Acceptable Tile Level Difference

[Time's Ran Out]

Dave - Your right customers deserve better than the tiling in the photos suppied in the thread by Forum H.
But what I think frostfree was getting at is we don't know how much forum H paid to have it done or whether his recommended 'tiler' was just that - a tiler.
I don't think he was saying its acceptable to have lippage if you have a cheap job I took it that 'that is the standard of work you get if you have a cheap job'!
All the replies are critical of the workmanship but its the old saying pay peanuts get....

Timeless John.

 

[smurf21]

in my opinion regardless of how much was paid, anyone who takes on the job puts in a quote there happy with so should therefore do the job to the standard the customer expects if it was a full time tiler that did this job then he doesnt take pride in his work or his reputation, lets not sugar coat this its p poor a little more time and prep would have got the desired result. this would prob have been acceptable with a riven ceramic or slate even but not a polished tile they are unforgiving......chase him down and get it improved. For £79 m2 plus fixing and matts i would want it like glass.
If you dont think you can get the desired effect then these so called tilers should not take on such jobs and the only way they will learn is to get them back foc...but this is my opinion.....RANT OVER.

 

[oogabooga]

they are all beveled mate! you just cant see it because of the g-rout

Hmmm, don't think you're right. Tile on rhs in 2nd photo the face (what little there is visible) drops vertically. So easy on the exclamation mark!!:lol:

Regardless, the other photos indicate that the job's not that flash.

 

[Forum_H]

Hi All. Just catching up with the recent replies re costs etc. So to confirm:
Area is 8 sq metres (charged for 9 of course)
Laytex supply and fit - £94
Tiles - £79.15 sq m
Fitting, incl adhesive and grout £354
Total we were charged for whole job - £1191

Worth mentioning that originally he quoted £280 for fitting, so we queried the charge but he said the £280 was for porcelain not stone. But we found his original scribbles and he def wrote down £280 for stone, so easy to challenge.

A qualified tiler (we assume) with a sign written van and business cards with apparently 20+ years experience.

In case it's relevant - he pre-sealed the tiles before fitting.

HTH in terms of any further comments as to whether for this sort of money we should be expecting virtual perfection! Think we may need to get a tiler round to assess it professionally and see where we go from there.

Thanks.

 

[frostfree]

Dave- I totally agree that Forum H deserves a better standard of tile fitting. I was just trying to make the 'get what you pay for arguement'.
In an ideal world no lippage would occur on any installation.

I would like to know the full facts of the situation before condeming another tradespersons work.

We dont know:-

1. The amount paid for the tile fitting.
2. Time constraints for the tile fitting (was tiler under pressure to finish so other trades could get in or did other trades hold tiler up).
3. Did the job specification change as the job progressed.
4. Good or bad relationship between tiler and customer.
5. Skill level and expertise of tiler.

We do know:-
1. Forum H is unhappy with amount of lippage.


From reading the initial post the tiler was recommended and had bothered to lay slc a few days before laying tiles. This sounds to me like a good start. Just wondering if something has changed as the job has progressed which would account for the lippage.

It may be the tiler was simply having an off day or couldnt give a monkeys about the quality of his work.

I do not know the tiler or the customer. I am simply trying to get the full facts of the situation and remain as unbiased as possible before deciding whether the lippage is acceptable or not on this particular instalation.

I think it is important to gain as much background info as possible before blaming either tiler or customer.

 

[Forum_H]

PS to my last post ... no knee pads and tiles weren't covered as they were fitted. No sign as far as we're aware of any spacers or levels being used along the way. It took him about an hour to do the laytexting, then just under 6 hours to fit and grout the tiles.

 

[Bolter]

Hi All. Just catching up with the recent replies re costs etc. So to confirm:
Area is 8 sq metres (charged for 9 of course)
Laytex supply and fit - £94
Tiles - £79.15 sq m
Fitting, incl adhesive and grout £354
Total we were charged for whole job - £1191

I would expect nothing but the best for that price tbh.

 

[Forum_H]

Frostfree - please see post above - no 35 - which crossed with yours. Job didn't change along the way. Originally he was booked to come in Tues/Wed 26/27 May, as kitchen fitting was due to complete Fri 22 May. Kitchen finished Fri 22 and he came up that evening and that's when he said the laytexing was needed, and that he had to jiggle days around, but would have it finished by Fri 29 May. No pressure from us re that - we were just pleased it would be finished before the weekend. And surprised that it only took him a day when originally he said two. No difficulties along the way, nor so in discussions with him since. We're fair and reasonable people and always try to treat everyone as we expect to be treated ourselves. Typical Brits in fact, find it very difficult to complain and quite frankly it's making us feel sick having to do so, never mind being unhappy with the finished product! Ta.

