with and present to the project manager.

[Bri]

As has already been said, very poor standard of work. Bad cuts, internals grouted instead of silicone, lipping etc etc. Can I ask if it was someone who worked for B&Q that fitted the tiles or was it a sub contractor for the company? Either way, as Andy says, write a list of all your problem areas and present the project manager with it, there should be no arguments from him/her as this is not even a DIY standard of fitting. Hope you get it all sorted, let us know how you get on.

[widler]

aye,looks a tad rough mate. the blade obviously was blunt,and the must not of had a dry cutterkinda weird for a 'tiler',would of been a lot easier and better with a rubi(not a sigma).
if you have not paid them,don't until its put right

[kilty55]

as above it needs rectified

[Mike]

it may be worth yo ugetting a pro in to have a good look at other things in the bathroom, e.g the fitting of the suite or the plumbing work. that may be a poor job too.

[Dave]

Not good is it..?

[paul78]

funny you mention tiling from b&q...... having recently visited a house to correct some work with a recent b&q kitchen the splashback tiling is apalling! brick pattern 5 rows high and 5th row they didnt follow brick style just normal tile on tile!!!! shocking, no silicone anywhere even around sink area, doors not flush etc. 7k kitchen all in and it was 4k for kitchen and 3k for the fit. b&q take 1.5k and the same for the sub-contractor.
check if they have qualifications because i know a lot of them who havnt got any! b&q just want to make the money.
if im right in thinking you have to fill a sheet in afterwards about the work giving scores out of 5 etc......
and as for cutting the tiles they cut of got a better cut of a £40 basic tile cutter from b&q!!!

[Grahamb12]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the advice so far, there are no silicon joins anywhere. And many more examples of lippage. I think me and the mrs could have done better. B&Q. Sub all their work to a project manager, who in turn subs it to others. To add insult to injury, the subbie who removed the old suite and tiles etc damaged our front door( brand new composite door worth £1000 fitted)
I will take on all advice offered, if any1 lives near the syston area of Leicester there may be some work at the end of this . As I won't have the same tiler back.
B&Q charged us £600 for 11 square meters of tiling..... Sub standa

[Colour Republic]

B&Q charged us £600 for 11 square meters of tiling..... Sub standa

Did that include the cost of tiles?

Pretty poor workmanship, I would want the plumbing checked out to if that is the standard of work.

[Mike]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the advice so far, there are no silicon joins anywhere. And many more examples of lippage. I think me and the mrs could have done better. B&Q. Sub all their work to a project manager, who in turn subs it to others. To add insult to injury, the subbie who removed the old suite and tiles etc damaged our front door( brand new composite door worth £1000 fitted)
I will take on all advice offered, if any1 lives near the syston area of Leicester there may be some work at the end of this . As I won't have the same tiler back.
B&Q charged us £600 for 11 square meters of tiling..... Sub standa

if you end up going down the legal route graham you will first have to give the original tiler a chance to rectify his work. i wouldn't want him back either! and i'd push for a new door too

[Grahamb12]

No, we had to buy the tiles separately. !!! Is there a governing body who we can call to come check all the plumbing etc? Or do we just rely on the expertise of other fitters ?

[Colour Republic]

if you end up going down the legal route graham you will first have to give the original tiler a chance to rectify his work. i wouldn't want him back either! and i'd push for a new door too

I don't think that is strictly true in this case. He may well have to give B&Q a chance to rectify but not that specific tiler as he was sub contracted

[Colour Republic]

No, we had to buy the tiles separately. !!! Is there a governing body who we can call to come check all the plumbing etc? Or do we just rely on the expertise of other fitters ?

There are a few plumbers and bathroom fitters on here, so you could post some pictures. There is also the sister forum which is linked to at the top of this page under 'Plumbing'

In the first instance I would talk to the Project Manager and tell him of your concerns, that the tiling is of such poor standard you are now worried about the plumbing and everything else and would like another (B&Q) tradesmen to check it over. You'll quickly know if he is trying to rectify the situation or trying to fob you off with his reaction

[Mike]

I don't think that is strictly true in this case. He may well have to give B&Q a chance to rectify but not that specific tiler as he was sub contracted

well that's better for the o.p. but b & q may have to give the 'tiler' a chance to rectify it.