Is this tiling as bad as i think?

stgermain · 24 November 2019 at 10:31PM

Hi All

Been reading here for years but I've never had need to post so hoping you guys can help. I've just had a shower room built as part of an extension project. It hasn't been cheap, I haven't cut costs and the building firm - a small local company with a good reputation - have been good so far (building works rather than finishing). Tiling in the shower enclosure has just finished and while I'm no professional tiler, I've done a lot of DIY and am sure I could do a better job than they have. Hopefully the photos show up what I think are some obvious defects: -poor cuts and chipped edges -poor grouting -uneven spacing -poor mitring of the trim You probably can't see the lippage on quite a few tiles. They're planning on using mastic on the corner which I think won't look good owing to the size of bead required to cover that grout and the chipped edges. The tiles are Cabana, by Claybrook, and weren't cheap.
I'm meeting with the builder in the week and have expressed my dissatisfaction but he's told me some tiles were longer than others so the alignment strays the further you go. Even if some tiles in the batch were longer, I'd expect these to be used for the cuts and longer tiles don't account for some of the layout errors. At the least, if they'd warned me in advance about differences in length (which I'm not sure is true as the product sheet looks to state very small tolerances in this respect), I could've made an informed decision on whether to progress.
Please tell me if I'm being fussy as the only solution I can see is for the whole lot to be taken out, new tiles ordered, a proper tiler brought in to do the job and everything made good. Needless to say the builder isn't keen as it will all come out of his pocket. Any thoughts or advice much appreciated. Hope the images are accessible (you just have to remove the spaces, thanks):

https: //ibb.co/ album/ mepLLa

Forgot to mention, I like the builder and the fellow that did the tilingl so rather than simply complain, I'd like to make a clear case for what needs to happen.

phill99 · 24 November 2019 at 10:46PM

There are a lot of school boy errors on this. The grout has been applied too dry, which is why it looks gritty.

The straight cuts have been done on a wheel ( but a blunt one) rather than a rubi style cutter which gives a neat, straight cut. Spacing is poor, lines are not level.....

I wouldn't be happy with it.

A professional tiler hasn't done that.

Cornucopia · 24 November 2019 at 11:01PM

It's not great although it looks like it hasn't been grouted yet.

Most of it should look a lot better once that's been done properly, and any bits that need re-doing are easier before grouting.

I definitely think that the cuts around the shelf area are very poor, and will not be improved by grouting or silicone. I'd want those re-doing properly.

Your original link:
https://ibb.co/album/mepLLa

stgermain · 24 November 2019 at 11:05PM

Sadly, it has already been grouted.

stgermain · 24 November 2019 at 11:07PM

Thanks for fixing the link.

Cornucopia · 24 November 2019 at 11:09PM

stgermain wrote: »

Sadly, it has already been grouted.

Surely not? Final grout finish filling the gaps between tiles fully and flush to the surface (near enough)? Some looks like it could be grouted and some not.

If it is, then it is entirely unsuitable and easily fails the "fit for purpose" test in the relevant consumer law. There should be no gaps, and that doesn't look like suitable grouting material (too gritty). It needs to be water-tight, above all else.

stgermain · 24 November 2019 at 11:43PM

I agree it doesn't look grouted but it is. Varying depths all over.

Aylesbury_Duck · 25 November 2019 at 12:05AM

You’re not being fussy. That’s not a good job. I think you’re justified in wanting it to be re-done.

BananaRepublic · 25 November 2019 at 12:29AM

I tiled and grouted a small floor for the first time and I would have been ashamed of that grouting job, it’s appalling. And grouting really is very easy to do. It’s not easy to cut tiles cleanly but as said the shelf tiles are poorly cut. The faults should be fixed without further cost.