 

[frostfree]

Many thanks Forum H. This is the info we needed.
You have every right to expect a top notch job.
If you can calmly and rationally explain your concerns to the tiler in an amicable manner I see no reason why the tiler should not rectify the problems at his cost.
Hopefully you will end up with the floor you always wanted and the tilers reputation remains intact.
I have found diplomacy usually wins the day in these situations.

 

[Bolter]

Frostfree - please see post above - no 35 - which crossed with yours. Job didn't change along the way. Originally he was booked to come in Tues/Wed 26/27 May, as kitchen fitting was due to complete Fri 22 May. Kitchen finished Fri 22 and he came up that evening and that's when he said the laytexing was needed, and that he had to jiggle days around, but would have it finished by Fri 29 May. No pressure from us re that - we were just pleased it would be finished before the weekend. And surprised that it only took him a day when originally he said two. No difficulties along the way, nor so in discussions with him since. We're fair and reasonable people and always try to treat everyone as we expect to be treated ourselves. Typical Brits in fact, find it very difficult to complain and quite frankly it's making us feel sick having to do so, never mind being unhappy with the finished product! Ta.

You are quite within your rights to not be happy with this one. For £40/msq inc materials, I would expect nothing but the best. Flat at the very least.

Out of interest how many bags of latex were used?

Can you take a low level picture of the floor, but looking into the whole room, rather than focusing on one joint?

 

[basshunter]

Basshunter is correct. The bevel is under the grout.

 

[Forum_H]

Bolter, have uploaded PDF to try and keep photo resolution to max and file size down. Hope you can read OK.

 

[Bolter]

Bolter, have uploaded PDF to try and keep photo resolution to max and file size down. Hope you can read OK.

Bloody hell they are shiney 🙂 all the reflections mean its hard to see whats going on. Still, proof is in the pictures you originally posted.

Get yourself a long level or something long and straight, and run it over the floor in different places. I would use my 2m level. If you look under the level when its flat on the floor, you can see under it in some places, and it will be flush with the floor in others. Same method you used with a ruler, but will give better results and information. This is what you need to show the tiler.

 

[DHTiling]

You just need to look along the plinth line....:yikes:

I wish you good luck in getting this rectified, please let us know what the end result is..

 

[Bolter]

You just need to look along the plinth line....:yikes:

Yup there you go, didnt notice that! :yikes:

 

[smurf21]

imo the fixer has tried to make a killing here, got caught out but his price reflects the fact that he definantly has enough on the job to be made to come back and rectify and not be to much out of pocket if only he had taken that time it could have been a good job.😳

 

[Daz]

As well as looking at the discrepencies along the plinth lines, look at the "jagged" reflections. If the floor was done properly, there would be no wonky reflection lines. Judging by the end result, it was a waste of time applying slc, cos it didn't work.

The job has been rushed and the tiler takes little pride in the standard of his work. He charges top money, though, so should deffo be called back to rectify. I wish you well.

 

[hillhead]

Not acceptable whatsoever, obviously a rush job and very little if any tiles adjusted to get level,anyone can tile like that if they were let too.But i like many would rather leave a job perfect in my eyes and my customers happy,and i don't get £40 inc materials over here in Ireland !! :incazzato:

 

[milan11]

Lipping is unacceptable, changing few tiles won't solve the problem, if you are looking for perfect job, get your floor regrinde - but, with such a big lipps, that can be quite expensive.

 

[Verona]

You just need to look along the plinth line....:yikes:

The legs from the table give away a lot of information too about floor being unlevel such as the door handles and other lines we should assume being level.

We go back to customer for even the tiniest gap in grout, so I don't see why this tiler shouldn't want to correct this floor!
In the first place he should have paid more attention to detail and take more pride in his work.
Personally I would be fussy too if this was laid in my own home too!

All the best getting it like you had imagined!

 

[Forum_H]

Update! Have had discussions with tiler over the weekend earlier in the week. He offered to lift it all and walk away bearing the full cost, though we're obviously a bit worried about the condition the floor will be left in. We also felt it the right thing to, as much for his benefit as for ours, to get some other tilers in to comment before we make a final decision about what to do. Have had one tiler round and another due this evening. The tiler who's already been says it's not a good job - looks OK if you glance across, but the more you look, the more you see wrong! He did say that because it's polished granite, it's very unforgiving, so a lot of care and attention needs to be paid to ensure a good job. He suggested going over the top with something not so troublesome! Cheers for all your help in the meantime - promise to let you have an update.

 

[DHTiling]

Please do keep us informed how this goes....and if you need a good tiler to relay just ask and i can sort you one out from here...

 

[Olz]

He suggested going over the top with something not so troublesome!

Rubbish, why should you change the floor you want, IMO what the tiler who told you that was really saying was "change it to something easier for me to lay".

The tiles you've chosed are unforgiving, but people all over the country have them laid perfectly well every day, you only need to look in captainslows album to see how it should look. Its hard but perfectly possible to have the floor you want laid properly!!!

 

[Alan.P]

What Oli said, no further comment needed