Acceptable lippage in large format floor tiles

[Shinyshiny054]

Was anything done with the cracked screed before the tiling? Did the other tilers who came to quote have any reservations about it?

Hi PDC, two suggested a membrane to limit issues with lifting tiles at later date but they all felt the cracks had formed due to heating too quick and weren’t particularly concerned. The guy we chose said he had tiled over the same before and the floor was still going strong several years later and said no probs, will even give a guarantee. My understanding is that he filled the cracks before priming but whether that happened I have no idea as I was at work that day

 

[Time's Ran Out]

That’s why your other tiler suggested a decoupling mat so these cracks didn't transfer through to the tile surface.
If he gave a 10 year guarantee was this in writing, verbal or on the back of a *** packet?

 

[Shinyshiny054]

That’s why your other tiler suggested a decoupling mat so these cracks didn't transfer through to the tile surface.
If he gave a 10 year guarantee was this in writing, verbal or on the back of a *** packet?

Supposedly in writing, but this hasn’t materialised, funnily enough.

Yes, that’s why they suggested decoupling mats. Unfortunately we couldn’t afford the quotes so when this other guy said it was no problem at all, the tiles would hold it all together and he had prior experience of tiling over these systems we went for it. We were just so keen to get the building work back on track and it was the right price with the right timescales. We should have waited

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Ok - thanks for being up front with the background reason for tiler choice.
It’s now a difficult situation with regard to the way forward and his so called guarantee. Unfortunately everything needs to be in writing before, during and after, so write to him with your concerns. Keep all notes of your recollections and correspondence and be ready to go down the citizen advice or small claims. You do need to offer him the opportunity to put right his work, so again make that offer.
No tradesman want a bad reputation and at this stage it’s not irreparable.
Hope today’s regrouting helps your situation.

 

[Shinyshiny054]

Ok - thanks for being up front with the background reason for tiler choice.
It’s now a difficult situation with regard to the way forward and his so called guarantee. Unfortunately everything needs to be in writing before, during and after, so write to him with your concerns. Keep all notes of your recollections and correspondence and be ready to go down the citizen advice or small claims. You do need to offer him the opportunity to put right his work, so again make that offer.
No tradesman want a bad reputation and at this stage it’s not irreparable.
Hope today’s regrouting helps your situation.

He isn’t responding to texts, and phone appears to be off. No show from his guy that was supposed to fix the grout and the light is beginning to fade. It’s a Sunday so il wait until tomorrow to pick this up again but will also be working on a timeline plus drafting up a letter of ‘concern’ to get the ball rolling and, like you say @timeless john, give him a chance to give some sort of resolution. Wish I’d given it a go myself, would have saved a considerable amount of cash plus I’d take more care, since I need to live with the finish!

 

[JMC tiling]

Hi,

From the pictures the lippage is hard to judge because the grouting has been done so poorly and also with cheap tiles sometimes you can find that the edges will curl up/down slightly and be bowed, if this was the case then the tiler should have flagged this up and put the onus on you to decide if you wanted to carry on with it. The grouting needs rectifying then you'll be able to assess how bad the lipping is. When 2 tilers out of 3 have advised you to spec. a De-coup membrane, I have to question the wisdom behind ignoring that advise and going with the cheapest quote. That being said, there is still no excuse for anyone to produce shoddy work like the grouting I can see.

 

[Dumbo]

Hi,

From the pictures the lippage is hard to judge because the grouting has been done so poorly and also with cheap tiles sometimes you can find that the edges will curl up/down slightly and be bowed, if this was the case then the tiler should have flagged this up and put the onus on you to decide if you wanted to carry on with it. The grouting needs rectifying then you'll be able to assess how bad the lipping is. When 2 tilers out of 3 have advised you to spec. a De-coup membrane, I have to question the wisdom behind ignoring that advise and going with the cheapest quote. That being said, there is still no excuse for anyone to produce shoddy work like the grouting I can see.

I disagree a couple of those pictures there i no way that grouting is going to hide the degree of lippage .

 

[JMC tiling]

not saying its going to hide it, I'm saying there is a chance that the tiles are badly made/bowed/curling at edges and that it is difficult to judge on them pictures especially with the grouting being so bad.

 

[Dumbo]

not saying its going to hide it, I'm saying there is a chance that the tiles are badly made/bowed/curling at edges and that it is difficult to judge on them pictures especially with the grouting being so bad.

First three lines of what you said .
I disagree

 

[Time's Ran Out]

There should be no excuse for lippage in this day and age with the use of levelling clips it should be avoided. However if the tiles vary in width by 2mm then they could also be bowed.
The point the OP was making is he asked if a levelling system was being used, was it ok to tile over the cracks, and were the tiles ok to use. All assured replies from his tiler of choice. In the end he chose the ‘tiler’ within his budget but unfortunately it looks as though corners are cut to turn out a below standard job. When getting estimates it’s only fair to try and get like for like and in this case it was outside of budget, so the ‘I’ve done it this way for years’ won the job.
We see it a lot on here and really sometimes you have to ask, why do people pay for this standard of work.
I get a deposit, but balance on completion. The customer only pays when they are happy. Why pay if you don’t like what’s been done!!

 

[JMC tiling]

I disagree a couple of those pictures there i no way that grouting is going to hide the degree of lippage .

so you disagree that cheap tiles can be bowed and have poorly shaped, curled edges, that the pictures are not totally clear and that the grouting is poor?

 

[Italy]

There should be no excuse for lippage in this day and age with the use of levelling clips it should be avoided. However if the tiles vary in width by 2mm then they could also be bowed.
The point the OP was making is he asked if a levelling system was being used, was it ok to tile over the cracks, and were the tiles ok to use. All assured replies from his tiler of choice. In the end he chose the ‘tiler’ within his budget but unfortunately it looks as though corners are cut to turn out a below standard job. When getting estimates it’s only fair to try and get like for like and in this case it was outside of budget, so the ‘I’ve done it this way for years’ won the job.
We see it a lot on here and really sometimes you have to ask, why do people pay for this standard of work.
I get a deposit, but balance on completion. The customer only pays when they are happy. Why pay if you don’t like what’s been done!!

The last sentence is a question?
or an exclamation?

 

[Dumbo]

No cheap tiles can be rubbish . You said lippage is hard to judge because of poor grouting . That I disagree with you can clearly see from a couple of the pictures the lippage is bad no matter what the cause.

 

[Shinyshiny054]

They only tiled half the ground floor (thank god) so there are plenty of tiles left to assess for bowing etc. We’ll be doing the other half, will be interesting to see whether or not we do a better job with zero experience and a tile levelling system .

As I said, I don’t know WHY I paid this guy, I never do that, i just wasn’t thinking clearly and was so relieved to be on the Home run to moving out of a single bedroom upstairs and back into our house. It’s cramped with 4!

Another tiler is coming out tomorrow to assess and advise. Will ask him to look at the tiles as you have all suggested all possibilities for such a lax looking job.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

The last sentence is a question?
or an exclamation?

Exclamation!!!!!
Didn’t want to ask a question just exasperated that people pay for poor work!!
You know I love my !!!!