Tiling Job - Need Redoing?

[Andy Allen]

Send a recorded letter to them stating all the issues you have and give them 14 days to put them right or you will be taking legal action to recover your losses.
If after 14 days you have no response send another recorded letter stating legal action pending within 7 days.
If no response take them to the small claims court....you can do it all on line for a small cost.

 

[Herm]

Hi all,

Thanks for all the advice. We've had 2 plumbers out to look at the problems and quote for the work necessary to fix. The first was recommended by our boiler engineer, the second we found on trading standard's buywithconfidence website.

The first (he has offered to write us a report) has suggested:

• Taking off the shower door to enable access
• Removing the bottom 2 rows of tiles
• Bringing up the shower tray and sorting out the drainage problem directly under the shower
• Replacing bottom two rows with new tiles and reapplying door, reapplying sealant.

Second plumber agreed that it was a very bad job but he wasn't willing to write us any sort of report we could use, only a quote for what needs doing. He pretty much agreed with the consensus that it needed to be redone He was a bit more thorough and identified the drainage problem that we've been having in a bit more detail. He suggested that we contact trading standards and our insurer and ask them to send somebody out. He was reluctant to discuss a partial solution such as that suggested by the other plumber as he wouldn't be able to guarantee the rest of the work.

I did ask both plumbers about the importance of tanking on this sort of shower and neither seemed to think it was very important.

In contrast the company only ever offered to regrout around the lower tiles, no plumbing work that was necessary.

The only thing concerning me is that these two suggestions are so radically different and I don't know which is the right answer!

 

[Andy Allen]

Why not get tiler round to look at it ?

 

[Herm]

Why not get tiler round to look at it ?

OK - you're right, of course. I'll get in touch with one tomorrow Thanks

 

[Time's Ran Out]

I wouldn't get anyone to fix it yet!
Contact your solicitor and get him to write to the company who messed it up
in the first place. You want your money back, his costs, plus new tiles, walls made good and all rubbish removed from site and any subsequent damage paid for.
Letting them get away with this type of work allows them to continue taking people's hard earned money.
Stand up for your rights and make sure you move forward on the property ladder with a pair of balls!

 

[Herm]

I wouldn't get anyone to fix it yet!
Contact your solicitor and get him to write to the company who messed it up
in the first place. You want your money back, his costs, plus new tiles, walls made good and all rubbish removed from site and any subsequent damage paid for.
Letting them get away with this type of work allows them to continue taking people's hard earned money.
Stand up for your rights and make sure you move forward on the property ladder with a pair of balls!

I'm with you in principle, but worried about the legal fees!

Didn't plan on letting them get away with it but wanted to get someone to assess the extent of the problem and find out how much it would cost to sort out in case it came to it!

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It's a solicitors letter at this stage.
I'll assess it - it's a bridge!
Go for the jugular.

 

[Herm]

It's a solicitors letter at this stage.
I'll assess it - it's a bridge!
Go for the jugular.

OK... We'll look for a solicitor.
You'd be happy writing us the report we need? We can supply more pictures and info. We would be so grateful

 

[Herm]

If we don't find someone to do this written report we don't know how to get the proof that the work isn't good. It's understandable people not wanting to get involved in a legal dispute. It seems like there is very little recourse when the work is not good as everyone wants the work to refit again but nobody wants to support the customer... Any suggestions would be helpful on where to take it from here

Regards

 

[Tile Shop]

To be honest with you, a tilers job is to tile. If you can't find a tiler who can do it for you, your next best step is going to the Furniture Ombudsman. They are the ones who's actual day job it is to do an independent visit and write reports including for wall and floor coverings. Although a tiler could do it for you, bare in mind he would be expecting a day rate for taking the time out to visit and another for writing the report. He would also require paying if he is called in to speak on your behalf if he is required to make a further statement later in the case.

From memory the Ombudsman will charge a flat rate of approx £300-£350 and will be there on hand if ever you need further assistance at a later date, and is much better equipped than a tiler from a law perspective, even if their technical knowledge isn't quite as "on par". But regardless of tile knowledge, he'll visit, look at it and think it looks shocking, write his report, and the solicitor/court will take it as an accurate investigation.

 

[Herm]

To be honest with you, a tilers job is to tile. If you can't find a tiler who can do it for you, your next best step is going to the Furniture Ombudsman. They are the ones who's actual day job it is to do an independent visit and write reports including for wall and floor coverings. Although a tiler could do it for you, bare in mind he would be expecting a day rate for taking the time out to visit and another for writing the report. He would also require paying if he is called in to speak on your behalf if he is required to make a further statement later in the case.

From memory the Ombudsman will charge a flat rate of approx £300-£350 and will be there on hand if ever you need further assistance at a later date, and is much better equipped than a tiler from a law perspective, even if their technical knowledge isn't quite as "on par". But regardless of tile knowledge, he'll visit, look at it and think it looks shocking, write his report, and the solicitor/court will take it as an accurate investigation.

