Squint Tiles

Doozergirl

DetailDave said:

Section62 said:

DetailDave said:

Update #2 The chipped tiles cannot be replaced without putting the integrity of the rest of the floor in jeopardy. Because it’s all set (and with a specifically hard concrete type ‘glue’) smashing just one tile will send vibrations through the rest of the floor meaning others may come loose over time. I’m back to wanting it redone, other half says no, it’s fine, it’s madness to pull it up and redo and it will never be perfect anyway (I disagree, but don’t want to have constant arguments between us). The builder knows we’re upset, but had to rush off leaving his tiler to finish some other bits. 

I agree with your other half.  Unless you cover the tiles with a thick carpet they are going to get chipped fairly rapidly from day-to-day use.  Even if you achieve the perfection you seek, it won't last long.

Meanwhile, however happy and helpful the builder/tiler may seem, you are very likely using up your goodwill with them.

Personally - given you want them to do further work for you in the future - I'd reserve as much goodwill as possible in case there are bigger issues ahead.

Surely at this point it’s not goodwill, but a desire to put right as best as possible a mistake made by them. Given that they would have replaced the whole hall, surely goodwill is what we are now giving them.

They have feelings too!  They probably weren't doing backflips at the prospect.  I understand your feelings but that remedy outweighs the problem by a great deal; it will affect what they choose to do in future.   There's a world of difference between choosing to keep a current customer happy
and choosing to work with them again.  

I think some kind of colour correction to the chipped areas might be a proportional compromise.   We can't prove when/how the chips occurred and things don't stay new forever.  We're talking about a small number of tiny chips a good 5ft away from anyone's eyes in an area that people walk through, not sit in.   

ThisIsWeird

Only you can decide, Dave. 
The general feeling on here appears to be that the overall quality of the installation (a few touchinable chips aside), and definitely  the hallway's overall appearance, are very liveable with.
And the consequences of having it redone - the time, mess, disruption, a tiler very likely working under duress, or a replacement tiler who might not get the grout lines and finish as superbly neat, and an excellent builder who is unlikely to agree to cross your threshold again, and - horror - you realising it might not have been that big a deal after all..., well.
Another biggie, I think, is that your partner says "it's fine". 
But only you can decide.
Have you  accurately sketched out your preferred layout? Are you certain that the edge border tiles can be equalised throughout the whole hallway - the wider main area and the corridor? If so, how will this be achieved?  Will it be by having to trim some of the currently-square main decorative tiles to make them rect? If so, what will this look like?
Please think everything through before pressing the nuclear button

ComicGeek

DetailDave said:

Section62 said:

DetailDave said:

Update #2 The chipped tiles cannot be replaced without putting the integrity of the rest of the floor in jeopardy. Because it’s all set (and with a specifically hard concrete type ‘glue’) smashing just one tile will send vibrations through the rest of the floor meaning others may come loose over time. I’m back to wanting it redone, other half says no, it’s fine, it’s madness to pull it up and redo and it will never be perfect anyway (I disagree, but don’t want to have constant arguments between us). The builder knows we’re upset, but had to rush off leaving his tiler to finish some other bits. 

I agree with your other half.  Unless you cover the tiles with a thick carpet they are going to get chipped fairly rapidly from day-to-day use.  Even if you achieve the perfection you seek, it won't last long.

Meanwhile, however happy and helpful the builder/tiler may seem, you are very likely using up your goodwill with them.

Personally - given you want them to do further work for you in the future - I'd reserve as much goodwill as possible in case there are bigger issues ahead.

Surely at this point it’s not goodwill, but a desire to put right as best as possible a mistake made by them. Given that they would have replaced the whole hall, surely goodwill is what we are now giving them.

Is it a 'mistake' though? The tiler has explained why they set it out the way they have, and when push comes to shove I think all goodwill will quickly disappear.

Personally I would push for a discount and move on. For all parties it's a reminder to have the conversation about setting out before a single tile is laid.

stuart45

 For all parties it's a reminder to have the conversation about setting out before a single tile is laid.

Something I've learnt over the years to make sure that as far as possible you and the customer understand how the job will proceed and finish up.
Even though quite a few will say 'I'll leave it to you', it's still worth going through the likely finish.

FreeBear

ComicGeek said: For all parties it's a reminder to have the conversation about setting out before a single tile is laid.

When having a new boiler fitted, I instructed the "engineer" to mount the magnetic filter to one side of the boiler, and not underneath. He still went ahead and mounted it underneath the boiler and refused to relocate it.

Just as well I have a blowtorch and a large clue bat.

benson1980

ComicGeek said:

DetailDave said:

Section62 said:

DetailDave said:

Update #2 The chipped tiles cannot be replaced without putting the integrity of the rest of the floor in jeopardy. Because it’s all set (and with a specifically hard concrete type ‘glue’) smashing just one tile will send vibrations through the rest of the floor meaning others may come loose over time. I’m back to wanting it redone, other half says no, it’s fine, it’s madness to pull it up and redo and it will never be perfect anyway (I disagree, but don’t want to have constant arguments between us). The builder knows we’re upset, but had to rush off leaving his tiler to finish some other bits. 

I agree with your other half.  Unless you cover the tiles with a thick carpet they are going to get chipped fairly rapidly from day-to-day use.  Even if you achieve the perfection you seek, it won't last long.

Meanwhile, however happy and helpful the builder/tiler may seem, you are very likely using up your goodwill with them.

Personally - given you want them to do further work for you in the future - I'd reserve as much goodwill as possible in case there are bigger issues ahead.

Surely at this point it’s not goodwill, but a desire to put right as best as possible a mistake made by them. Given that they would have replaced the whole hall, surely goodwill is what we are now giving them.

Is it a 'mistake' though? The tiler has explained why they set it out the way they have, and when push comes to shove I think all goodwill will quickly disappear.

Personally I would push for a discount and move on. For all parties it's a reminder to have the conversation about setting out before a single tile is laid.

Evidently a mistake by the professional tiler not to consult the paying customer if the chosen option was going to lead to a compromise with regard to grout lines not being parallel to the perimeter walls.

Likely a moot point anyway as I’d imagine the tiler just didn’t really plan it out with respect to equidistance and assumed it would be ok aligning the first row as they did. A perilous approach if the customer has an eye for detail- which appears to be the case here.

That said I’d be ok with the tiny chips- and I’d consider myself proper ocd when it comes to flooring.

Doozergirl

FreeBear said:

ComicGeek said: For all parties it's a reminder to have the conversation about setting out before a single tile is laid.

When having a new boiler fitted, I instructed the "engineer" to mount the magnetic filter to one side of the boiler, and not underneath. He still went ahead and mounted it underneath the boiler and refused to relocate it.

Just as well I have a blowtorch and a large clue bat.

Thoughts and prayers for his significant other!