Poor tiling job

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

If you are happy (enough) with the bathroom then paying for that seems fair and shows you are reasonable.

Regarding the kitchen see what he says, it's difficult as I doubt the builder wants to lift it all to refit at their expense and you probably don't either but equally don't want to live with it.

The average person who visits your home will never notice but you'll likely see it every time you go in the kitchen.

If the builder felt they could get across the room with complete tiles they should have done a dry run to confirm and either come to the conclusion it wasn't 100% and used cut or asked you what was preferred.

I think the majority would say you don't want to end up with slithers at the ends as it looks off so something like 2/3 at one end and just over 1/3 at the other end, would cost a few extra tiles but would leave a much better finish.

The cuts where the corners don't match are just poor but am guessing the corner went in first and then it transpired the full tiles wouldn't meet perfectly across the room.

Guessing the option of removing the skirting was never put forward by the builder?

Locornwall

Thanks lunatic, I reached the same conclusions completely, as you.

Skirting wasn’t suggested. He mentioned it needing screeding, which we would have had done, however went ahead before giving the option. My feeling is that he wanted to get off to another job, as he didn’t even do a formal handover with me.

He is in my own words a “!!!! taker”. I even assured him I would pay him on successful completion, to make him feel at ease (he mentioned people not paying him in the past).

Regarding the tiles where the corners don’t match. This really is a poor job. You can’t see it in the picture, but those tiles that aren’t in line aren’t even full tiles. He either doesn’t know how to measure tiles against it or he has used a tape measure. Absolutely no excuse and not even down to bad planning.

SHAFT

spadoosh wrote: »

Sorry shouldve been clearer, when its not brilliant white its almost always going to show up very obviously against brilliant white skirting boards.

No one uses white grout on floors (unless theyre particularly daft or are lining a pool). Anything that isnt white is darker than white. I stand by my comment. :P

Plenty of grouts about that aren't white or very dark so feel free to stand by your comment.

pinkshoes

I would put in writing what you would like doing, even if this is going to be a nightmare.

Start with stating that you are pleased with the bathroom so are happy to pay £X for this work. Then state that the kitchen needs to be finished to an acceptable standard and could he please cut the tiles to the correct and same length at the edge, make any uneven tiles even, clear up any grout on the walls and tiles, and repair damage etc...

Be very clear what you would like to happen.

I certainly would not be happy with the badly cut tiles at the edge. Very amateur work!

Locornwall

Thanks but regarding getting him to put it right.

One of the major “school boy errors” is that he has calculated the width of the dining room as requiring 6 tiles, plus grout. This has turned out to be approximately 2-3cm short either side, which makes it look like a bodge job at the end. That’s why there are thick grout lines there. Using these tiles as the main reference points also means he has used extra grout under the kitchen plinths, as the tiles don’t reach there.

In essence, my opinion is that everything needs lifting and the job needs to be started again, with a greater degree of planning this time.

I am so furious.

pinkshoes

Locornwall wrote: »

Thanks but regarding getting him to put it right.

One of the major “school boy errors” is that he has calculated the width of the dining room as requiring 6 tiles, plus grout. This has turned out to be approximately 2-3cm short either side, which makes it look like a bodge job at the end. That’s why there are thick grout lines there. Using these tiles as the main reference points also means he has used extra grout under the kitchen plinths, as the tiles don’t reach there.

In essence, my opinion is that everything needs lifting and the job needs to be started again, with a greater degree of planning this time.

I am so furious.

Then that is what he will have to do...

Get someone else in for a second opinion too. That will help your case.

garth549

Ultimately he cannot force you to pay without taking you to court. With those pictures he'd have a very difficult job convincing a judge that that was an acceptable standard of work for a professional tiler.

Write him a letter outlining why the job is not to an acceptable standard and what needs to happen in order to rectify it. Make it clear that if he refuses you'll simply get someone else in to re-do it and he won't be paid for the work. Get his response in writing. You'll then have all the evidence you need to defend a case at court if necessary.

Locornwall

Thanks Garth.

I have arranged for another tiler to come on Monday, assess what needs to be done and provide me with a quote. I am just worried that in court a judge may not understand tiling and there will be some compromise on the job. Am I being too pessimistic about that? How do I prove it is below standard for a professional?

Also, the tiler will no doubt quote me to remove the tiles, screed the floor and then lay them. That would be an additional expense to me, which I should charge him for?

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Locornwall wrote: »

Thanks Garth.

I have arranged for another tiler to come on Monday, assess what needs to be done and provide me with a quote. I am just worried that in court a judge may not understand tiling and there will be some compromise on the job. Am I being too pessimistic about that? How do I prove it is below standard for a professional?

Also, the tiler will no doubt quote me to remove the tiles, screed the floor and then lay them. That would be an additional expense to me, which I should charge him for?

My understanding is that if you had a report from another tiler it would come down to which ever side the judge felt knew their profession the most.

I would assume you haven't been charged for screeding the floor by the first guy as they didn't do it? If they did it can be directly knocked off the first bill as it wasn't preformed but either way it's a new expense for you to cover.

Yes I'd go for the cost of lifting and then refitting plus any wasted tiles that need to be replaced but before you give the job to someone else you really do need to put your issues in writing and give the first guy say 7 working days to respond.

If you can do that by email and a letter I'd say you are fully covered if they don't respond or provide an unsatisfactory response.

I understand you wish to get things moving but I would say you risk losing by being too hasty.

I'd get the quote from the second tiler and then knock that off what is owed to the first guy for everything, pay the difference and then advise the first guy he can either tile the floor properly or forfeit the money and you'll have someone else do it.

If either of the tilers go down the road of removing the skirting I believe they should score along the top with a stanley knife to help prevent the plaster directly above the skirting chipping away.

If there is a cost for removing and refitting skirting again presumably the first guy hasn't charged you for this so that specific bit of cost couldn't be deducted from the first guys bill.

Hope that reads all as well as it sounds in my head!

Locornwall

Yes I get you thanks.

No, he did not charge me for skirting work, as it wasn’t provided as an option and neither was the screeding.

I will of course give him the opportunity to rectify the issues, however my belief and the belief of quite a few other people I have consulted is that for a proper job, the tiles have to all come up and start again.

I know some might not agree, but in some ways, I should be charging him, as I need to pay someone to remove the tiles now down etc