Tiler nightmare

IvyFlood

Having our bathroom renovated and I'm at my whit's end with the tiler!

Meant to start on 6th November but his prior job overran and so did ours - fine.

Said he'd start on 9th but was still busy on another job so didn't come till the 10th. Did half a days work when he discovered a wall had been built incorrectly for tiling. Fine not his problem fitter came back the following Monday and sorted it. 

Tiler said he'd be back with us on the Tuesday (14th) but didn't show up (days annual leave wasted). Was waiting for some trims to be in stock but said he'd come all weekend instead

Gets to the weekend and suddenly says he can't come cause he needs to look after his son and although the fitter had said he was coming back on 21st to do final fix, tiler said he'd been in contact with him and told him he wasn't coming till the week after so therefore tiler said he didn't feel the need to rush.

Spoke to fitter said he would be coming Thursday 23rd. So whether Tuesday or Thursday the bathroom still needs tiling!

Tiler said he'd come Monday night, Tuesday afternoon & evening and Wednesday afternoon & evening. He came Monday and took some tiles away to mitre them. Didn't come Tuesday. Came Wednesday afternoon but was gone before we got back from work so no working late. Said he'd took more tiles away to mitre.

Now its got to the stage where the fitter is coming back 29th & 30th to do final fix and although I've agreed times and dates with the tiler to get finished before then I've just lost all confidence that he'll show up! Its like pulling teeth!! Problem is the fitter can't delay anymore as he has other jobs to finish before Christmas and its totally not his fault. The bathroom has been ready to tile since 13th November even after the delay the fitter caused. The tiler keeps saying he's on other jobs when really he should be postponing them to come and finish ours which we have expressed. He said he'd come this weekend to finish but we have family visiting (yes even with no bathroom) but I don't see why we should cancel our plans when it should have been finished way before now! Especially when he didn't come cause he had to be with his son! For him to probably not even come anyway! He said he'll come on the Sunday when we're out with said family which is one of the times we've arranged.

Not sure what I'm trying to achieve with the post but to top it all off I'm 30 weeks pregnant and the stress its causing me is unbearable. I just want my bathroom back I just feel like we're at his mercy cause we need him to finish and I don't understand why he can't just come and do it cause its a total inconvenience to him having to come here and there. His reviews are glowing as well! I'm so stressed we won't have a bathroom when our baby is born and I dunno what to do.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Who originally arranged the tiler OP? 

IvyFlood

The fitter did as they've worked together before. Though we got him round to do his own quote as we wanted specific work so we would be paying him separately as opposed to the other trades i.e. electrician, plasterer etc who I imagine get their cut when we pay the fitter.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Sounds as if the fitter passed you the tilers details and you made a separate agreement with the tiler? 

If so the fitter isn't bound to the problems with the tiler, I assume your tiler knows the fitter has a deadline? 

Other than keeping the pressure on the tiler I'm not sure what to suggest sadly OP. 

IvyFlood

You are correct yes.

Yes he does know the fitter has a deadline but that doesn't seem to make any difference to him.

I know, its all we can do and just hope he turns up when he says he will and gets it finished before next Wednesday.

Postik

I know it's probably not any consolation, but I've been in the same boat as the tiler, where every client has a deadline, every client thinks their job is the most important job in the world and every client thinks they are my only client.  Then throw into the mix jobs not going to plan, things over running, dealing with sick children at home, etc and it becomes very stressful indeed.

So I am not suggesting you have done anything wrong and don't have the right to feel frustrated, but equally it might be time to take a deep breath and cut the guy some slack.  By all means keep the pressure on so that you're not just forgotten about.  But equally, "I don't see why we should cancel our plans when it should have been finished way before now" is probably not helpful to the situation.  Personally I would be amending my plans however necessary to facilitate getting the job done.

Good luck and I hope you get it sorted soon!

ThisIsWeird

Have you been in touch with the fitter, Ivy? Not to pass any blame on to him, but just to tell him what his recommended tiler is doing? (Sorry - not doing).

Hopefully he'll be ready to aim a sizeable kick up the tiler's whatsit.

IvyFlood

@Postik I don't think it is that I think he's taking the !!!!!!! So many times he could have come but has been full of excuses. He said he was coming tonight but I remembered we had an appointment (that we postponed from the weekend he said he was coming and didn't) so at first I said he couldn't come cause no one would be home but then said I'd leave a key for him. He then rang (or went crying) to the fitter saying we aren't allowing him access and he doesn't know if he'll be able to get the job done in time. Its complete BS. Now he says he isn't coming (I think cause we've agreed Sunday when our family are here). 

Both me and husband have arranged our work/time around him for him then to not show. Are we not supposed to have a life?! There's only so much we can do. We've also been more than accommodating letting him finish off other jobs but its getting to a point now where it will be going into week 5 (its only a tiny bathroom) and it needs finishing. 

IvyFlood

@ThisIsWeird he is aware but to be honest he's just as laid back! If the tiler isn't done for him in time, he'll just go and do his other job. I think he has stressed the urgency to him but it's just not getting through and we are just caught in the middle.

ThisIsWeird

Very frustrating, Ivy.

It's a shame we don't have the variety of skilled EU tradesfolk we used to...   That would have kept them on their toes.

markin

If you can't be home at all times, then the only way to make it work is giving a key. If the fitter had handled it he would have had more control and the option to to give the job to someone else to finish i expect.

 If its a small bathroom why wasn't it all done in 1 morning?