Poor tiling job

[Locornwall]

Ok thanks, it may come to that. I have a tiler coming on Monday to quote me a price to rectify the builders mistakes. My only thought and question would be whether this would end up in court and a professional person would be required to provide a level of skill if they called themselves a tiler or builder doing tiling work?

 

[Dumbo]

If somebody provides a service it should be to an acceptable standard, just because they are not qualified it doesn't give them a get out of jail free card .

 

[Dan]

Ok thanks, it may come to that. I have a tiler coming on Monday to quote me a price to rectify the builders mistakes. My only thought and question would be whether this would end up in court and a professional person would be required to provide a level of skill if they called themselves a tiler or builder doing tiling work?

We see this quite often. You have to get a report done by either The Tile Association (who get a tiler in) or an independent expert witness (there are companies that do this and have structural engineers and the likes as their guys) and it's costly, takes time, and even if you win and the builder gets told to pay, if he decides not to, back to court you go.

You have some dodgy cuts. You want to get him back to fix them and pay him and you're done.
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If somebody provides a service it should be to an acceptable standard, just because they are not qualified it doesn't give them a get out of jail free card .

It's up to customer to argue that in court though then and it won't wash just saying 'he said she said'. Both sides need prove their case.

We have dozens of threads from both sides of this argument and neither win in court really.

 

[Locornwall]

Thanks Dan, but lots of the tiles are also uneven, there is thick grout around the edge etc. It’s not just dodgy cuts. He hasn’t planned it properly, which means the tile doesn’t quite stretch to the kitchen plinths, meaning he has had to use grout there also.
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if there is a discrepancy between quality of work I am happy to get the tile association in and offer to go 50/50 on their fee. Doesn’t that sound fair?

 

[Dan]

Thanks Dan, but lots of the tiles are also uneven, there is thick grout around the edge etc. It’s not just dodgy cuts. He hasn’t planned it properly, which means the tile doesn’t quite stretch to the kitchen plinths, meaning he has had to use grout there also.
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if there is a discrepancy between quality of work I am happy to get the tile association in and offer to go 50/50 on their fee. Doesn’t that sound fair?

No you will need to pay it in full it's about a grand. Then you use that report in court.

You won't get us agree on here anything so you can print it off and wave it in front of the builder if that's what you're trying to do.

Good luck mate.

 

[Boggs]

You mention the patchy grout and it being gunmetal, so I assume it’s Bal?
I have used Bal grout for many years and Gunmetal has been very popular but I could grout 10 bathrooms and it will be fine and then 1 will be patchy and I have mixed it and washed it exactly the same. 🤷‍♂️

I find going over it with fine wet and dry sandpaper can sort it out.

 

[Locornwall]

Ok thanks. I will do that. I did mention it to the builder before he left, however he told me he would leave me some grout in the bag to do myself. What kind of professional does that?

Yes it is bal.

Sorry Dan, not trying to use this forum against the builder, but I’m a consumer who just wants the job doing properly. It really doesn’t do any tradesmen well when people do bodge jobs like this, as now I wonder whether it would be best just to do it myself. I’d probably have done a better job, without the cost.

 

[Dumbo]

It's up to customer to argue that in court though then and it won't wash just saying 'he said she said'. Both sides need prove their case.
Source URL: Poor tiling job - https://www.tilersforums.com/threads/poor-tiling-job.90106/#post-958845
@Dan you misunderstand what I'm or I misunderstand what you're saying but to rephrase it I'm not on about legal ins and outs of what's a good job just that if you're not qualified to do something doesn't give you licence to produce rubbish work and get away with it .

 

[Locornwall]

My thoughts entirely about not being qualified, producing rubbish work and getting away with it. If I take a risk and ask you to do a job then if it’s not done properly then you won’t get paid. If you do a professional, skilled job then I pay you. Can’t seem fairer than that and tilers on this forum I am sure will agree with me. People are in essence taking work from qualified, experienced tilers. If I were a tiler I wouldn’t be happy with that.

 

[Perfect Tiling]

Going by the state of what can be seen I doubt they are even stuck down properly.....probably dot an dab onto chipboard. They will probably lift up themselves as he's grouted to the skirting so no room for expansion at all....far better to remove skirting....prep floor properly....tile floor with expansion gap and put skirting back on so gaps under it......that way expansion gap can be 4mm to 10mm as its under skirting. I'd stop him from doing the patio as well.....

 

[Locornwall]

Haha. I’m really worried he will want to make amends and end up messing it up even more, costing me money to put right and then re-tile.

 

[Dan]

That's okay then.

Felt like I was about to be printed off then is all. 😜

An actual tiler would have saved you all hassles, but would have cost more than your average "builder" who hasn't actually got any skills at all and isn't trained in anything. Still would have saved you money compared with fixing it using a tiler in the end anyway.

A lot of tilers won't repair somebody else's work they will want to do it fresh if their name is going next to it. For this exact reason. You're only as good as your last job and all that.

I totally understand you too @jcrtiling - I just wish we were here during the quoting stage more often rather than the 'is this job any good' stage.

I'm working on that though

 

[Locornwall]

If I’m honest there appears to be an absolute lack of tilers in my area. I called plenty and most were busy or quoted silly money. I’m not just talking about more than the builder, but ridiculously more. If I were going into a trade, I’d become a tiler tomorrow, but I’d take a lot of pride in my work.

 

[Dan]

If you got a few quotes and listened to them, you'd be able spot who's coming in low for the cash, and who's actually a tiler.

Then the rate is what it is.

Tilers aren't after much. A day rate isn't a lot for a tiler if you supply all materials. They're not 5,6,7 years training like electricians and gas plumbers.

So I can't see many overpricing.

Got a thread here on it: Tiling Rates Per Square Meter / Per Day - How much do tilers charge? - https://www.tilersforums.com/threads/tiling-rates-per-square-meter-per-day-how-much-do-tilers-charge.88682/

It hasn't saved you money in the end. And you're talking about spending a grand on a report. Doesn't make sense. Should have got the tilers in IMO.

3 of the latest 10 threads are tiling gone wrong threads. It's a real shame. But I have to pass some blame onto the customer when they're just going for the cheapest guy.

 

[Stu Lilley]

Shocking work....I would save up and get a real tiler to take up and redo ...dont Waste money trying to tart it up ...silk purses and pigs ears