Problems with Tiler - Advice Please

paulburton

Please see

http://tinypic.com/r/24wfr78/3

My tiler, or so called, has mucked up my bathroom big style, he didn't realise the ceiling was so out, and now he's left with a inch gap at one end.

I have kicked him out, but now not sure what to do, about 70% done, other problems, but main along the ceiling line, any ideas people ? do I rip them all down, start again ? they are expensive tiles, so don't really want to waste them, but don't want it to look rubbish !!


Thanks, Paul

devotee

Had the same problem when my bathroom was done, the tiler didn't measure the wall properly so I also ended up with a gap. I sorted this by sticking some coving and painted it the same colour as the ceiling.

TomsMom

I think I would have started by asking the tiler what HE was going to do about it. Put the onus on him, he made the mistake. You trusted him to know what he was doing and do a good job for you.

It may be possible to get the tiles off, and if so you can soak them in water which should help remove the adhesive. I'd ask my son (a tiler) but he's away at the moment. Perhaps another tiler will come along and comment.

paulburton

Thanks for your comments, the tiler has surgested re-plastering the ceiling, but I am sure you can't put 1" of plaster at one end, and nothing at the other. I don't wan't coving, so looks like I am taking it all down

A few more pictures of the mess ......

http://tinypic.com/r/2isd34j/3

http://tinypic.com/r/jpbez9/3

http://tinypic.com/r/14ecfau/3

http://tinypic.com/r/29gcw2g/3

Please help people

Paul

TomsMom

paulburton wrote: »

Thanks for your comments, the tiler has surgested re-plastering the ceiling, but I am sure you can't put 1" of plaster at one end, and nothing at the other. I don't wan't coving, so looks like I am taking it all down

I think you're right, OH tells me you can't put 1" of plaster on your ceiling. FWIW I wouldn't want coving in my fully tiled bathroom either.

I would tell your tiler to come back, remove the tiles (there seems to be some iffy cuts too from your photos!) then reimburse you for the cost of any tiles that are unusable.

Just out of interest, where did you find this tiler?

If you were within a reasonable distance of where we live I'd get my son to come and look at it and see what could be done - chances are you're nowhere near the north-west Wales coast though.

Rockporkchop

If it was just the gap between the tiles and the ceiling that was the problem I would be tempted to just use a thick end bead and make do with it (not paying him of course), but from the photos of the other cuts it looks like an all round bodge job.

Have you paid him anything? I would have to make him to strip the tiles off the walls and reimburse you for a new set, then find a decent tiler. There is no point even asking him to rectify the problems as he is obviously not capable. I doubt you will be able to save any of the tiles, it is unbelievably difficult to remove tile adhesive and even if you do manage it, the tiles always seem to lose some of their grip.

It's so annoying that anyone with a cheap B&Q tile cutter and the gift of the gab can call themselves a tiler nowadays with no training at all.

Please let us know how you get on.

paulburton

Thanks for everyone’s replies, I am going to meet another tiller tonight, see what he thinks, but going prepared to take them off

Not sure how I stand about trying to get him to pay for the wasted ones, I didn't pay him for what he's done, he said I was happy with the floor, so I should pay for that, I am not happy with the floor either, so not paying anything. I asked around for tillers for ages, but found none, then a local directory of 'trades men' was pushed through my door, called two, and he was the only one who turned up, he arrived on time, said he had been a tiller for 7 years, and this would be no problem.

Seen second tiller tonight, says best option is to start again

andyhop

Looks very rough

Tiles are staggered and stepped and finish looks poor

If the ceiling is out then for a perfect job this needs to be corrected also

paulburton

I don't think there is anything I can do with the ceiling, other than take it down, re plaster board it with some battens at one end to lower it, then get it re plastered, seems a lot of messing about, might just have to live with it.

Still planning on taking all the tiles off and starting again, tiller last night was OK, bit cheap, and that always worries me, got another to see over the weekend who sounded a nice guy on the phone, but I have now decided that I am no judge of character, and I am just going to toss a coin to make future decisions

Thanks to everyone,


Paul

TomsMom

paulburton wrote: »

I don't think there is anything I can do with the ceiling, other than take it down, re plaster board it with some battens at one end to lower it, then get it re plastered, seems a lot of messing about, might just have to live with it.

Can you not plasterboard over the original ceiling? I'm no expert but if it's sound and you screw the new plasterboard into the joists (??? is that the right word???) that would save the mess of taking the old one down.

Still planning on taking all the tiles off and starting again, tiller last night was OK, bit cheap, and that always worries me, got another to see over the weekend who sounded a nice guy on the phone, but I have now decided that I am no judge of character, and I am just going to toss a coin to make future decisions

Don't be too hard on yourself, I bet there's no many on here who haven't made such a mistake. We did years ago, had a downstairs bathroom extended, builder did a good job on the building work but his tiling was sh!te. We sacked him, took the tiles off and had a local independent tiling shop come and do it and they did a wonderful job. We just put it down to experience and learnt by it, and we only paid the builder for the building works not the tiling! It was because of this firm coming that my son, 15 at the time, got interested in tiling!

Is there anyone you can ask for recommendations for a tiler? I'm sure someone told me that some councils have lists of tradesmen that you can have access to. Maybe phone up and speak to the building control officer. Or, where did you buy the tiles? If an independent shop rather than a DIY shed you could ask for a recommendation.

paulburton

Evening everyone,

I have now seen two other possible tillers, just not sure how to choose between them

1. Bloke about 40, tattoos, bit of a geezer, knows the original bloke I used, hates him, but still can't understand why he has made such a mess of my bathroom, says best to start again, seemed to know what he was on about, but then, so did the first bloke. I said how much and how long, he said £200, and about two days, - that seems a bit cheap, but then again, they seem to make these figures up on the spot. I asked him about fitting my shower screen, he said no, wouldn't want to risk it, he said he only does tiles and bits of painting (which, I know this is me reading too much into everything, worried me a bit, for some reason I'm worried he's now an odd job man, not a tiller)

2. About 45, friendly bloke (but again, so was first bloke) again, seemed to know what he was talking about, pointed out other problems with what’s been done, asked him how long, how much, he said about 3 days, £280. To me, the price isn't so much of an issue, but cheap prices always worry me. He seemed ok, but when I talked to him about the radiator (that I have removed to tile behind) he said you have to be Corgi to put it back on, which is complete rubbish, Gas Register (as it is now) is the boiler and gas supply, nothing to do with water. So that made me think a bit, - as I said, maybe just reading too much into every word.


Both, to me, for 16m2 seem cheap, I bought them from an independent tile shop, they recommended two fitters, neither of which wanted to do it, too small, and one said £500, one extreme to the other it would appear.

What do people think ? I am going to take the tiles off tomorrow, probably brake most of them, then get the first bloke to pay for them, so hopefully, apart from some time, I shouldn't be out of pocket, that is, if first tiller pays up


Many thanks,


Paul