Builders Tiling job - is this acceptable?

[One Day]

Those blobs onto emulsion...
Give one of the tiles a bit of a tug and, well....
You'll see!

 

[Huddersfield Tiling]

Hi, I'm having my bathroom renovated and would really appreciate some advice as I've heard/read conflicting information and would like to know where I stand. The job is due to finish around the of this week.

The tiles are 600x300mm and 9mm thick porcelain.

Please see the attached image, which is a screenshot of multiple images. I can upload the individual files if you need to see any larger.

Clockwise from top left image:

2755 - adhesive

2543 - Ply back wall and platform for shower. When queried he said it was marine ply so would be ok.

2543 - side wall plastered, cut out for shower niche

2570 - constructed plywood niche sitting on shower tray.

2604 - Tiles being put on top of plywood on wall and on niche

2760 - dot and dab tiling. He agreed it didn't conform to British standards but it was the only way to make it look straight after he plastered the walls.

2762 - 3 piles of 16mm thick adhesive per tile along at least one wall

2768 - adhesive is aprox 60-70mm wide

2659 - tiles being laid on floor

2780 - tiles on plywood

2788 - tiles were laid on top of this wall

Thanks.

View attachment 106261

In a word, NO.

Tiling onto plywood is a bad idea, even if the builder insists it's marine ply (it won't be, more likely WBP). In wet areas, it's a definite no-no. The walls and floors should have boarded onto stable joinery work using cement boards of a thickness of 12 mm on the walls and 6mm on the floor or an insulation type board which has a cement fibre reinforced thin face.
Ask him to leave before disaster happens.

 

[Andy Allen]

You need a step ladder for the shower tray.
Why is it so high?

I thought it was a sunken bath...lol

 

[gee]

Good morning.

Thank you all for your advice.

I’ll give you an update with the timelines:

On monday 15/4/19 I discovered the job was potentially problematic. I arranged for a tiler to come out and check out the work on the tuesday. I then spoke with the company I have doing renovations to my entire property, which includes the bathroom, telling him of the problem and he agreed it didn’t conform to uk standards. I said to concentrate on the other work and I’d get someone in tomorrow to inspect the work and advise on its safety.

That night I returned to the property and discovered he’d ignored my instructions to stop and had all but completed the tiling and covered up the edges where the dot and dab tiling was evident.

On tuesday 16/4/19 I advised the pro tiler I'd asked for input and he said it was a nasty situation and pulled out of visiting, not wanting to get involved. I don’t blame him, I’d love to do the same but its my house.

My property is far from completion and completely uninhabitable. Plus he’s been paid in excess of the current status of renovations.

Not quite sure what to do.

 

[Andy Rhodes]

Yes don't give him any more cash no matter what other work he completes then get him to sort out the tiling he can put backer board over the plywood, the backer boards come in various thickness so he could fit 10 mm over top that would be a better outcome than straight over the plywood

 

[gee]

Cheers.
Just noticed I got the months wrong - can't believe its april already - and can't find a way to edit my post from march.

 

[Huddersfield Tiling]

Good morning.

Thank you all for your advice.

I’ll give you an update with the timelines:

On monday 15/3/19 I discovered the job was potentially problematic. I arranged for a tiler to come out and check out the work on the tuesday. I then spoke with the company I have doing renovations to my entire property, which includes the bathroom, telling him of the problem and he agreed it didn’t conform to uk standards. I said to concentrate on the other work and I’d get someone in tomorrow to inspect the work and advise on its safety.

That night I returned to the property and discovered he’d ignored my instructions to stop and had all but completed the tiling and covered up the edges where the dot and dab tiling was evident.

On tuesday 16/3/19 I advised the pro tiler I'd asked for input and he said it was a nasty situation and pulled out of visiting, not wanting to get involved. I don’t blame him, I’d love to do the same but its my house.

My property is far from completion and completely uninhabitable. Plus he’s been paid in excess of the current status of renovations.

Not quite sure what to do.

I'd now ask him to guarantee his work in writing for 5 years, and only under his personal name (which it ultimately would be if he's a sole trader). If he is operating under a limited company, then don't allow a guarantee from his company name, as he could easily just close down the business in the event of a claim and not pay out. If it's under his personal name and address, that will allow you to chase a payout indefinitely through the county and high courts for little expense. If he refuses, then he probably doubts his own work. In that case, ask him to remove it all and start again. If he refuses that, then ask for a refund and take the key off him.

 

[Spare Tool]

I'd now ask him to guarantee his work in writing for 5 years, and only under his personal name (which it ultimately would be if he's a sole trader). If he is operating under a limited company, then don't allow a guarantee from his company name, as he could easily just close down the business in the event of a claim and not pay out. If it's under his personal name and address, that will allow you to chase a payout indefinitely through the county and high courts for little expense. If he refuses, then he probably doubts his own work. In that case, ask him to remove it all and start again. If he refuses that, then ask for a refund and take the key off him.

5 year guarantee? Optimistically think 5 months would be long enough in this case anyway 🙂
Strip out tiles and overboard the ply with a 10mm insulation board would be least hassle to make good, think the builder should actually take that expense on the chin..

 

[Huddersfield Tiling]

The only problem with overboarding is that you will lose a lot of the shower tray profile edge, which will look bad. Best just to get rid of the timber and use a suitable board, either cement board, insulation board or plasterboard (with a tanking kit).

 

[CJ]

Who gives a 5 year guarantee??