Uneven floor tiling job - not yet paid

Annie1960

breaking_free wrote: »

That's exactly my worry. I've emailed him yet again today asking for a full breakdown. Ah well, just have to wait and see what happens,

Surely the 'price' will be whatever someone else charges to put things right plus the cost of replacement tiles if necessary.

breaking_free

UPDATE: I finally got an email breakdown of the price (not a proper invoice) so now I know what I'm working with. After I received the price last week I emailed the boss and explained that I wanted him to come back and re-fit a handful of tiles (I included one of the images I shared here for good measure).

Then I sent the following email to the boss this morning.

Good morning xxxx.

Would you please email me back regarding the tiles. I came home last night to find that one tile has been lifted but not re-laid, and three of my spare tiles have been taken - I want them back. I would like you to meet me at my place so that we can discuss together which tiles need re-laying and determine when this work will be carried out.

I'm giving you 7 days from Monday 3rd April to rectify the problem. After this time I will engage another tiler to carry out the work and then I will pay your bill, minus whatever the other tiler charges me.

The boss has not emailed or spoken to me regarding the tiling job; it came as a complete surprise yesterday when I found the single lifted tile as I had no idea anybody was coming over.

I'm trying to be fair, which is why in my email I've set out the time scale and the action I'll take if the work isn't corrected. Am I being reasonable?

Annie1960

Normal timescale considered reasonable is 14 days.

breaking_free

Thanks Annie1960.

Well he actually didn't bother replying to my email but came around again when I was at work. I'd put sticky tape on a couple of tiles so he assumed that these were the only ones that I wanted re-lifting (they weren't). He replaced these then emailed to say he'd done it.

I've emailed him again to explain that those were not the only tiles that need doing and to please arrange a time next week to meet with me so I can show him which tiles need re-laying. I'm thinking of paying the kitchen installation bill on Monday, minus the tiling costs (till he's re-done the bodge job) to show good will. What do you think?

Doozergirl

Sounds fair.

phil24_7

Sounds fair, though I would make sure there is enough left to pay for the extra work, including buying any replacement tiles as needed.

breaking_free

CONCLUSION: It's sorted (after a fashion).

The tiler came back and I asked him to remove his shoes so he could walk over the tiles and feel the uneveness with his be-socked feet. I then pointed out that many tiles were 'a bit raised here on one corner, a bit low on another'. From a standing height looking down, the floor looks just fine, but when you get down to eyeball it you can easily notice that it's not close to being flat.

He trotted out the 'It will look better when it's grouted' line, to which I responded that no amount of grout was going to make the floor level.
He then told me that any tiled floor has a tolerance of 1 mm uneveness, which I countered by stating that the 3 tiles he'd already removed were well beyond that.
Finally he explained that he "knew" I wanted a cheap job so he'd only charged me £25 per square metre, but if I'd wanted a really good job he'd have charged £40 per square metre and taken two days. "I would have paid it", I said. (Is it normal for a tradie to have a "bodge job" rate and a "professional finish" rate?!?) I can just imagine how that would go down in practice - "Well maam, I can do a rubbish job for £25 per square metre, or I'll charge you £40 per square metre and you'll have a lovely floor; your choice".

I offered him a solution, which was to pay him that day for the bulk of the kitchen installation work, but I would hold a few ££ back to pay another tiler to re-lay some of the other tiles. I'd then pay for the rest of the work, minus the other tiler's fee. To his credit he went one step better: no charge for the tiling, plus another £25 off to round the bill down. We shook hands and that was that.

He's already re-laid the 3 worst tiles, so although I'll never have a perfectly level floor I accept that he's done his best to make things right.

Moral of the story: always ask a tradie if he has a "bodge job" rate and a "professional finish" rate.

Annie1960

breaking_free wrote: »

Finally he explained that he "knew" I wanted a cheap job so he'd only charged me £25 per square metre, but if I'd wanted a really good job he'd have charged £40 per square metre and taken two days. "I would have paid it", I said. (Is it normal for a tradie to have a "bodge job" rate and a "professional finish" rate?!?)

When you have a skill, it's very difficult to work to a lower standard than you normally do. I suspect he was doing his best but was not very good at tiling.

Furts

breaking_free wrote: »

Finally he explained that he "knew" I wanted a cheap job so he'd only charged me £25 per square metre, but if I'd wanted a really good job he'd have charged £40 per square metre and taken two days. "I would have paid it", I said. (Is it normal for a tradie to have a "bodge job" rate and a "professional finish" rate?!?) I can just imagine how that would go down in practice - "Well maam, I can do a rubbish job for £25 per square metre, or I'll charge you £40 per square metre and you'll have a lovely floor; your choice".

Moral of the story: always ask a tradie if he has a "bodge job" rate and a "professional finish" rate.

There is truth here. Price is a guide to quality - always has been and always will be. One has to establish what standard can be expected for any price. A simple commercial fact.

As a non building example this is no different to car body repairs - a cheap job to make a car superficial and safe? a blow over paint job for a quick sale? not repairing what is not immediately apparent? Or buying secondhand tyres for a car - cheaper than new but with risks attached.

Over the years I have been asked for "quick cheap jobs", "no questions asked", "avoid accepted procedures" and so on. Countless consumers care about nothing other than "it must be cheap." Turn the conversation round and start mentioning specifications, quality, accreditation and the consumers' eyes can glaze over.

Equally price for quality at the outset and consumers, who frequently know better than competent contractors, say I can get the work cheaper elsewhere.

david1951

I had a painter and decorator who once asked whether I wanted a "1, 2 or 3 finish". When I queried he apologised and said he didn't realise I was a homeowner, not a landlord.

I guess it makes sense for certain jobs (e.g., painting/decorating at the end of a tenancy). As for tiling...an extra day to make sure the tiles are actually level and spaced evenly...not sure.