Would you take this job?

[Varley]

I have just finished a job for a property developer, ceramic tiles on the two walls around the bath and shower. Job completed and customer was very happy. However, he was advised by the estate agent to tile the full bathroom to add more value to the house. So he phones me up to price up. Trouble is, i only set out with those two walls in mind, not the rest of the bathroom. The way the tiles lie will leave me with sliver cuts around the window etc. There are other problems too... he will not pay to have the radiator taken off so it won't look all that good around that area, plus the walls are flush with the architraves around the door (the architrave is actually sunk into the wall therefore does no protrude at all) meaning i would have to use trim around the door again meaning it just won't look right. I am perfectly capable of doing the job, but am worried that a job like this could damage my reputation, if anyone asks him who did his tiling as he is unlikely to say that he wouldn't pay to have the radiator taken off or renew the architrave which is why these areas don't look right, they would just assume i chose to do it that way.

What would you guys do? Or has anyone been in a similar situation?

P.S. Even though when i originally went out i was only quoting for the two walls around the bath, should i still have been taking into account the rest of the bathroom when i set out just in case, or was i ok just to set out for the two walls i was asked to tile?

 

[epoxy pete]

hello mate

ive been in similar situation in the past ,the simple solution is ,he either takes the original tiling done by yourself ,off, and has the whole bathroom re-tiled by you ,or you simply explain what you have wrote in this post on here the situation your facing ,cuts etc,if he doesnt see sense i would personally not attempt to do the job if you feel your good name is going to be brought into the bad books so to speak,you says he's a property developer?,he sounds as he s looking to make a quick buck on the particular property with no real need to go the extra mile to sort the architraves ,rediatior out for you,a simple solution would be if he wanted you to do the job still....get him to write out an instruction for you,to tile the bathroom,knowing the situation your in,signed by him,highlighting the the points you feel are gonna look bad,you then have a contract between the 2 of you with no comebacks by any party,i use these quite often in the contracting ,if i feel somethings not right i get it logged ,then if they want me to tile something...and 1 month later it falls off,im covered because they have insructed me to do it in writing,the onus is then back on the client as he is,was taking the consequences of his action s on the chin by the client ,,,,,noyt me the tiling contractor...i hope that makes sense!!!!!
pete :wink_smile:

 

[epoxy pete]

as for setting out the job for a fully tiled bathroom...unless your a mind reader,i wouldnt worry about it one bit,he instructed you originally to do 2 walls.....end of story really...you werent to know!!!!!
maybe you ought to carry a crystal ball about in your van for future jobs:wink_smile:

 

[Varley]

as for setting out the job for a fully tiled bathroom...unless your a mind reader,i wouldnt worry about it one bit,he instructed you originally to do 2 walls.....end of story really...you werent to know!!!!!
maybe you ought to carry a crystal ball about in your van for future jobs:wink_smile:

Lol, pretty much what i thought m8, thanks for the advice.

 

[Leatherface]

I agree

 

[Concept PHT]

Customers will do anything to try and save money, especially developers.

Don't let them talk you into doing the job their way. Stick to what you know you should do and if they don't like that, then walk away and let some other mug struggle to do the job and ruin their rep.

 

[M D HUGHES]

Sounds like you've done everything right and shouldn't feel you should have known he was going to ask you to do the rest. Your bound to set out the best job for the section or room your tiling, thiers no point in setting out for parts of the room that your not asked to tile, that would be absolutely nuts, lol.
Sounds like he's a bit new to developing as well if he needs advice from an agent on something rather obvious, like this.
It would be a shame to miss out on all the possible work he could put your way if you can't find a way around the problem.

 

[L & R CERAMICS]

id ask him to get a joiner in to take the arky off and build it out after youve finished tiling, id also recommend some window bead maybe 2 inch wide to cover your cuts around the window ,also obviously bill him for the extra time it takes to sort the room out ,if that doesnt wash tell him to do one

 

[Varley]

Thanks for the comments and advice guys. I priced up to include the extra f*** on i would have and he didn't go for it, apparently the estate agent said it would be a doddle and wouldn't cost much mg_smile: . Can't say i was too disappointed at losing this job though.