Dot and dab court case - Tile Advice

[Donna Borrill]

Hello. I wonder if anyone can help please. I have had my kitchen floor tiled and it has become obvious that the tiler, although I paid a fair amount of money for him, has used the dot and dab method. This was discovered after a couple of holes were made after dropping relatively light items on the floor. After lots of internet searching, as I know nothing about tiling, it seems this is not a good method, and against British Standards. The tiler refused to re-tile the floor so I am going through the very nerve racking process of taking him to court. Tomorrow is my phone call between the tiler and a mediator. Although I know a British Standard exists, I have no idea what it states, and feel this would be a great help. Can anyone out there help me? Many thanks.

 

[Rookery]

Yes, dot n dabbing or spot fixing is quite common but frowned upon. All floor tiling should be completed with100% adhesive coverage under the tile. BS5385 refers.

 

[Flintstone]

100% is the aim but it’s not always achieved, but dot and dabbing is a really bad method, unfortunately there’s a lot of people who don’t know better.

 

[Spare Tool]

Sounds like you've given the guy every opportunity to put things right Donna...take him to the cleaners and hopefully it'll be a lesson and he wont go ruining anybody else's floor in the future.

 

[Donna Borrill]

Ah, thanks all of you. Not looking forward to this but appreciate your help

 

[Spare Tool]

Good luck, there won't be a tiler on here that's never had to pack a tile up here and there but no excuse for the whole thing to be dot and dabbed, would there have been money in the budget for self leveling and a bit of extra prep work if your tiler had brought the issue up in the first place?

 

[On one]

If I was you..... (From the mediation)I would accept nothing less than a full retile at the original tilers expense. The tiler knows he is in the wrong,so don't be fobbed off from going to the small claims court.

 

[Donna Borrill]

Absolutely, but he never let me know the floor was uneven. I actually don't think it was, but after having a lot of my house renovated, that was the last thing to be done, so wouldn't have compromised if it had been brought to my attention. Every tile has been laid in this way.

 

[Spare Tool]

Absolutely, but he never let me know the floor was uneven. I actually don't think it was, but after having a lot of my house renovated, that was the last thing to be done, so wouldn't have compromised if it had been brought to my attention. Every tile has been laid in this way.

Ah no excuses then, let us know the outcome..

 

[Donna Borrill]

Will do. Thanks again.

 

[LM]

Just a point perhaps worth mentioning incase his defence use it against you if you bring it up, BS standards are only a guideline they are not the law. I feel for you however and at the very least this guy needs outed as you've tried to be reasonable with him and he's been an *** about it.

 

[One Day]

If you're unhappy about poor service - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/complain-about-a-service/

Is all here. He hasn't used "reasonable care and skill", job has failed within 7 years. You've got a watertight case.

Two problems, if he's no assets, it'll be a drip feed ccj like £5 a week forever.
And BS5385 is only a guide, not the law so you might have to pay for a professional inspection and report to win the case.

 

[Donna Borrill]

Yep I realise that even if I win, that's just the start and I've still got to pursue the money, but even at £5 a week forever, I could buy a bottle of wine and drink to his health every week remembering not to get so drunk I drop the glass on my dodgy floor and make another hole. Every cloud...... I'll post how it goes.

 

[Perry]

The only problem I see is the courts are not experts on tiling. Is there a expert tiler involved.

 

[Qwerty]

Have you approached the TTA for a written assessment on the work?