Do you ever wished you had walked away.

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

The job I started last wed. is one I now wish I had given a body swerve, I was asked by a builder for a price per m2 I explained it is near impossible to give a price over the phone, given the diversity of tile types today. He pressed me for a m2 price, telling me they were 600x300 polished porcelain, (rectified edge).
He booked me for a start on Wed, being pushed for a m2 price over the phone. I told him about £25 per m2, you can guess what is coming.
When I turned up to start, my worst fears were realised. This guy had gutted the bathroom, (a blank canvas) should be good yes? No. I could get my fingers behind a 2m level, in many places. I have had to rip off most of his dot & dab efforts.
I am now struggling to make a silk purse from a sow's ear, the bed I am having to use, exceeds Mapei recommendations.
I hope the builder comes to the party when the final bill is submitted. I doubt it
:mad2:Sorry for the rant, we all need to now and then
Who would be a tiler?

 

[doug boardley]

I'm finding this is the case a helluva lot more often now Phil:mad2:

 

[White Room]

I know the feeling Phil, got one at the moment and the plumber who's job it is asked if I would do the tiling because he has work to do at his house, what a joke...mosaic that he did'nt know the women was having, mosaic vertical band and borders..all having to be dog toothed...

Could be the last as well........

 

[jay]

Agree Phil the standards builders are leaving for tilers to fix to these days are not the best (i wont quote over the phone anymore must view)

 

[White Room]

How do you get dot and dabbing plasterboard all over the place.

 

[Mike]

How do you get dot and dabbing plasterboard all over the place.

banging it with their hands probably and not a straight length of 4" x 2" :lol:

 

[White Room]

Your probably right there..

 

[Stewart]

This is why 90% of my jobs are prepped by myself.... I've even had builders ask me to dot dab tiles to help with their shoddy prep!

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Thanks guys, at least with having TF kindred spirits to sound off to, I don't feel alone. Still makes my blood boil though:mad2:

Having said that, I will be back tomorrow and soldier on:lol:

 

[Daz]

What a nightmare Phil.
Over the last 3 months, I reckon I have been asked to view approx 6 jobs that have been messed up by "not quite professional tilers". In every case, I have been able to prove that the problems have stemmed from incorrect or inadequate preparation.

Daz

 

[White Room]

I allways was in the impression things was supposed to get easier as i got older, how wrong I was:lol:

 

[Ian]

It's a funny old game, we all know what to look for, we all know how to price our jobs, we all know how to do our jobs and yet, every now and again we get caught out!!!! It's one of the most annoying things about the job, if you let your guard down, you get a smack in the chops! and there's always someone willing to throw the punches!!!

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

:lol:Amen to that Mark then again if tiling was easy, everyone would be doing it:smilewinkgrin:

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

It's a funny old game, we all know what to look for, we all know how to price our jobs, we all know how to do our jobs and yet, every now and again we get caught out!!!! It's one of the most annoying things about the job, if you let your guard down, you get a smack in the chops! and there's always someone willing to throw the punches!!!

Very true Bri, but we still keep going eh!:lol:

 

[Ian]

Very true Bri, but we still keep going eh!:lol:

We sure do mate, it's just the way it goes sometimes. It does worry me that someone of your experience still has the odd slip up, your memory isn't going is it?!!!! :lol:

 

[hillhead]

Pain in the rear that Phil, all too common now i'm afraid.
I agreed a bathroom with a premier marble supply company over here for a monday 2 weeks ago start.
I thought lovely, great money for 3 -4 days work.
Its a 50 mile drive each way, i arrive at 8am... no keys for entry.
Tiles arrive at 10am, showroom manager is with me running through everything.
I finally get in at 1am !!
Ditra the floor, seal joints, tank tape 2" up walls and tank shower area etc.
So that was monday, 48m2 in this room.
Tuesday i start walls, i kid you's not on the thursday evening the plumber arrives to fit bath and shower tray.
The tray- 5 feet by 4 feet 30mm thick travertine !! the plumber near fainted.
I spent 2 hours helping him get this fitted into a 5' x 4' opening without breaking it.
Between bath having to come out again, feature ideas changing its a torture.
Big travertine vanity units fitted to walls by me etc.
Iv spent 7 days there, luckily i had another trav floor to do in between, lol.
1/2 a day left down there because of silly factory faults with skirtings so my bill is rising beyond the agreed limit too.
The factory is off all this week now too.
You're not alone Phil.

 

[Gall.B]

Some punters & builders just cant get it into there heads the jobs only as good as the prep, nothing worse when you agree what has be done and you get there and things arent as agreed and discussed.

Just finished one today where I had to fix the prep, then the customer was trying to haggle me down the way from the original quote!!!:mad2:

 

[Gall.B]

Look fwd to seeing the picture of that job Hillhead

 

[hillhead]

The pics will come, JOTM possibly.
Trav features but porcelain on walls but even a trav bath surround.

 

[Ken Bruty]

I know how you all feel, the last two weeks I've had hellish jobs, the first started with a bathroom (31.5x45 tiles) where the builder had aquapanelled over a shower control not realising that there were nuts protruding and caused the aquapanel to bow out by approx 10mm over 1 board, so phoned him, oh he says I'm a long way from you at them moment, it will only take you 2 mins to get it off won't it? err no, but I couldn't afford to wait for him for half a day to get over to me, so ended up removing door architrave, silicon from board joints, all the screws, and the board was jammed against the next one, so eventually removed it and plunge cut through to clear the nuts, then the stud work was bent, so chiselled it all down to get the board to fit flush, 2 mins became 3 hours work! Then customer not ordered enough tiles! Then this week - kitchen floor is supposed to be prepped ready, I get there yesterday, and a ridge in the floor with 10mm either side of a 2mm level in the good area, epoxy dpm on floor so can't get levels drilled in floor to slc it. Thick bedding here we come! Tiles are 600x300 black rectified porcelain gloss finish tiles only 15m2 area and I've only done 12m2 to end of today!:mad2: :mad2:. Hope that makes you feel better Phil.:smilewinkgrin:

 

[hillhead]

The joy's of Tiling


:smilewinkgrin:

 

[Gall.B]

Aye the Tiler fix it!

Can you not just build it out/up ????????

 

[ozboz]

A plumber mate of mine asked me to price a job recently, another tiler had been along and refused to do it as it was , my mate thought I would be able to sort it, of course I could, but at a price, one the house owners boyfriend baulked at !! , my mate had had some jockey's in to do the prep, proper mess. Anyway, I was told the owner was in search of better prices, I am positive they will get them, what the job turns out like ? anyones guess ! , but some times, as we all know, we take on board a right royal nightmare, anyway patience being a virtue, we must be the most virtuous trade in the building industry . Good Luck Phil ............. Steve

 

[Rich]

Can we start our own firm? With all the good guys on here I think we could have one hell of a team and we could cover the entire UK. Lets do it and flatten all the competition and all live happily ever after :lol:


P.S As it was my idea, when we flatten the competition, I get to kick all the builders in the balls :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Gall.B]

That I woul love to see, Id volunteer to do nail the joiners to the walls by th b%$ls :lol: