Wall and Floor Tiling Advice for Kate the Mate

Please see my earlier thread for background information to this problem.

http://www.tilersforums.com/stone-tiling-forum/40827-travertine-tiles-shower-help-needed.html

The tiler/plumber started on Tuesday this week. He brought with him a younger guy to assist. They took out the bath, washbasin, loo and shower tray and boarded and then tiled the floor. The tiles had all been sealed first. So far, so good I thought.

Yesterday they put the bath back in and then started tiling around the bath. All seemed to be going well as far as I could see. Today, the main man went out 'to get some grout' and was gone for over three hours. During that time his assistant (a carpenter) carried on tiling. I went upstairs to see how he was getting on and was horrified to see that he had started at one corner of the wall and has worked across the wall, but when he gets to the other corner there is a gap which he tells me he will fill with grout. He has used very few spacers, working mainly by eye, so the grouting gaps are not consistent, some are big, some are small. My picture will explain better than me.

When the main man gets back he tells me not to worry, he will cut some slithers of tile to put in the gaps, which he has done, but to me the whole thing has been spoiled. There is a full tile at one end of the wall and a slither of tile at the other, and it's the wall facing you as you come into the bathroom. I could have wept. I really wanted a great job and, to me, it looks amateurish. Picture enclosed.

On another wall the bath is centred and the taps are centred too, but the tiling is not centred on the taps so the tiling looks unbalanced. Please tell me, will it look better when it's grouted, which is what the tiler tells me? Am I being too particular?

I really wanted to feel that this was fabulous, it's costing a fortune, but I feel physically sick about what to do or think.

Hi Kate, not good setting out at all, on the bath, yes it should have been centred, looks odd as it is, in my opinion, as for the shower, very very bad setting out, as as for putting slither in, it will look just as bad.

Sorry.


EDIT: and with grout, it will still look bad, that's the bottom of it, it is a bad job.

Sorry.

That is poor setting out, photo 2 is not acceptable you must get them to do it again. Dont pay them until its right.

Don't be sorry, Alan.P. It's a relief to know I'm not wrong. I just don't know what to do now.

Will the tiles be ruined if they are taken off?

As above.... poor planning before commencing with the tiling. Insist they put right!

Thanks enduro. I'm not very good at confrontation. I know I won't sleep tonight.

Any tiles that are damaged and can't be re-used will have to be replaced at their cost, as should any other materials.

Kate the mate said:

Thanks enduro. I'm not very good at confrontation. I know I won't sleep tonight.

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You'll have to stand your ground Kate, otherwise they will try and fob you off.

golden rule of tiling kate is that you never start with a full tile

Kate the mate said:

Will the tiles be ruined if they are taken off?

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Depends if they come off without breaking, then use an electric sander to remove adhesive from back of the tiles.

Oh, dear. I knew instinctively that it was wrong and I told the tiler that I thought so, but he said 'are you trying to tell me how to do my job?' That's why I came here to check. I wish you could come and tell the tiler rather than me.

Kate the mate said:

Oh, dear. I knew instinctively that it was wrong and I told the tiler that I thought so, but he said 'are you trying to tell me how to do my job?' That's why I came here to check. I wish you could come and tell the tiler rather than me.

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Sounds like you know more about tiling than the tiler.

faithealer, I have tiled in my utility and was so careful to make sure the tiles matched at either side. I honestly think I would have done a better job of the walls but I really wanted it to look perfect.

If they still disagree, ask them to come to the forum to explain their setting out. You have to remember it's your money, and with work like that, you can tell him how to do his job properly. Be brave, and if they wont remedy the problem, ask them to leave.