Kitchen Tiling Mess - Should we pay?

IvyFlood

fenwick458 said:

I wouldn't be paying full price for that job it seems pretty shoddy. 
but you are also to blame a bit here, why didn't you say how you wanted it done in the first place?
I've worked for customers sometimes and they just seem to not really be interested in details at first, for example, "ah yeah just put the socket over there somewhere"
and then at the end of the day when it's all done it changes to "oh you put it there. i'm going to put a cupboard there. can you move it over there?"
If you have thought about how you want the job done, tell the tradesman that before they start. don't assume they will just read your mind and do it how you want without you actually speaking to them!

Yes we should have mentioned to him which way round we wanted them, I full accept that, and I can live with the way round they are but at the same time, I would have thought any good tiler might have consulted us, or have known that in order to make the best job with cuts, they'd be better done the other way round. Before he even came, I had cut out hexagons and stuck them on the wall with the flat side against the worktop. I didn't even think about it that's just the way that seemed sense! I know we are partly to blame for the positioning for not mentioning it to him before hand but its more the lack of straight cuts/jagged edges on show. 

IvyFlood

Clive_Woody said:

IvyFlood said:

There’s many edges like this 

That really doesn't look great. Not saying I could do better, but then I'm not a tiler. I would have thought a competent tiler would achieve a far better finish than that.

I think I could have done better myself! On the bulk of the wall, the whole tiles look good, but that's the easy bit. I believe anyone could stick tiles on the wall following the pattern - its probably something they do in primary school! What we are paying for is the skill to be able to cut them and shape them round awkward corners. This has not been done correctly therefore I really don't feel comfortable about paying for the job. 

littleboo

You’re also paying for the tilers advice and experience. He should check what you want and set expectations about any problem areas. A large part of tiling is being able to see the big picture before work starts. 

Rosa_Damascena

A decent tiler would have known better. Yours is not a decent tiler.

Its all in the planning - as a pp said, the first tile laid is the most important one.

IvyFlood

Just to update - we had said tiler back today and he had the cheek to call us picky about the cuts! He said he can't fix them but other bits he can. We said there was no point if it was just going to be a shoddy job again.  He also said he's got a diamond cutter but it still doesn't cut straight. I asked if he thought what he done was acceptable and his response of 'i'd be happy with that if it was my kitchen' says it all really!

He suggested we don't pay him, so we won't...

FreeBear

IvyFlood said:  He also said he's got a diamond cutter but it still doesn't cut straight.

I would suggest he invests in a quality tool and learns how to use it properly - I have seen straight, clean cuts from a cheap £40 Screwfix machine.

If you want to see what a good quality machine can do, go to somewhere like Topps Tiles and ask for a demo of one of their professional machines - My local store had one set up and was very willing to give a demo.

IvyFlood

FreeBear said:

IvyFlood said:  He also said he's got a diamond cutter but it still doesn't cut straight.

I would suggest he invests in a quality tool and learns how to use it properly - I have seen straight, clean cuts from a cheap £40 Screwfix machine.

If you want to see what a good quality machine can do, go to somewhere like Topps Tiles and ask for a demo of one of their professional machines - My local store had one set up and was very willing to give a demo.

Yeah its just bizarre! 
Other than having to live with the tiles, think we'd rather just forget about the experience now.