Tiling uneven ceiling - help!

pamplem0use

We're having a lot of problems with a renovation project with our project manager telling us we need 'add ons'.
The latest is that the ceiling is uneven, and so can't be tiled right up to and requires coving.
Now, it will be very difficult to tile right up to because the gap between the now top tile and ceiling is very small. But surely this could have been solved by not using a full tile at the bottom.
We are really unhappy about spending another £100 + vat on coving when we've already paid £1000 for the tiling excluding the tiles. It's a small bathroom!
Is the coving suggestion reasonable or is it to make up for inadequate skill in tiling? We've already had to pull up the chap doing the tiling once because the tiles were lined up really poorly....
Many thanks!

victor2

Ceilings are rarely parallel to the floor. If the remaining gap is too small for even a small piece of tile, then can it be filled with plaster?
Coving may be more elegant, but who is going to stand in the bathroom and stare at the ceiling, apart from you of course!

Mr_Ted

From the sounds of it your tiler is a poor craftsman
A good tiler will create a good fit no matter how uneven the ceiling is and will certainly have tiles lined up because if they dont at the start they will be worse at the end!
No matter what you use the ceiling is still going to be uneven and that will reflect in whatever is used!

Ruski

Using a small tile at the bottom will look worse, so forget that idea. If there is enough room to get coving to sit on top of the top row of tiles there is MORE than enough room for a cut tile. IMHO.

Picture would be better.

Russ

Oldsoak

As a bathroom fitter and qualified tiler and plumber, it sounds to me like your tiler is a jobber and has little or no idea. Having said that I have to rely on your description for that. He should have spent at least a couple of hours setting out, so as to avoid this problem.
If you have an uneven ceiling anyway, why not spend the £100 on having it plastered to get it level and if the gap is small at the top the plasterer should be able to board over, then skim the ceiling and make the bathroom look even better.
If you have a project manager then I would consider suing him if he fails to be able to provide good tradesmen.
Good luck.

southcoastrgi

i agree with oldsoak i always spend alot of time setting out the tiles, it sounds like he doesn't know what he's doing

pamplem0use

Thank you for all of your replies.
We've paid around 2k to have all of the ceilings over boarded and skimmed already so presumably the ceiling shouldn't be very uneven in the first place!

tpt

oldsoak is right. if properly done tile layout can easily cope with this, if they have set out so that they are left with a small cut at the top and a full tile at the bottom then thats a very amateur thing to do. The reason a cut tile (ideally half a tile) is taking into the corners and the top is to allow for uneven, out of plumb or level surfaces. You shouldnt be left in that situation.

Coving stuck on top of the tiles could well look strange, but more importantly, coving is usually plaster based and will not stand up to the steam\moisture too well. be careful what you agree too, and especially what you pay 'extras' for, if they are wanting to use coving to cover up a mistake then you shouldnt be billed for it!

obviously all this is based on your description to perhaps you should post some piccies?

Oldsoak

tpt is right, you should not be paying to correct someone else's mistake. If I make a mistake (it does very occassionally happen), then I put it right at my cost be that in time or money. You should not be out of pocket for it, something that you should explain in no uncertain terms to your project manager.

Steve_the_fitter

Either you project manager is clueless or he is lying to you to cover up the mistake. Either way you shouldnt be to happy with him