Tiler has made mistakes - Advice required

[White Room]

Can't believe it would take 3 months to get a tiler.....

 

[charlie1]

Yes this stinks... From my own personal view of the standard of the rulers work, I would say there have been some mistakes but nothing that can't be fixed. Tony, you must realise when you come on a forum with pics of the poorest areas of work you are going to get a negative view but let me tell you, I have seen a lot worse! What we on here dont know is the reality and the facts surrounding this job, we have your version but I bet the tiler would have a different story, if a man has worked for you and your not willing to pay but you want him to finish then imo something not right... Man do work, customer pay... That's how it works, give man chance to fix then pay him

 

[bugs183]

It doesn't sound dodgy at at all.
So long as the other bathroom is paid for in full then why should he have to pay for a bathroom that the 'tiler' has cocked up and now the customer has to rectify it in a manner that he didn't want or shouldn't have had to do.
The only alternative is the tiler rectifies it by ripping the whole lot down, causing untold damage and forking out for new tiles and time. He can't rectify the setting out as it's flawed from the first tile he's placed.
I think if i made a duff job and the customer said well i'm not paying for it, but you pop in do a days work and we'll say no more about it i think he's being kind of reasonable.
Obviously i'd be much happier knowing i'd made a good job, the customer was happy and i'd been paid.

 

[tonyfaestoney]

Ok Andy Allen, firstly the first bathroom is not perfect but acceptable as I like the tiler and felt a little uncomfortable pointing out discrepancies. But with the second one being so obvious it us difficult.

I have to point out when I broached the subject with him today he said he had been thinking about it all weekend and it was he who said he would not be charging for either bathroom.

If I am to fix this properly I will no doubt pay more per hour for a good tiler which will mean time rip all tiles down and paying for new tiles. This I would estimate to come in around the same as this rulers labour for both bathrooms. Is that not fair?

In addition it has been pointed out to me that he should not have fitted to a painted surface. So really both bathrooms should be done again from my understanding.

I understand u are a tiler but do you understand or appreciate the inconvenience which should have been avoided with basic measurements for a professional tiler?

 

[charlie1]

Dan, you are correct and I should have looked for 9references with hindsight and all that. Andy, I detect some cynicism from yourself and others. I am far from happy, in fact I am stressed and hugely diappointed that the hard earned bathroom of my dreams is not perfect. Now you may say it's not too bad but that is in your eyes.

We have been doing up the house since moving in including doing a garage conversion. In this time I have had a pulmeary embolism and am currently off work. All I want now is to have a funtioning bathroom back and the time to think about how best we fix these issues.

So no I am certainly not happy with the "free bathroom" as you call it. I have spent thousands on this and the last piece of the jigsaw is missing.

Either way it is going to cost me a good bit more money to fix the mistakes. Rip it all off and buy new tiles or false ceiling and adjusting the window.

I am trying to be as fair as possible and did not want to go down this route but every sigle tiler on this forum and MSE's forum has agreed it is a botched job. I may be a little cheeky but I don't think so to ask him to put the rest of the tiles in so we can get the plumbing finshed. Would you want to be in this situation for another 3months until I can get a tiler to fix?

Tony, not every tiler on here is saying its a botched job, only the ones who have expressed there opinions, ....do you actually think anyone would come on and say hey I think that looks ok? ...as I have said, I have seen worse!

 

[bugs183]

I do agree with everyone in the principle of the tiler being able to correct the job, but on this particular one, how can he rectify his bad setting out, you can't.

 

[dannyboy1066]

the other bathroom hasnt been paid for though

 

[DHTiling]

BS5385 does say it is possible to tile to a painted surface , if it is deemed to be suitable and capable of taking the tiled installation ... so if the paint is not flaking and is well adhered , then it will take those size tiles in the pics..

Only the tiler can take the decision as to whether it is suitable at face value ...

Sometime painted plaster surfaces are encountered. Hard gloss paint if well bonded is usually a satisfactory base for tiling, but any paint showing signs of flaking should be removed. Emulsion paint or distempers can break down after tiling and must be removed mechanically prior to tiling. The surface to receive the tiles must be clean, sound and dry.

