kate

[dgrflooring]

could someone tell me where i stand did a large bathroom with 300x600 large format porcelain tiles on brick - effect at customers request !just 2 rows in to the job it was noticeable that the tiles had a bow effect and so lipping was an issue .pointed this out to customer who told me to carry on ! when the first full wall was nearly complete i asked them again to check that they wanted me to carry on ,they again said yes i gave them several chances to stop the work , chance layout so bow would not look so obvious ,or even take the tiles back and change them ! all of which were declined .Now they are not happy several months later and are threatening court action surely the haven't got a case ?

 

[Deleted member 9966]

unfortunately, we are not legal advice providers here. you need to contact a solicitor and explain your case, and seek legal advice from them.

most professional tilers wouldn't have accepted the bowing tiles and would have refused to carry on with the work until the place who had supplied the tiles had replaced all the bowed ones.

sorry we cannot be of more help.

 

[Del W]

Hello Kate, as above I'm afraid.

 

[Scott]

Most of the large format tiles i have fitted brick bond had had a slight bow which is detrimental to the finished effect.
I have to disagree about most professional refusing to lay them. Would largely depends on the the degree of bow. You can only inform the customer of the problems with tiles whether that be bowed, out of square, difference in size or poor finish. Its then for the customer to decide whether to proceed or not. However i would get something in writing and pics of the problems before laid to ensure you are covered. Lets face it, it can look great unitl its grouted and then be a total car crash.

This pic is one on the latest i have had to contend with, i informed the customer of the problem and the supplier. They decided to proceed with brickbond on the floor against my better judgement and it actually turned out ok.

 

[Gazzer]

Several months later ? I wouldnt worry too much.

 

[kilty55]

hi dgr have they paid you

 

[White Room]

Probably one of there friends may have said something, seven months ago though ???

 

[nybor62]

its took them several months to decide to take action against you, some one has prob filled there heads with this idea
as sir ramic says i would,nt worry to much , prob just trying it on

 

[Gall.B]

As above wouldnt worry to much about it, its a manafacturing issue anyway, as for no pro wouldnt carry on a pro does what the customer instructs but offers advice and his opinion sure.

That being said I always lay them flat & check for bows before i start anyway and recomend normal bond.

Was it a labour only job?

Had one of those punters a couple of years ago asked her where she wanted the border did the full bathroom that day just had 2 go back 2 grout bearing in mind she had been coming up and down with coffee etc commenting how lovely it looked. next day she says youve put the border at the wrong hieght....! aaaaaaaaghhhhhhh

 

[andy8758]

Legal matters are best left to solicitors (as per GirlRacerRed's comments) but sometimes it is better to try and resolve these situations without recourse to court action - which will be very expensive for at least one of you. So here is some good advice:
- Document everything. As a matter of course photographs of your work should always be taken. If you have not committed anything to paper, sit down and write it all down in your work diary. A work diary can be excellent protection for tradesmen caught up in legal disputes - courts will give credence to a diary kept in the course of business which may document customer issues as they happen - e.g. found tiles bowed, pointed out to customer who told me to go ahead anyway.
- Always respond positively to customer complaints. Keep a customer complaint file, and record the customers complaint. Document the action you have taken, and set a plan to respond to the complaint. Make a visit to the customer or even arrange for an independant tiler to visit and assess the work. You should always try and reach an informal resolution if possible. If either of you go to a solicitor at this stage in the dispute the solicitor will advice you to aattempt to resolve the complaint first. Again, make sure you document and photograph everything.
- Ultimately you and the customer may not reach an amicable resolution. That will be the time when the matter may become the subject of a court hearing.
- Remember that there are places for both you and the customer to keep help and advice - Citizen Advice Bureau and Trading Standards are 2 bodies that can give further help and advice to both of you.
- Finally it may be worth checking your Public Liability Insurance policy. This may cover you for any costs arising from an allegation like this - but some policies do not include this cover.

 

[Tabby Cranks]

Kate, did you supply the tiles? If not, I think you have very little to worry about.

 

[spooner68]

I get this regularly with large format porcelain. I always lay the tiles flat and show the customer if they bow and tell them how it is likely to look on the wall. Whether I supply or not I take pics and draft a letter to the client confirming my reservations is they decide to go ahead with brick bond. It covers all aspects so there is no worries of comeback later.

As for them coming back 7 months later, I believe the period has to be classed as reasonable. 7 months isn't reasonable in my opinion but then I'm just a tiler 🙂

 

[jonboythetiler]

The best advice for laying any large format tiles, is to put two of the tiles flat on the floor, one on top of the other and facing each other. Then try and spin the top tile!

9/10 times, they spin!

 

[devonmark]

I always inform the customer of the problems with large porcelain when they want brickbond, the majority I have laid have had a bow in them, this is down to the temperatures they are fired to.

 

[Colour Republic]

Do you remember if you left any spares on the job? I don't mean to replace the tiles but to demonstrate the problem once again to them

 

[Tabby Cranks]

All the above will only have any weight if you didn't supply the tiles.

 

[dgrflooring]

yes on completion buy cheque which the could have cancelled but didn,t !

 

[dgrflooring]

yes two full days half way through the job ! plenty of time for the to have a good look and still stop us carrying on still nothing was said !!

 

[dgrflooring]

one of their family is supposed to have commented , and obviously they for got to tell them that they had several chances to stop work change layout and even change the tiles all of which was suggested by us !!

 

[dgrflooring]

showed customer bowing with the side of spirt level just two rows in to job explained effect that this would create suggested normal bond but customer still wanted us to carry on as instructed on brick effect what more can u do other than what customer excepts and agrees ?

 

[dgrflooring]

thank you have done all you suggested i went to trading standards after the very first letter and was told that i had done every think expected .my gut feeling is that husband picked tiles and wife admitted that she didn't like the from the quote stage {they even had a domestic in front of us about it very embarrassing ]can i point out that this job was completed 4 /11 /09 first complaint was not until end of april 2010 .then they contacted trading standards and after several letters we eventually got a site visit last week seventeen months after job was completed . it look the same as we had left it they have been using it and even had cupboards fitted and mirrors does this sound like they did not except it !!

 

[dgrflooring]

thanks for your comments , they always go on about the rough trader what about the rough customers ? we all know the exist !!

 

[Deleted member 9966]

if an inspection has been carried out by trading standards and they have agreed that you could not have done anything further for these customers, then the customers are just trying it on. best to move on and put this one behind you.

 

[waterfd]

I did a bathroom about 2 years ago and on the box it even stated "Not suitable for Brickbond" customer wanted brickbond and was happy with result. I kept a box for about 1 year just in case. Did their cottage floor about a year later.

 

[dave l and l]

i have had the same problem hence the fact i usually tell customers or draw them a diagram of what happens. its always more noticeable whae there are spot lights fitted. since you told and showed them this problem i would remind them of this and tell them its actually there fault for not listening to you