Sos!

[White Room]

Personally the walls are lath and plaster, I would have had them off before anything else....

 

[Nicky G]

I trust guys I know (a very few who I went to school with) or have met on here, I know a builder who I wouldn't touch with a barge pole but he is always working and destroying someone's house...I've seen the results

Thanks for your reply. Sadly for me, I've learned my lesson the hardest way. I find it incredible that a certain few people out there have got no consciences, whatsoever. My own conscience wold never let me blag I could do something I couldn't.
Gentlemen, it's been a very eventful day!
I took all the tiles off on the two external walls (they all popped off very easily, mostly by hand or a blade under tile corner). I found the bonding he used was still pretty damp so the adhesive in those areas was soft as putty. I also found that the surface of the lathe & plaster wall itself seemed unusually damp (never noticed a problem with it prior to the tiling).
So, have now ripped the whole lot out back to the bare bones & I'm feeling pretty scared! Surely nothing else can go wrong...
I'll post up some before & afters!

 

[White Room]

Thanks for your reply. Sadly for me, I've learned my lesson the hardest way. I find it incredible that a certain few people out there have got no consciences, whatsoever. My own conscience wold never let me blag I could do something I couldn't.
Gentlemen, it's been a very eventful day!
I took all the tiles off on the two external walls (they all popped off very easily, mostly by hand or a blade under tile corner). I found the bonding he used was still pretty damp so the adhesive in those areas was soft as putty. I also found that the surface of the lathe & plaster wall itself seemed unusually damp (never noticed a problem with it prior to the tiling).
So, have now ripped the whole lot out back to the bare bones & I'm feeling pretty scared! Surely nothing else can go wrong...
I'll post up some before & afters!

The dampness was due to the moisture from the adhesive, tubbed addy needs only to be a maximum 3mm any thicker and will take an age to dry out, also one surface needs to absorbant to allow the addy to dry out which lime mortar is.

 

[Just Rizzle]

nicky what is your profession? have you got colleagues who've had similar work done. have they got numbers for people they trust and could recommend. have a look at the work theyve had done if they recommend any on. goodluck

 

[Nicky G]

I feel for you Nicky a simple job for any reasonable tiler . a few years ago I may of been able to help you out as I used to work for a company from T W . who recommended this clown to you if it was the plumber then you may be able to get him to rectify things as he has a responsibility.
I personally would rip them all off then get a plasterer to re skim your walls then find a tiler advertise on here if need b,e then get your plumber back .
or look for a company like mine who do every thing plumbing tiling plastering etc but unfortunately getting some one at short notice may be difficult we are nowfully booked till mid September .
good luck I feel for you

Hi Ray, Sorry for the late reply (& thanks so much for your reply!) it's been a busy & eventful day in my little house. I took the day off & took almost everything down. I discovered the lower walls were damp as heck so I've taken the lot down. My plumber friend arrived later on this evening & took the rest down. It wasn't my plumbers recommendation, it was a guy I knew who runs his own building firm & he quoted the job initially but he wasn't free for several weeks so he recommended someone he used to work with. I was daft enough (with hindsight) to go with it because I wanted to trust him & I was genuinely excited about having a new bathroom. Now the dreams all turned into a bit of a nightmare!
I used to work for the Kent fire & rescue service & an ex-colleague who does general building works popped around this evening to have a look. He thinks the floor tiles (that cost me 50 quid a sq metre) have to come up too!!
Greg, my plumber has put the old loo back in temporarily while I scratch my head & work out what the eff to do next!
Sounds like you/your company must do a pretty awesome job if you're booked up that far in advance!
I'd love to learn how to do all this myself. If I was younger & free-er (is that even a word!) I'd ask if any of you had an apprenticeship going!
I've looked at some pictures on this site of some of the work that you guys do & it's incredible.
I wish I'd found you all before this all started & not after.
The support & kindness in all your replies has just blown me away... Thank you

 

[Nicky G]

