Floor Has Tile Lippage, Wall Tiles Going Up In The Morning! Help Please!

[actionjackson]

Good evening.

I have had a tiler in for the last two days to tile my bathroom with Porcelonosa rectified tiles - 440x660 on the floor (6.5m) & 330x1000 on the walls (10m).

When the tiler quoted for the work i stressed beforehand that i was looking for an A1 job, minimal-zero lippage etc etc and was prepared to pay that little extra so he could take his time.

So....

Day 1

Tiler arrives at 0715 and we discus the floor setting out and agree on a layout. I received a call @ 1500 and the tiler tells me that we are one floor tile short! The tiler calculated the amount of tiles required and asked for 10% extra. Because of the size of the tiles i said to the tiler that i felt 10% wasn't enough but he dissagreed. In any case i ordered 20% on top but we are still one short. Porecelonossa can't deliver this until Monday! I asked if this was the last tile left to be laid (its 3pm) and he told me was having troubles cutting the tiles with his diamond blade so went away to get a water cutter. The tiler then said he will lay & grout the floor the next day and return on Monday to fit the tile. Sounds fair to me but concerned with these problems.

Day 2


Tiler arrives at 0800 when i set off for work. I arrive back home at 1900 having already spoken to the tiler. The floor is almost laid (4 tiles to lay) with no other work completed.

The first thing i noticed was the height of the floor. The bed of adhesive is 12mm height! The subfloor has electric UFH with a SLC ontop and was very flat (my father has a resin driveway business and uses SLC all the time). Is this usual? The adhesive being used is BAL SPF Rapid Set.

On inspection the floor looks ok overall but i have 2 x tiles marked as poor (2mm lippage) but thankfully they are located in a corner of the room and under the toilet so i will live with them.

However there is 3 x tiles marked out as unacceptable.

1 x tile has a 5mm grout line when it should be 2mm. Unfortunately the whole floor fluctuates between 2mm-3.5mm grout lines but i have no choice but to live with it unless we start again. This tile is at the end where the bath meets the floor so should come up ok.

2 x tiles have 2mm lippage which i can't live with. Is this understandable? One of the tiles should be easy to lift as its at the end where he hasn't finished but the other is in the middle of the room. Given i have no spares (tiler said i would have a few spares) i would like it pulled up without damage. Is this possible?

My next big question.... should i cut the job short and get someone else in to do the walls and grout?

 

[Bathfix Bob]

Interesting.....

I imagine he'll be feeling pretty low at the moment but why get yourself into that postion in the first place?

 

[AliGage]

The search is on for a tiler to get me out of this mess!

To add my 2p worth i wouldn't pay your tiler a penny. He's clearly incompetent, the area in the last photo you've posted showing the majority of your bathroom floor doesn't look like a complicated area at all, i certainly don't see any reason why ho would run out of tiles/not be able to calculate how many he needed as the cuts round the room appear in the photo to be under half a tile.

Ali

 

[paul78]

i would refuse to give him anything myself as whatever you give him then he still makes a profit!! Where your now in the RED regardless of the situation so pay nothing and put it towards correcting the errors. But to correct lipping may not be as easy as you think as i bet the tiles around the ones you want to replace arnt level with the next so dont expect no lipping. Then theres all the mis-match grout widths....

Its comes down to what you can live with really as your always going to look and cringe every time your on the toilet/in the bath for years.

His work is well below DIY standards and to even have the cheek to look at tiles worth £50m2 let alone attempt to lay them then the guys a joke!

Keep everyone posted even with your success stories, and everyone always likes a good pic or 2 :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Qwerty]

I wouldnt pay him anything to be honest. As others have said..... you paid for materials that now have to be replaced. At a push I suppose paying for his time when collecting materials would be a token gesture if you felt uneasy about the situation. I must admire you for standing up to him. At least he seems to be a gent about the situation so far and swallowed his pride

 

[jay]

Things to consider
replacement tiles needed

tiles need to be removed and replaced (sounds easy but it is not )

there is floor heating

then the floor needs grouting

take them into consideration when working out what to pay

 

[Rich]

If I was to be the tiler that was called in to put that right, I would want to take up the tiles that have been put down, IMO this is the only way to get the floor how it should be (flat and even). Unfortunately this would be a big old job as there is UFH underneath.

 

[jay]

If I was to be the tiler that was called in to put that right, I would want to take up the tiles that have been put down, IMO this is the only way to get the floor how it should be (flat and even). Unfortunately this would be a big old job as there is UFH underneath.

Thats what i was thinking

 

[actionjackson]

I have another tiler visiting tomorrow morning at 10am to take a look at the mess so will let you know the outcome.

He has been recommended by my local Porcelonosa branch manager so i have high hopes I'm heading in the right direction.

 

[DHTiling]

I wish you good luck with the next tiler... because it certainly wasn't one that tiled that floor..

You are being too soft and do not need to feel guilt about what has happened.. is it to much to expect a decent job, NO it isn't . so move on and let that guy walk and with NO payment for shoddy work, he might then think twice about turning that quality out and expect paying for it.

Many thanks for sharing with us and please do let us know how you get on and maybe some pics when completed..

 

[Ian]

I have another tiler visiting tomorrow morning at 10am to take a look at the mess so will let you know the outcome.

He has been recommended by my local Porcelonosa branch manager so i have high hopes I'm heading in the right direction.

Even though they come recommended, still ask to see pictures of previous work and don't just take a shop managers word for it that he will do a good job.

