Squint Tiles

Section62

DetailDave said:

Talking about legal stuff makes me feel rather queasy. Tbh I’ve not eaten much in 2 days as this is so upsetting. My main concern is not falling out with these guys, and thinking it through, I don’t think that’s possible if I ask for it to be redone. I hope they see the problem (although they must have seen it already and decided not to say anything). And if that’s the case, then maybe I should be more annoyed. Argh 😖 I really don’t know what to think.

You still seem to be thinking the tiler has made a mistake (as happened with the other thread).  Start thinking the tiler has done something you don't (yet) understand, but may make sense when you find out why they've done it that way.

DetailDave said:

Here’s a photo of the door threshold (to the kitchen that we have asked them to quote to renovate too - so they knew the tiles in here weren’t staying).

If the kitchen is being redone then there's a high probability (as with the other thread) that the tiler has stood at the front door and seen a line from there through the hallway and kitchen... with a view to following that line through when the kitchen is done.  Having used plain tiles on the border, the most important thing for alignment will almost certainly be the view from hallway to kitchen.

DetailDave said:

But I can’t find anywhere that the tiles line up to.

Stop looking, and just ask the tiler.

ThisIsWeird

There were two highly significant elements in that other thread; 

(1) the tiling in that example could - imo - have been aligned far more successfully, and this would have required only a fraction of one degree of anti-clock rotation. If the tiler had used the very-visual-and-most-obvious-as-you-look-and-walk-in-to-the-kitchen LH plinth line to guide the floor tile layout, the tiles would not only have been perfectly aligned with this most obvious of visual focal points - the long row of base units - but would, very closely, have now also followed the far end run of kitchen units too. And it would have aligned with the wall line on the opposite side where the bay window recess is located. Instead, the tiler's decision meant that every single wall line was out and, in most cases, very visibly so. 

And, (2) the poster/customer in that example had evidence of this superior layout, as the existing floor tiling (did the tiler need to remove this first? Can't recall) did precisely this - and they had photos to prove it. I hold by my claim that the tiler in that example made a poor choice. But hey.

In that other example, the poster drew for us a scaled outline of the room in order to demonstrate the inaccuracies - is that worth doing for your example? If you can then arrange the tiles and borders to sit in an obviously better way, then you may have something tangible to discuss with.

Having said that, the floor looks stunning, and I'd say was very professionally fitted. (No idea if the layout aligment could have been improved, tho').

DetailDave

Having said that, the floor looks stunning, and I'd say was very professionally fitted. (No idea if the layout aligment could have been improved, tho'). 

That’s the biggest thing; in every other way (apart from a few chipped tiles) the floor is laid beautifully. It’s just the layout, which could definitely be better. I’m kicking myself for not noticing it sooner, but then they should have too.

ThisIsWeird

It's a complex layout, with the stairs and doorways to take into account, as well as possibly non-straight walls.

If you draw it out yourself, and find an obvious and significantly superior layout, then you have more ammo. But, someone is going to be weeping - the thought of having to pull up and redo that floor will break most men...

So please consider whether it'll really be noticeable once the rads are mounted, the wee hallway table goes against that wall, a wee runner is put down.

I'm fussy - hence the other thread going on for 16 pages - but I think I'd walk into your home and simply gasp at the beauty.

To redo would be a killer :-(

Doozergirl

There must be something really wrong with me because I'm struggling to see the problem.  It looks lovely.    😬

All houses are wonky in some way.  That hallway doesn't look wonky to me.  I can see the freshly plastered wall bowing slightly.  

Section62

ThisIsWeird said:

If you draw it out yourself, and find an obvious and significantly superior layout, then you have more ammo.

The OP wouldn't, because there is nothing objectively 'wrong' with what has been done.

There are different ways of aligning the tiles and personal preference will come into which one any individual thinks looks best.

To go into court and argue the tiler should pay for the tiling to be redone would require evidence that either (1) the tiling is 'wrong' (it isn't) or (2) that a specific layout was requested by the client and the contractor has failed to do as requested (he hasn't).

Understanding why the tiler did it this way is key.  There's only one way of doing that.

BlueVeranda

ThisIsWeird said:

 

And, (2) the poster/customer in that example had evidence of this superior layout, as the existing floor tiling (did the tiler need to remove this first? Can't recall) did precisely this - and they had photos to prove it. 

I read through the entirety of the linked thread yesterday (fascinating) and no, deep into the discussion it was revealed the existing tiles had been taken up before the new tiler started. I don't think he ever saw it.

I have to say Dave's hallway looks stunning and if I had just walked in to visit, I'd not look twice at the edges. But it's different when it's your own home, isn't it?

DetailDave

Hoping to find out soon, but no show this morning and no communication yet. I agree it would break anyone to rip it up, and I don’t think I’d have any relationship left afterwards either. Perhaps if/ when they tell me what it’s lined up to, it’ll make more sense and I’ll have something to justify it with. Until then I’ll show my neighbours and hope their reaction makes up for it.

ThisIsWeird

BlueVeranda said:

ThisIsWeird said:

 

And, (2) the poster/customer in that example had evidence of this superior layout, as the existing floor tiling (did the tiler need to remove this first? Can't recall) did precisely this - and they had photos to prove it. 

I read through the entirety of the linked thread yesterday (fascinating) and no, deep into the discussion it was revealed the existing tiles had been taken up before the new tiler started. I don't think he ever saw it.

I have to say Dave's hallway looks stunning and if I had just walked in to visit, I'd not look twice at the edges. But it's different when it's your own home, isn't it?

I haven't gone through the entirety of that thread (since its time), and have no intention of doing so, but the OP of that thread posted photos of the old tiles, certainly where they ran along the opposite wall, and this showed a straight grout line from one side of the bay recess to the other, unlike the new layout. This indicated that the original layout was at a slight anti-rotation to the new, and this would have helped - possibly even fully resolved - what was the main point of contention, the obviously squint LH line against the units which, I think I recall, the OP confirmed it would.The OP's sketch showed all these measurements, and this confirmed the situation. Obviously I only had the OP's info to go by. Based on this, I stick with what I said, and what the tiler did there is not the layout I'd have arrived at. 
I agree with your thoughts on Dave's hallway - it's just fab, and I doubt I'd have thought anything was amiss on visiting.

ThisIsWeird

Section62 said:

ThisIsWeird said:

If you draw it out yourself, and find an obvious and significantly superior layout, then you have more ammo.

The OP wouldn't, because there is nothing objectively 'wrong' with what has been done.

There are different ways of aligning the tiles and personal preference will come into which one any individual thinks looks best.

To go into court and argue the tiler should pay for the tiling to be redone would require evidence that either (1) the tiling is 'wrong' (it isn't) or (2) that a specific layout was requested by the client and the contractor has failed to do as requested (he hasn't).

Understanding why the tiler did it this way is key.  There's only one way of doing that.

That's your subjective opinion on 'objectivity';
we just don't have enough info in this case to be objective. 
For the previous situation, I'd have been mortified by the tiler's decision. Or that they didn't even discuss the obvious alternatives. 
To simply disregard what should best practice as being secondary to a professional's 'personal preference' is, well, not very professional of the professional.
But that is not a reflection on Dave's hallway. It's beautiful. Whether it could be significantly more so by a tweak, I have absolutely no idea, and is really up to Dave to demonstrate, I think.