Hi Ray, Sorry for the late reply (& thanks so much for your reply!) it's been a busy & eventful day in my little house. I took the day off & took almost everything down. I discovered the lower walls were damp as heck so I've taken the lot down. My plumber friend arrived later on this evening & took the rest down. It wasn't my plumbers recommendation, it was a guy I knew who runs his own building firm & he quoted the job initially but he wasn't free for several weeks so he recommended someone he used to work with. I was daft enough (with hindsight) to go with it because I wanted to trust him & I was genuinely excited about having a new bathroom. Now the dreams all turned into a bit of a nightmare!
I used to work for the Kent fire & rescue service & an ex-colleague who does general building works popped around this evening to have a look. He thinks the floor tiles (that cost me 50 quid a sq metre) have to come up too!!
Greg, my plumber has put the old loo back in temporarily while I scratch my head & work out what the eff to do next!
Sounds like you/your company must do a pretty awesome job if you're booked up that far in advance!
I'd love to learn how to do all this myself. If I was younger & free-er (is that even a word!) I'd ask if any of you had an apprenticeship going!
I've looked at some pictures on this site of some of the work that you guys do & it's incredible.
I wish I'd found you all before this all started & not after.
The support & kindness in all your replies has just blown me away... Thank you

View attachment 82298

 

[Nicky G]

The dampness was due to the moisture from the adhesive, tubbed addy needs only to be a maximum 3mm any thicker and will take an age to dry out, also one surface needs to absorbant to allow the addy to dry out which lime mortar is.

Most of it was much thicker than 3mm, some at least twice that, I reckon. (I wonder if he even stirred the tub)

 

[White Room]

Spot fixing

 

[White Room]

Most of it was much thicker than 3mm, some at least twice that, I reckon. (I wonder if he even stirred the tub)

Not with tubbed addy, stirring shouldn't make a lot of difference.

 

[Nicky G]

nicky what is your profession? have you got colleagues who've had similar work done. have they got numbers for people they trust and could recommend. have a look at the work theyve had done if they recommend any on. goodluck

I'm office bound these days, I work for AXA PPP, medical insurance. Used to work for the retained fire service as a fire-fighter as well, which I did for nearly 7 years so hard work or getting my hands dirty doesn't phase me, it's just uncertainty that does.
I didn't start out on this project wanting to cut corners & so I've learned a hard lesson

 

[Nicky G]

Spot fixing

Doesn't look good eh?

 

[White Room]

Doesn't look good eh?

Not recommended....

 

[Kevbos]

Hi, hello to everyone in the forum! I'm Nicky & I'm currently having my bathroom renovated. I've been so excited about this but now I'm worried that the tiling hasn't gone as well as I'd hoped. The tiler said the job would be completed in 2.5 - 3 days ... He started on Wednesday morning & still hasn't finished tiling or done any grouting. Six tiles have called off & he said he'd be here yesterday but didn't turn up & hasn't returned my messages or calls.

I'm concerned the internal joints where the shower will be, have not been done properly. Also, on the main wall, he cut tiles at either end are of completely different sizes. It just doesn't look right.

I'm worried about what to do next & I don't know which way to turn. I've got 2 little children returning home tonight from spending the weekend at their Dad's & we have no bathroom.

Would really appreciate some opinions on whether I should go ahead & try to grout it myself or take it down & get someone to start again.

Thank you x

I'd say don't pay him. If primer not used and tiles falling off already. Just bite lip and do it again unfortunately. You bought tub adhesive which I never use. Cuts are poor. But realistically your never be happy now until it's done properly. I'm sure many on here can help. I'd be happy to also. But whatever you decide. Don't pay him

 

[Nicky G]

I'd say don't pay him. If primer not used and tiles falling off already. Just bite lip and do it again unfortunately. You bought tub adhesive which I never use. Cuts are poor. But realistically your never be happy now until it's done properly. I'm sure many on here can help. I'd be happy to also. But whatever you decide. Don't pay him

Hi @Kevbos, yes it's a re-do on almost all of it. I've taken the lathe & plaster down now & stripped it all back to the bare brick. It's a mess but at least now there's a plan in place to move it all forward buts it's going to be a good couple of weeks before anyone can start the work. I've been taking the floor up as well today see the 2 part overhang on the puzzlingly placed ply he put down on top of the existing base... Even as a bystander I'm guessing the first bit of weight applied to that & the tile would snap off. He's sent messages today asking for his money & I'm not sure how to broach the subject with him as I'm fearful of the conflict.
He used powder adhesive for the floor & its rock hard on my tiles
Any tips on how to get this off welcomed? Is it just plain soaking & scraping or can it be ground off without damaging the tile?

 

[gamma38]

That doesn't look like ply it looks like hardboard.