 

[CJ]

:wacko: Iffy.

No payment at all?? And you want the guy to finish off the tiling that your not happy with.

 

[tonyfaestoney]

Guys, I don't want him to finish...he can't! As has been said the only way to fix properly is to take all off and start again. I am asking him to put in the remaining tiles so my family can use the room until we get a workable fix whether that is adjusting ceiling and window or full re-tile. Either way it is going to cost me £100's but more importantly to me is the time and inconvenience which you don't seem to appreciate. So should I pay him and be out of pocket, I don't think so somehow.

 

[charlie1]

I don't see anything that can't be rectified given some time, ramic has given the best solutions so far..... Or remove top rou, create smaller border to tonies preferance, then cut in top row, a decorative border could also be done around window.... There you go, tiled bathroom with a bespoke border!

 

[tonyfaestoney]

The tiler wants no payment, his decision as I say. I am asking him to put in the remaining tiles round the window and 2 layers on one of walls. I can then get everything plumbed in and usable. I still have the gaps at ceiling and window but my family can at least use the room.

If he is willing to out right at his expense then I am more than happy for this to happen. He has said he does not have the time to do this anymore, He was due to come on thursday to put in remaing tiles and grout on Friday. He has agreed to come back and do this.

How would you guys feel if it was your bathroom? Or if somebody laid floors for you and left a gap leading into 3 walls? Start again I would imagine? In this case he does not have the time to do that so I am simply saying make it good to get the plumbing in and we can use the room.

Do you seriously think I am being unreasonable having waited 3 months and looking at a further 3 months?

The first bathroom has grout missing in corners around the sink vanity unit. The grouting at ceiling level was not good and the plumber actually filled this today with white silicon to try and cover this up. If you want I can post photos of this bathroom too. In addition and I was wrong on the paint bit and may be wrong on this too but he has tiles hard to the ceiling in first bathroom and one wall in second. Somebody did say this should not happen to allow for movement, would this be correct?

I wonder how many of you would be so keen to pay out if the shoe were on the other foot and it was a different trade we were talking about.

As I say he is a really nice guy and I feel bad about this. I know he genuinely feels bad also but it is clear that he is not as experienced as you would expect from a tiler.

 

[John Benton]

The tiler wants no payment, his decision as I say. I am asking him to put in the remaining tiles round the window and 2 layers on one of walls. I can then get everything plumbed in and usable. I still have the gaps at ceiling and window but my family can at least use the room.

If he is willing to out right at his expense then I am more than happy for this to happen. He has said he does not have the time to do this anymore, He was due to come on thursday to put in remaing tiles and grout on Friday. He has agreed to come back and do this.

How would you guys feel if it was your bathroom? Or if somebody laid floors for you and left a gap leading into 3 walls? Start again I would imagine? In this case he does not have the time to do that so I am simply saying make it good to get the plumbing in and we can use the room.



Do you seriously think I am being unreasonable having waited 3 months and looking at a further 3 months?

The first bathroom has grout missing in corners around the sink vanity unit. The grouting at ceiling level was not good and the plumber actually filled this today with white silicon to try and cover this up. If you want I can post photos of this bathroom too. In addition and I was wrong on the paint bit and may be wrong on this too but he has tiles hard to the ceiling in first bathroom and one wall in second. Somebody did say this should not happen to allow for movement, would this be correct?

I wonder how many of you would be so keen to pay out if the shoe were on the other foot and it was a different trade we were talking about.

As I say he is a really nice guy and I feel bad about this. I know he genuinely feels bad also but it is clear that he is not as experienced as you would expect from a tiler.

Because of the problems you have listed in the 1st bathroom, can I ask why you let him do the 2nd one. Surely the clue was in the 1st one, not to let him do any more work.

 

[Andy Tiler]

The tiler wants no payment, his decision as I say. I am asking him to put in the remaining tiles round the window and 2 layers on one of walls. I can then get everything plumbed in and usable. I still have the gaps at ceiling and window but my family can at least use the room.

