Know all builders!

[area tiling]

Tiling onto a 22m2 green chipboard floor upstairs , told the customer it would be advisable to overboard with either some form of backer board or plywood , for extra strength, it would be more moisture resistant and peace of mind! When the builder heard this he said the usual rubbish , tiler doesn't know what he's talking about , they don't understand this new green chipboard ! Lol
Fact of the matter is that builder is in a hurry as usual, and that he doesn't want to be eating into anymore of his profits!!
Am not saying that you can't tile onto these green chipboard floors , but I don't want to be going back to repair any work so ill always do it right first time around!!

Question , ? Anyone else have these problems ?

 

[Spud]

Too often these days

 

[Protilers]

you are not alone.......but what do we know?

 

[Alan M]

this happens in every trade. some clown thinks he knows better. then he undermines you and makes you look like you know nothing or are out to money grab.
you are best to walk away and saw nothing infront of the customer then talk to them on your own. most will see that you are trying to help them and are willing to pay the little bit extra

 

[kilty55]

direct your customer here well soon put them right

 

[White Room]

Some plumbers can be just as bad from my experiance....

 

[Dougs Third Go]

tbh, backer boards don't add "extra strength" but they give a more suitable substrate to tile onto. A builder actually rang me today to ask what level the new floor should meet existing floor on an extension as he was aware that I'm a bit pedantic ( he actually said "anal" lol) about where and how to cover chipboard.

 

[charlie1]

Here is the problem I find with lots of tilers / builders, because they have done it in the past and the floor was still intact when they where leaving the customers cheque in hand, these cowboys have a reinforced feeling of "thats was a good job".... then 2 years pass.... they never get a call back....there feeling of "that was a good job" is growing day by day!.... meanwhile back at the ranch, floors are cracking, customers are just thinking "oh my grout is needing redone!, I shall call local tiler as this must be normal after 2 years"... some people have a very shortminded vision of a tiled floor, imo, a tiled floor should really last forever, not 3-5 years or even shorter.... you will never educate these idiots, they know better as they do it all the time!!!.....sorry, needed a rant!!

 

[Colour Republic]

tbh, backer boards don't add "extra strength" but they give a more suitable substrate to tile onto. A builder actually rang me today to ask what level the new floor should meet existing floor on an extension as he was aware that I'm a bit pedantic ( he actually said "anal" lol) about where and how to cover chipboard.

I was going to point that out myself but i'm a builder so what do I know?

 

[area tiling]

Really annoys me , was even questioning myself, but i guess ive got a conscious the customer seems a good person , but she's getting nudged in the wright direction! I've now lost out on the job as the builder has told her some rubbish that he has tiling priced into the job and his tiler has no worries tiling onto the green board !

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I was going to point that out myself but i'm a builder so what do I know?

Rob, you'll know it's all down to eliminating deflection, plenty of noggins or dwangs in sub-floor usuallys does the trick:8:

 

[Dougs Third Go]

Really annoys me , was even questioning myself, but i guess ive got a conscious the customer seems a good person , but she's getting nudged in the wright direction! I've now lost out on the job as the builder has told her some rubbish that he has tiling priced into the job and his tiler has no worries tiling onto the green board !

better him doing it than you then, as one day it will bite him big style in the backside. keep your conscience clear and your reputation will stand you in good stead.

 

[Colour Republic]

Really annoys me , was even questioning myself, but i guess ive got a conscious the customer seems a good person , but she's getting nudged in the wright direction! I've now lost out on the job as the builder has told her some rubbish that he has tiling priced into the job and his tiler has no worries tiling onto the green ****board !

:rofl: So the builder thought you were talking rubbish because his TILER has told him it's all good, oh dear so it wasn't really the builders fault but a tilers duff info... who'd of thought???

Sorry, all trades have crap tradesmen and it's natural for one to moan about the other it's been happening since the dawn of time. I normally take the 'Damn builder' threads on the chin but earlier this year I had a nightmare getting hold of a decent tiler after I couldn't personally fit it in. The ones I knew could do the job were busy of course, then it was down to ringing around the locals and after chatting to dozens of supposed tilers I dismised them all because of what they said... or rather what they didn't say, then I got a recommendation from a large tile manufacturer, used that tiler then had to kick them off site becuase of the mess they were making even after saying I wanted a top job and willing to pay twice the going rate which is often discussed on here. In the end a tiler from the other end of the country did the the job for me. I could of started a ton of 'damn tiler' threads but that would be pointless on a forum where it's full of tilers who are clearly passionate about their trade but let me tell you some of us builders find it bloody hard finding a decent tiler!

 

[White Room]

:rofl: So the builder thought you were talking rubbish because his TILER has told him it's all good, oh dear so it wasn't really the builders fault but a tilers duff info... who'd of thought???

Sorry, all trades have crap tradesmen and it's natural for one to moan about the other it's been happening since the dawn of time. I normally take the 'Damn builder' threads on the chin but earlier this year I had a nightmare getting hold of a decent tiler after I couldn't personally fit it in. The ones I knew could do the job were busy of course, then it was down to ringing around the locals and after chatting to dozens of supposed tilers I dismised them all because of what they said... or rather what they didn't say, then I got a recommendation from a large tile manufacturer, used that tiler then had to kick them off site becuase of the mess they were making even after saying I wanted a top job and willing to pay twice the going rate which is often discussed on here. In the end a tiler from the other end of the country did the the job for me. I could of started a ton of 'damn tiler' threads but that would be pointless on a forum where it's full of tilers who are clearly passionate about their trade but let me tell you some of us builders find it bloody hard finding a decent tiler!

But the average customer would'nt know what question are wrong or right and follows the advise given through the builder, I now occasionally go on a plastering forum and it's the same there and I should imagine it's the same with any forums.

 

[Colour Republic]

But the average customer would'nt know what question are wrong or right and follows the advise given through the builder, I now occasionally go on a plastering forum and it's the same there and I should imagine it's the same with any forums.

That's the point though. How is the builder supposed to know? His normal tiler tells him all is good so he takes that knowledge and passes it on to the HO. It's incorrect but it's came from a 'tiler' first.

You'll be suprised at some of the things i was told by tilers when I was looking and all of them would bleat on about how long they've been in the game, I don't care how long you've been doing it, you've been doing it wrong. If I didn't decided to educate myself which of course some of it is down to this very forum and the info i've read and put in to practice over the years has been invaluable! But if I was your run of the mill builder who doesn't seek further education and relied on tradesmen around me then i'd be stuffed!