 

[Rich]

Defiantly do your homework on the new tiler, ask for pics and rec emendations. If he is a decent tiler he will not be offended, he can see the floor and see why you would be hesitant.

 

[actionjackson]

Update

A new tiler visited on Sunday and although seemed capable of sorting the mess out, he is fully booked for several weeks and wants a small fortune to do it which is well above my budget. I simply think his price is representative of the situation and not the typical rates for his services.

I decided to be productive on Sunday and not drink away my sorrows, so pulled up the entire floor (damaging 1 tile only) and cleaned up all tiles in preparationtion for a new tiler. My dad has spent the last 2 days carefully chiseling away the 15mm thick tile adhesive off the SLC but as you can see in the pictures this is easier said than done and has left a broken up sub-floor. We plan to remove as much of the loose bits, prime and then apply a further fibre reinforced SLC layer in readiness for tiling.

Another tiler should have visited Monday & tonight but cancelled on both occasions so i'm still searching for a tiler. I may end up doing the job myself!

 

[AliGage]

I am utterly amazed you've lifted that floor without breaking any tiles! I think that speaks volumes of your previous tilers work.

 

[Rich]

You really are not having much luck are you.

I hope somebody responds to your request and sorts this mess out.

 

[Qwerty]

Oh dear, what a mess. I doubt that the tiler that quoted you was quoting any inflated prices....... I expect he is charging what most of us do. Im curious now how much you paid for the original work to be done. The old saying "you pay peanuts you get monkeys" springs to mind.

Take that toilet up before levelling the floor though. Dont call the other tiler back who cancelled on you. You dont want to go through the mill again! Good luck

 

[hillhead]

Great work there lifting them, well done.

 

[White Room]

I can't believe it's so difficult to get a local tiler...

 

[Rich]

I can't believe it's so difficult to get a local tiler...

A decent one you mean...

 

[dave l and l]

maybe the other tiler has cancelled because he is really busy and cant get free time , you never know,
at least he called to cancel on you

 

[Qwerty]

maybe the other tiler has cancelled because he is really busy and cant get free time , you never know,
at least he called to cancel on you

Im full of old sayings tonight........ I remember one of my peers telling me to "never bite off more than you can chew" :lol:

 

[Qwerty]

Going off topic I know (sorry!).

Well done for getting the tiles up intact and hope you get it sorted soon

 

[Stef]

I wish i was closer to you as i would squeeze you in (even a couple of hours a night)

If you can get that floor flat then why not have a bash at it yourself?

You seem to know the ins & outs about the tiling & you are defo in the right place for advice.

Hope you have a happy conclusion to this, keep us updated.

 

[actionjackson]

I wish i was closer to you as i would squeeze you in (even a couple of hours a night)

If you can get that floor flat then why not have a bash at it yourself?

You seem to know the ins & outs about the tiling & you are defo in the right place for advice.

Hope you have a happy conclusion to this, keep us updated.

I might not have a choice but to give it a go. Time is the problem!

 

[Alan M]

i dont thik you could do a worse job anyway.

 

[stu-180]

Im in Norfolk this weekend ! ..... if only I was decent ! lol

Well done on ripping them up, they were shocking !
Im pretty stunned it took the bloke 2 whole days to do such a bad job !! amazing

 

[NZ_Tiler]

Well done lifting them up, and also changing tilers, was the right decision. I hope you have more luck with the next bloke, and when its all done and dusted you can relax in your tub, look around and be pleased with the final result.
Nice looking tiles by the way!

 

[lcjohno]

Only just read this post, you've done well getting them tiles up and i'm sorry to hear your struggling to find a decent tiler. My advice to you would be have a bash yourself. This website is the perfect place for all the info you need. I know the tiles are quite large and it will seem a bit daunting but you know what you want. Just ask questions on here and you'll get all the answers you need. It sounds like your dad does a manual job and he's given you a lift getting tiles up so why dont you do it together. Use a slow setting adhesive, take your time and i think you'll manage it between you.

Good luck whatever you do and let us know how you get on.

 

[DHTiling]

After all the chew you have had and it still comes down to price, good tilers are not cheap, this is a specialised trade and about time the public realised that.
We wish you good luck and appreciate you sharing your project with us.

 

[actionjackson]

Evening guys.

Not sure if i should ask this on separatete post so mods please move if necessary.

As seen in my previous posts the floor is now looking rather poor and will need another layer of SLC to provide a suitable surface for tiling. I have purchased Webber floor flex to do the job but have a question before i proceed.

Webber claim that a minimum 10mm layer is needed on wooden substrates. I'm unable to go this high otherwise i will create a step, so in some areas it will be a feather edge and others 5-6mm to bring up to level. The supplier advised that i'm ok because my substrate is marmox concrete backerboards ontop of ply; i.e. not a wooden substrate. Would you say this is correct?

Should i have stumped up the cash (3 x price) and bought mapei fibre plan??

I have a third tiler pricing the job tomorrow afternoon and don't want him to see the floor in this state. Its putting the good guys off the job!!

 

[Qwerty]

Should i have stumped up the cash (3 x price) and bought mapei fibre plan??

No, but you could always go for Mapei Renovation screed or Latexplan...... much cheaper than Fibreplan. Fibreplan is very good stuff, but ren plan is just as good and easy to work with

I have a third tiler pricing the job tomorrow afternoon and don't want him to see the floor in this state. Its putting the good guys off the job!!

Why is it putting the "good guys" off??? If they are indeed good, then this shouldnt put them off. Any pro tiler would take it in their stride. Please do not employ another amateur.... you dont need the hassle again