Not happy with tiling job - or am I being picky?

[sjb1288]

Hi All, I’ve just had 2 rooms tiled with oak effect ceramics and I feel a little disappointed with the final result.

The tiler used self-leveller to even the floor prior to laying but I feel that this should have been done with more care, and that many of the subsequent problems are a result of this…

I’ve used the closest thing I have to a 2m straight edge to check the flooring and I’m finding regular deviations of around 5-6mm. Offering up the skirting has highlighted a couple of areas far worse at 10mm & 14mm. The tiler has offered to rectify these two areas but I still have my doubts about the overall quality of the job and feel it was rushed. He spent no more than a few hours on the screed and then 3 days to lay both rooms totalling over 30 sq.m. I worry that in correcting these local defects with extra adhesive or whatever, he simply creates new problems elsewhere.

There are also several areas of lipping affecting at least half a dozen tiles in each room of 2,3 & 4mm. The British Standard BS 5385 seems to say that 1mm is the tolerance for such narrow 2mm joints? The standards also seem to suggest a tolerance for levelness of 3mm over a 2m edge? I’ve only garnered this info online and haven’t actually read the specific standards but I’m wondering to what extent I could use this as a stick to beat him with?
I’ve already paid £1000 in labour for the job but frankly I feel it isn’t justified. I know he’s legally entitled to try and rectify it but short of ripping it all up, I can’t see me getting a result that’s compliant with the relevant standards?

I feel the best outcome for me would be to get him to fix what he can then attempt to get compensation for the rest.. Sadly I’ve already had to sue someone for a failed floor in the past so I’m all too familiar with the small claims process!

Any help much appreciated, please see photos below..

 

[Dumbo]

Looks rough .
The 2 metre straight edge thing is .
+ or - 3mm over 2m using a straight edge with 3mm feet on each end .
So basically with that the floor shouldn't touch the straight edge and the gap between the straight and the floor shouldn't exceed 6mm

 

[J Sid]

Think your carpenter should be shot, shocking effort at putting skirting on, bloody shocking 😳
As for the cross light, even a very good job will look bad with that light

 

[Boggs]

That bond looks dreadful imho.

 

[angrypirate]

Not the best job. That light just exacerbates things. Would be interested to see how it's rectified.

 

[Tony_C]

That bond looks dreadful imho.

I was thinking this too, if those tiles are bowed which most planks are that bond won't he helping matters

 

[J Sid]

That bond is probably what the box said to do, as most boxes for planks say

 

[Tony_C]

That bond is probably what the box said to do, as most boxes for planks say

Is it not usually third bond they show? That doesn't even look like a quarter bond

 

[sjb1288]

Just to let you know the skirting hasn't actually been fitted yet, I was just offering it up to see how it sat and will be doing the job myself.. probably with a planer but my point is I shouldn't have to resort to that..

Yes, the box specifically warned against brick bond for some reason and suggested 20% max overlap

 

[angrypirate]

Planks are prone to being curved so most manufacturers will advise against brick bond, generally though they would be laid random lengths.

 

[Dumbo]

Just to let you know the skirting hasn't actually been fitted yet, I was just offering it up to see how it sat and will be doing the job myself.. probably with a planer but my point is I shouldn't have to resort to that..

Yes, the box specifically warned against brick bond for some reason and suggested 20% max overlap

You want to try just pushing the skirting down If you plane the ends you're then going to have to plane the adjacent boards .

 

[Boggs]

Use a short scaffold plank on top of the skirting and stand on it to push the skirting down as it’s fixed.

 

[Dave]

Immaterial of the bond , the lippage is not acceptable imho.
It will be difficult to rectify individual tiles as it could create lippage on the next row.

 

[sjb1288]

Immaterial of the bond , the lippage is not acceptable imho.
It will be difficult to rectify individual tiles as it could create lippage on the next row.

These are exactly my thoughts, at the moment I'm trying to gauge what would be acceptable compensation in that case. Half my money back? All of it?

 

[sjb1288]

Well I've checked all the spare tiles I've got and nothing wrong with any of them, all straight and true. They're Spanish tiles if that means anything to anyone?

The problem I've got about giving him the chance to spot-remedy things is that the job will likely still be sub-standard. The bottom line is he didn't prepare the sub-floor correctly and nothing short of ripping it all up will solve that.

I don't want to be in the position of having to pay full price for a polished turd, but at the same time I don't know if the job is bad enough to flat out refuse remedial work and demand my money back / threaten small claims?

Aside from the 10-15mm howlers he's said he'll try and fix, there's still regular 6mm deviations over a 2m edge elsewhere and more lipping than I can shake a stick at..