Trying to cover another tilers mistakes.

[Bernard]

I’ve been asked to try and fix up a job a tiler has just done for a friend. I haven’t got that much experience but I’ve done a few decent sized jobs now and my customers have always been very pleased with the results and so have I. This lady is so disappointed about how bad her job looks.

It’s a bathroom and what he’s done is a right mess.. The tiles aren’t straight or aligned, they’re chipped, grouting is a right mess, it’s set out terrible the list goes on.

A few things I’m going to try and do and need advice on: -

He hasn’t tiled very close to the ceiling around the bath area and has left about a 2cm gap. Looks dodgy, so what’s the best way to cover it? Looks too big to silicone. The tiles are black, where will I be able to get a nice looking black trim to go around? Would this be my best option?

It needs totally re-grouting. If I take the job I’m going to have to buy a Fein Multimaster. What’s the best way to remove grout from the face of the tiles? He used an adhesive/grout all in one and it’s everywhere.

I was told there were already a few rows of tiles around the bath so above these on the rest of the wall he stuck up some plasterboard to bring the wall level with the tiles before tiling over. Thing is where the tiling stops at the edge of the bath there is a thick mess of adhesive about 2/3cm thick running down the tile edge between the tiles and the wall, it looks terrible. I’m going to have to cut back the thick adhesive (probably with the multimaster?) then cover the edge of the tiles again with some sort of trim. She wants it covered in silver. It looks like I’m looking for lots of very thick trim to cover edges. Normal tile trim I’ve used in the past need to be put behind the tiles when the adhesive is setting so this is no good as you’ll already know.

Personally I'd just tear it all down and start again it's that bad but she can't afford to. He got £600 for this job, lucky man. How much would you charge for this job? A total regrout of about 12 sqm and the bit's n pieces that need fixing up.

Advice on all these points would be great.

[Dave]

It's sad when this happens , but it is a fact of the tiling game that these cowboys exist...

I would rip the lot out and start again but as she can't afford it ,, then you will have to, just do your best mate............the fein should help you out.......

good luck...

[Sir Ramic]

It sounds as if you will have about 3 days work there. Even with a Fein you will have a tough time, they aint no magic answer. It still takes time . So based on 3 days ? £150 per day you are looking at £450 for what will never be a 1st class job. I would rip it down but not my call.

[Holohana]

he got £600 for it, good god!

He must drink Horlicks otherwise i doubt he could sleep at night!

[NickH]

What you describe will take a couple of days and its still gonna look s**te, now depending how good a friend she is and how soft you are you might want to offer to rip it all out and redo for a special price that might not be too much over budget, I know your'e going to be out of pocket but if you did do it you will have the satisfaction of a good deed done.

[grumpygrouter]

Sounds to me like it needs ripping out and starting again. Would advise your friend to contact trading standards and ask them to go and have a look. Then maybe chase the "tiler" for some sort of compensation. Only then would i start to try and correct things.

People shouldn't be allowed to get away with it.

[whitebeam]

Agree with the other guy's start again, Did the customer not notice the crap job before he was paid, To say he got away with it would be an understatment, With black tile's I think your going to struggle to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

[sibs]

I agree with the ripping out and starting again senario but was also thinking if she absolutely really doesn't want you to, is what about those thin ceramic boarders that you can get instead of tile trim.... which isn't an option anyway unless you cut the backing off. Just an idea to throw into the mix but as you say getting all that grout out will be murder!

[steve07472]

hi m8ate bit late reply,

best thing to do in my opp,

are tiles fixed on cement adesive or just tub,tub tiles will come off,but say 60x40 cement fixed will not,

but if none are in line atall it needs all redoing not your prob just reprice cust shoudnt get a gipo to do tiling,

dont feel guilty your there to help,

good luck

regards steve gateley,service with atile (barnsley)

[Fekin]

Quite strange how no one has said why did the customer actually pay for the job once it was completed if it was this bad.

Surely it can't of gotten worse after the tiler left now can it, and I wonder if theres something like "you paid for it so you must of been happy with it" kinds clause with Trading Standards ?

[alex1963]

this is why our tilers have to be licenced,it does help sort out the rubbish.has anybody contacted this"tiler" ,he may have a conscience and give some money back . but if the walls are plasterboard ,then you will have to start from scratch and resheet ; i guess the question is how good a friends are they and are you prepared to look after them. any chance of a photo?

[Boosha]

I would take the Mike Holmes route and rip it out, take her story to a few tile shops and see if they fancy chipping some for the tiles and sticky+grout.

Even if you are out of pocket a little bit, karma will pick it all back up and hit you with something nice. This I'm sure is a VIP pass to heaven.