hi all new to forum hope to gain some knowledge and advice

[chamboman29]

im hoping to gain a bit of expert advice from some other trades men on here.I have been selfemployed tiling for 4 years now and have been tiling in total for 10 years I always try to maintain a friendly and polite manner with every customer I work for and aim to please.Although as always some customers are easier to please than others.I never leave a job unless im completely happy with the finish of the job.I have however just had an experience with what you might consider to be an unhappy customer and was wondering where I stand and what other tillers would do in the same situation so I know what to do next.Customer on the phone cause tiles cracked across the room in 2 long cracks from end to end wants me to fix it recons it my fault and blame poor installation.
The job was tiling a bathroom floor and walls.The floor had an integrated shower tray to be overlayed with tiles and electric under floor heating to the rest of the floor.The customer provided the tiles and I supplied all adhesives and grouts I overlayed the floor with ply and screwed it as always I layed heating wire and tiled over using flexi adhesive,grouted with flexable grout and silicone around edges.
Looking very smart I had a thumbs up from the client sent out my bill waited 5 weeks but got paid.the bathroom was finished off by plumber I know and work with regularly.
The job was actually completed 4 and a half months ago and just now the cracks have appeared I told the customer im sorry but I cannot be held responsible for any movement or settlement in their house but they are not satisfied with my answer they have spoken with the tile supplier and of course they are saying poor installation is to blame even though no site visit or tiles have been removed from floor.I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience and being so long after job was completed am I liable I do want to keep my customer happy but be fair im not forking out for heating wire new tiles and labour for this job the room was 4m by 4m its enough to make you cry thinking off pulling it up again but it will need fixing. Any thought as to what I should say next how can I get out of this without to much mess

 

[DHTiling]

Hello and welcome..


What thickness of ply did you use..?

Also what was the state of deflection like before over boarding . ? . was it floor boards or chipboard.. did you butt joint the ply joints and did you leave a perimeter joint around the ply.

 

[Time's Ran Out]

Personally I think it's yours to put right! Tiling on plywood with under floor heating these days when their are better substrates to tile on was your call . Wedi or hardie tile backer boards would have been my choice and a 16sq mt area is above average for a standard size bathroom. As a customer I'd expect a new floor to last longer than 4months and with your experience you need to protect your integrity.
Thanks for an open and honest 1st post and I hope you continue to visit this forum and enjoy our trade.
John.

 

[AliGage]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I think you may need to address your approach/attitude. Not having a go but 4 and a half months and you don't feel it is your responsability? Thats a little poor in my opinion. By the by, a bit more information will be needed to know exactly whats happened to your floor.

Is it chipboard with ply overlay?
Thickness and grade of ply?
What heating kit was used?
Was the wire installed direct to the ply? Was the ply primed?

The mention of a crack from one end to the other does sound a little straight forward to me, and if my suspicions are correct I would say it is your responsbility mate.

Again welcome along.