Dot & dabbing tiles

[Archie69]

Hi everyone.
Just had a tiler do some tiling on a job for me.. I was not on this job when he started so got there at the end of the day, he came recommend. This is what I found. He started to tile on wall opposite the bath due to mapei gum still wet. Did not batton out any horizontal datum line, I noticed there would have been approx between 10 /12 mm mastic gap between tile & top of bath edge. So quite a big mastic joint. Noticed that he did not use any spacers on vertical lines so they where not that true either. His ryobi hand held mixer had more adhesive gone hard on the blade than was probably used on the wall, mapei keraquik rapid set flexible. Picture will be added later. Obviously got quite suspicious and disappointed. Did a bit of tapping looking for trap doors & noticed a lot of echoing coming back of tiles, pulled a couple off and low and behold the guy had been loading it on with a shovel!!! He used approx 2 x 20 kg bags on a wall 2metersx2.4meters high that was reasonably level. The tiles are 300x600 porcelain tiles so not the lightest. Had to tell him to not come back. Prob is? Do you think that adhesive can be taken off the back of them tiles if they can be prised off or shall I scrap them? And is there a decent tiler that wants a good working companionship with a small family plumbing business in the Bromley area?? Usual tiler has given up due to illness.
Hope you can advise...!!???

 

[White Room]

I look forward to the pictures.....and the adhesive used holy moses.

 

[Qwerty]

Doesn't sound at all promising!

 

[Dan]

Go at them asap see what happens. It can't carry on like that so whatever you salvage is a bonus. But it sounds like it might be in the bin for those tiles maybe.

 

[Old Mod]

I've removed bagged addy off of porc's before, involved a grinder, vanity blade and a shed load of dust.
In this case I had no choice, we had to salvage the tiles.
But it's quite time consuming, so u'd probably have to try a couple and weigh up time involved against cost of replacement.

 

[Archie69]

Thanks for your prompt replies, think I'm going to get them off the wall and bin them, I will try to put up pictures, still

 

[Archie69]

Does a proper tiler leave his tools like this!???

 

[Andy Allen]

Noooooo only plasterers leave tools like that..

 

[Old Mod]

Does a proper tiler leave his tools like this!???

We used to know someone didn't we @AliGage!

 

[Glynn]

thrown better tools in the skip

 

[Dan]

To be fair the mixer just needs a good whack with a hammer. But it's still shocking to think it's left like that!

 

[Archie69]

This is the end result of a society that did away with a proper indentured apprenticeship.. We used to lead the way with our skills and engineering. I know we still have good and proper proud of there work skilled craftsmen/women out there and count myself amongst them. (No giving myself a bighead) but it is getting more difficult to get these rare birds...

 

[p4ulo]

Jeez, that's awful.....shame for the waste! Good luck.
(can I have the mixer end, that'll clean up a treat with about 4 hours work!!?)

 

[ACCOLADE]

These are the people who always under cut us, They chose this profession, thinking its easy. And get us all a bag name.
Just been on a job. Full house with under floor heating thought out. 3 bathrooms 1 wc 1 WEDI wet room. Step making for a 2m bath. All in Porcelain tiles. Would be there for months. Got told I was 3k over priced! Another firm nobody has herds of, or recommended. Bring back free aprentiships,

 

[Dan]

Jeez, that's awful.....shame for the waste! Good luck.
(can I have the mixer end, that'll clean up a treat with about 4 hours work!!?)

4 hours my arse lol

3 whacks with a hammer and that'll be brand new (maybe bent a bit).

 

[Archie69]

Oooooh! Four hours work!!! There's a bag of mapei on that mixer. He might as well have left it in the bucket and I could have put it in the front garden with a bit of tinsel round it for Crimbo!!!

 

[widler]

Come on,more pics
I'd skip the tiles, at least it's only one wall.
If I'm honest I've left my mixer like that on many occasion, end of day, can't be bothered going to get some water to clean it, so leave it till morning, get my lat hammer and its brand new within minutes

 

[Spare Tool]

Come on,more pics
I'd skip the tiles, at least it's only one wall.
If I'm honest I've left my mixer like that on many occasion, end of day, can't be bothered going to get some water to clean it, so leave it till morning, get my lat hammer and its brand new within minutes

Erm I believe its my mixer you've left like that on many occasions Widdy

 

[Simon benn Leeds]

A subcontractors efforts for me!. Bearing in mind there's 6 bathrooms in this property and and 120mq2 of limestone flooring in a £3mil house, oh and is straight onto new MR board!.... #sacked!...

 

[Simon benn Leeds]

P.s sorry for thread hacking

 

[Archie69]

I will try to furnish you with further pics. I can understand anyone can be laxadasicle. And you can find fault in any job if you look close and long enough. And I have always been an avid believer in don't snag the job till it's finished.But when you find an accumulation of faults due to lack of preparation and foresight you know when you've got a wrongun.. Someone? Somewhere? In time gone past.. (Quoted) A bad workmen blames his tools. There's a bit of truth in that there saying! To say the least! I do put a lot of this lack of skill down to ignorance. I think we have got a lot of young people out there who are willing to get out of there kip in the early hours of the morn and want to learn a trade, but someone higher up the train decided to fast track all forms of training in the construction sector, which had a knock on effect to hands on experience which is now coming to light many years later. What's the answer??? I know but why don't (they) our future lies in the hands of our younger generation and they have been robbed of a great thing. Pride! Getting heavy now though

 

[Archie69]

View attachment 75782

A subcontractors efforts for me!. Bearing in mind there's 6 bathrooms in this property and and 120mq2 of limestone flooring in a £3mil house, oh and is straight onto new MR board!.... #sacked!...

That's what your up against!! Every day! Shame though.

 

[Simon benn Leeds]

These lads have been tiling 30 years, paid them a decent day rate (basically paid there asking price) it's just embarrassing, nobody ever looked at finished project said "well that's not very good but they were quick" it's either right or its wrong (no middle ground for me).
I just think if you don't want the job or can't do the job don't do the job.

I feel your pain mate. @Archie69

 

[Archie69]

These lads have been tiling 30 years, paid them a decent day rate (basically paid there asking price) it's just embarrassing, nobody ever looked at finished project said "well that's not very good but they were quick" it's either right or its wrong (no middle ground for me).
I just think if you don't want the job or can't do the job don't do the job.

I feel your pain mate. @Archie69

Basically, getting away with it for that amount of time they have become or always where a proper bunch of you know wats!

 

[Simon benn Leeds]

Chancers!.. And won't work for me again, their loss.

 

[kevsalt]

5 litres brick acid soak for that mixer ..think ive got o.c.d i use 3 on a big job soaking 1 every 2 days ...they want binnin really the dirty scutter...had to put right a few dabbed jobs ...dont know how they sleep at night ...imagine a big format tile falling from height on a kids head having a bath.....shiver

 

[widler]

View attachment 75782

A subcontractors efforts for me!. Bearing in mind there's 6 bathrooms in this property and and 120mq2 of limestone flooring in a £3mil house, oh and is straight onto new MR board!.... #sacked!...

Holy Shinzo , I've get less lip off me daughters ,that's bad

As fo apprentices , I think it's all this
'lets go to uni for a degree on erm Bugger all and work at McDonald's until a job comes along which needs my degree ' mentality we have had for the past decade or so !
All the half decent middle of the road lads who went into the building trade with little brain matter but a abundance of common sense,like me ,years ago ,have got pushed into further education and left lads who Have no brains or common sense and grunt by way of communicating trust me I've had loads

 

[Archie69]

That's absolutely correct, I went to a secondary school. Got a job when I was 16. As a plumbers mate. Proved I could turn up in the morning. Proved I was interested in the job. Got offered an apprenticeship. Did me time as we say. I never knew anyone in my circle of friends/relatives who went to (uni) we all wanted to get a trade and earn a few quid. The big problem in our times is common sense is not that common. And they can't teach it in uni's or anywhere else come to think of it. All I can say is you can't beat a good job. And training whilst your doing it. Read a good notice outside a public house the other day. Education is important! But beer is more importanter!

 

[widler]

For some reason being a tradesman is frowned upon in some circles these days , i don't know why, most of us have to do 4/5 years training to get half decent then we start learning, most of these uni grads don't do that to get a degree

 

[Dan]

5 litres brick acid soak for that mixer ..think ive got o.c.d i use 3 on a big job soaking 1 every 2 days ...they want binnin really the dirty scutter...had to put right a few dabbed jobs ...dont know how they sleep at night ...imagine a big format tile falling from height on a kids head having a bath.....shiver

Have you not just whacked it with a hammer? 2 minutes and do it in a bucket the bits don't even go everywhere.