If he is willing to out right at his expense then I am more than happy for this to happen. He has said he does not have the time to do this anymore, He was due to come on thursday to put in remaing tiles and grout on Friday. He has agreed to come back and do this.

How would you guys feel if it was your bathroom? Or if somebody laid floors for you and left a gap leading into 3 walls? Start again I would imagine? In this case he does not have the time to do that so I am simply saying make it good to get the plumbing in and we can use the room.

Do you seriously think I am being unreasonable having waited 3 months and looking at a further 3 months?

The first bathroom has grout missing in corners around the sink vanity unit. The grouting at ceiling level was not good and the plumber actually filled this today with white silicon to try and cover this up. If you want I can post photos of this bathroom too. In addition and I was wrong on the paint bit and may be wrong on this too but he has tiles hard to the ceiling in first bathroom and one wall in second. Somebody did say this should not happen to allow for movement, would this be correct?

I wonder how many of you would be so keen to pay out if the shoe were on the other foot and it was a different trade we were talking about.

As I say he is a really nice guy and I feel bad about this. I know he genuinely feels bad also but it is clear that he is not as experienced as you would expect from a tiler.

If it was me tony I would of stopped him after the first bathroom if I wasn't happy with the standard of work..but it's done now. and I wouldn't want it bodged up with silly borders.but it's hard to say without seeing the job..

 

[tonyfaestoney]

Woah woah Dannyboy that was my choice lol. Thought the red & white would go well with the white vanity units. I have put a black rubber tile floor in and black towels will be hung on the large towel rail when fitted. I thought that was a pretty good look but maybe I am wrong. The stuff I have bought is all good quality and contemporary so this maybe further complicates possble solutions like coving etc.

It is unfortunate and I am not angry at tiler, he freely admits he is in the wrong and does not want to charge for job. We just want some time to ourselves in our new house, tradesmen free. if he is happy to tile the remaining tiles until we are prepared timewise to go through this again, then fine.

I do think the border tile arrangement is something we could look at though.

 

[DHTiling]

more to the point who chose the red tiles

Not really called for is that comment... it is about the tiling and not customers tile choice..

 

[dannyboy1066]

only kidding

 

[dannyboy1066]

i would def overboard the ceiling

 

[dannyboy1066]

maybe some slimline modern architrave around the window

 

[DHTiling]

You could picture frame the window in the same tile... then cut field tiles to this feature....

A bit like this but obviously same tiles as you have up now...

 

[tonyfaestoney]

Guys another thought. I joined this forum this morning and have probably spent 4-6hours trying to find an amicable solution. I could have just agreed with the offer of not having to pay and got on with my life. Instead I have still looked for advice from you as professionals on a workable solution. I work in the oil & gas industry but would not imagine you guys would want to spend much time on forums on this subject.

I can assure you there is nothing fishy ans my intentions are good. The tiler is a nice guy and I don't feel comfortable criticising his work, but it is a bit too obvious now. The first bathroom I did not inspect properly with other tradesmen and other jobs going on in the house. He had well started the second bathroom before I noticed the imperfections. These are fixable and would have talked to him prior to both jobs being completed.

 

[tommyzooom]

Yep, overboard and skim the ceiling would be a simple fix.
And I have had to hack off the plaster from the window head, and tile directly to the lintel before (this was to level up two windows, and was in no way to fix a **** up on my part)
cough

 

[White Room]

If you do decide to overboard and skim, have plenty of polythene available.....

 

[tonyfaestoney]

If you do decide to overboard and skim, have plenty of polythene available.....

Hi whitebeam, what is the reason for this? The dust and mess you mean?

 

[charlie1]

If it was me tony I would of stopped him after the first bathroom if I wasn't happy with the standard of work..but it's done now. and I wouldn't want it bodged up with silly borders.but it's hard to say without seeing the job..

hey Andy, wasnt suggesting a silly border, a nice one was what I was thinking of!