Tiling Over Floorboards - Bathroom

[Dominic Patterson]

First of all, hello, I'm a newbie (have some rental properties which I work on) and am redoing our bathroom at home and creating an en-suite.

After tiling the en suite myself I decided to employ a tiler to do the main bathroom (also my wife insists, quite rightly).

I've had 3 tilers look at the job and have been told 3 different methods of how they will be doing the floor. My question is which one is correct?

Job is 1st floor bathroom, usual T&G floorboards on joists. Floor approximately 3m2. Floor is ok, fairly sound but probably not level and some high spots (which I could plane?). Tiles are 600x300 porcelain. Walls are ok and he will be doing 23m2 on there. So 26m2 in all with one window and tiling bath panel.

Tiler 1 says he would use a durabase matting in usual way. (most expensive £*** ish)
Tiler 2 says he will glue (with RSF) and screw 6mm hardiebacker, then tile (middle price £*** ish)
Tiler 3 says he will use a 2 part flexi adi and apply direct to floorboards (cheapest £*** ish)

Tiler 1 is too expensive anyway but that isn't because of his chosen way of doing the floor. Tiler 2 was recommended and tiler 3 I got from picking a card up at Topps.

So which is best? Only a bathroom fitter suggested ply and I didn't want the big step in from the landing.

 

[J Sid]

Agree Tiler 1... "Good work ain't cheap, cheap work ain't Good"
You get what you pay for, experience alone is what is included in his price!
Dural matting all the way for me, with Tilemasters ultimate and Kerakoll liquid grout!!!

Agree bar the last two lines.

 

[G Taylor Tiling]

Agree bar the last two lines.

Hi Julian, we all have our favourite / personal adhesives, but I am a big fan of the liquid grout!!

 

[Dominic Patterson]

Not an exact science then......as it seems personal preference comes in to it also. Thanks for all your help. I see that nobody thought tiling straight to boards was a good idea and so I could discount that tiler straight away.

I understand the argument on "you get what you pay for" but, as a customer, I have to disagree that it is a rule. More a guide, as it often doesn't work out that way. I recently had a plumber (allegedly a proper firm etc.) do some terrible work for quite a lot of money. More than the better plumber who rectified it would have charged. I also had a shower room fitted by a big firm in Manchester, paid a lot of money and got an awful job (blocked soil pipe etc backing up to 2nd floor bathroom just one of the problems). I could have paid a lot less on both occasions but went for the more expensive options, as they appeared to be experienced, reputable etc. I have a few examples of this principle but don't want to bore everyone (ok, too late for that).

The proof, I'm afraid, is in the pudding, not the quotation. I just have to use my best judgement as to who will do the best job (and seek advice from tiler's forum). Obviously price comes in to it also but I certainly don't want a shoddy job after shelling out £850 on tiles.

In this instance, Tiler 1 is quite young and Tiler 2 is very experienced, well known to the several tile warehouses locally and was a recommendation from someone who had a lot of expensive tiles fitted in a big extension. He also isn't the cheapest, that is Tiler 3 and I have now discounted that guy. I think the difference in price is just their way of pricing. I may be wrong but wouldn't know until they did the job. I would say that tiler 1 was on about plastering the (new plasterboard) walls before tiling, which I didn't understand, as it reduces the weight the boards can hold but I don't know, maybe there was a good reason.

Thanks to all again for your advice. Much appreciated.

 

[judge]

Your right Dominic,If the wall tiles are going ceiling height ,Skimming the walls is a total waste of money,time and restricts weight limits.

 

[White Room]

You could have twenty guys turn up and there would still a big variation in prices...

 

[G Taylor Tiling]

Not an exact science then......as it seems personal preference comes in to it also. Thanks for all your help. I see that nobody thought tiling straight to boards was a good idea and so I could discount that tiler straight away.

I understand the argument on "you get what you pay for" but, as a customer, I have to disagree that it is a rule. More a guide, as it often doesn't work out that way. I recently had a plumber (allegedly a proper firm etc.) do some terrible work for quite a lot of money. More than the better plumber who rectified it would have charged. I also had a shower room fitted by a big firm in Manchester, paid a lot of money and got an awful job (blocked soil pipe etc backing up to 2nd floor bathroom just one of the problems). I could have paid a lot less on both occasions but went for the more expensive options, as they appeared to be experienced, reputable etc. I have a few examples of this principle but don't want to bore everyone (ok, too late for that).

The proof, I'm afraid, is in the pudding, not the quotation. I just have to use my best judgement as to who will do the best job (and seek advice from tiler's forum). Obviously price comes in to it also but I certainly don't want a shoddy job after shelling out £850 on tiles.

In this instance, Tiler 1 is quite young and Tiler 2 is very experienced, well known to the several tile warehouses locally and was a recommendation from someone who had a lot of expensive tiles fitted in a big extension. He also isn't the cheapest, that is Tiler 3 and I have now discounted that guy. I think the difference in price is just their way of pricing. I may be wrong but wouldn't know until they did the job. I would say that tiler 1 was on about plastering the (new plasterboard) walls before tiling, which I didn't understand, as it reduces the weight the boards can hold but I don't know, maybe there was a good reason.

Thanks to all again for your advice. Much appreciated.

Totally agree, best way is to have sound reputable recommendations, or even better see the work he has already done etc...

 

[Tile seller]

Tiler one seems odd, with wanting to skim the plaster board and looking to posibly eliminate lateral movement rather than vertical so much. Tiler two has the method that makes sense to me. I don't think tiler three is completely wrong but, the method doesn't seem as safe as overboarding.