Thanks. We have offered money to prepare the report, we wouldn't expect anyone to work for free. Thanks for the tip, the ombudsman sounds like a good option but due to the outlay we would have to be sure.

I think our next step is to get a few more opinions so we know what we need to be asking for!

We've had differing opinions as to whether the work done is salvageable so we need to make sure.

 

[Old Mod]

We've had differing opinions as to whether the work done is salvageable so we need to make sure.

Apart from 'complete failure' within reasonable perameters, everything is salvageable.
The reason u'll get conflicting advic from tradesman will dependan on several factors.
It's in our nature to judge by our own standards, therefore automatically u'll have a difference of opinion from any potential fitter if contracted to carry out remedials to the project.
What's acceptable to one fitter may not be to another, we see that on here all the time!
Secondly it'll depend whether they can actually be bothered to patch and repair as opposed to a complete rip out, at the end of the day NO tradesman relishes the job of putting someone else's work right, paid well or not.
It's an arse of a job!
Then of course it's dependant on the level of overall finish u require, has that changed since u've been on here?
Is what was acceptable to u 6 months ago, acceptable now?
Probably not!
So any inspection/report can only be based on a 'fit for purpose' basis.
Which means as long as it falls within BS 5385 it's 'fit for purpose'
Aesthetics won't come in to it.
So I believe your best way forward is as Paul advised, and that's with an independent inspection by someone who's recognised by the courts.
The court may not recognise a random tradesman as an expert witness, that could well be judge dependant.
I could go on, ( as members can testify! Hehe ) but hopefully I've made point.
But it is only MY opinion.

 

[Italy]

Apart from 'complete failure' within reasonable perameters, everything is salvageable.
The reason u'll get conflicting advic from tradesman will dependan on several factors.
It's in our nature to judge by our own standards, therefore automatically u'll have a difference of opinion from any potential fitter if contracted to carry out remedials to the project.
What's acceptable to one fitter may not be to another, we see that on here all the time!
Secondly it'll depend whether they can actually be bothered to patch and repair as opposed to a complete rip out, at the end of the day NO tradesman relishes the job of putting someone else's work right, paid well or not.
It's an arse of a job!
Then of course it's dependant on the level of overall finish u require, has that changed since u've been on here?
Is what was acceptable to u 6 months ago, acceptable now?
Probably not!
So any inspection/report can only be based on a 'fit for purpose' basis.
Which means as long as it falls within BS 5385 it's 'fit for purpose'
Aesthetics won't come in to it.
So I believe your best way forward is as Paul advised, and that's with an independent inspection by someone who's recognised by the courts.
The court may not recognise a random tradesman as an expert witness, that could well be judge dependant.
I could go on, ( as members can testify! Hehe ) but hopefully I've made point.
But it is only MY opinion.

same. correct answer

 

[Herm]

Apart from 'complete failure' within reasonable perameters, everything is salvageable.
The reason u'll get conflicting advic from tradesman will dependan on several factors.
It's in our nature to judge by our own standards, therefore automatically u'll have a difference of opinion from any potential fitter if contracted to carry out remedials to the project.
What's acceptable to one fitter may not be to another, we see that on here all the time!
Secondly it'll depend whether they can actually be bothered to patch and repair as opposed to a complete rip out, at the end of the day NO tradesman relishes the job of putting someone else's work right, paid well or not.
It's an arse of a job!
Then of course it's dependant on the level of overall finish u require, has that changed since u've been on here?
Is what was acceptable to u 6 months ago, acceptable now?
Probably not!
So any inspection/report can only be based on a 'fit for purpose' basis.
Which means as long as it falls within BS 5385 it's 'fit for purpose'
Aesthetics won't come in to it.
So I believe your best way forward is as Paul advised, and that's with an independent inspection by someone who's recognised by the courts.
The court may not recognise a random tradesman as an expert witness, that could well be judge dependant.
I could go on, ( as members can testify! Hehe ) but hopefully I've made point.
But it is only MY opinion.

Thank you for writing this. It's really insightful and informative.

If only the Citizen's Advice Bureau were as clued up!

We are not too bothered by the aesthetic aspect, we are only interested in getting a working shower that will not damage the fabric of the house.

Aside from the leak plumbers have identified that the shower tray is levelled on one side using laminate flooring spacers instead of a board or sealant bed so the middle of the tray sounds hollow. He has said if we were to drop our bottle of shampoo it would crack.

Would this sort of thing be treated as subjective too or is this more obviously a terrible bodge? At least on this both plumbers have agreed!

Thanks so much for the information and advice.

 

[Old Mod]

If something is incorrectly fitted, then it is not subjective.
It's either right or wrong.