What do you think about this tiling work?

andre_xs

Dear All,
We removed a boxed boiler in the corner of the kitchen and this corner is currently re-done.This involves boxing the remaining pipes, skimming the wall, and tiling part of the wall.

When we moved in, the area surrounding the boxed boiler was skimmed and partially tiled. Where the boiler and box was, nothing was done, so it was now still the old uneven wall (1950s house with brick walls).

I know that it can be tricky to "continue" a smooth job and surface, but isn't this a little bit too uneven? At some places even where the tiles are on plasterboard (and thus have a smooth surface to stick to). In the pictures below, you will see that the whole wall has a slight angle (the new tiled area is 50 cm wide. The difference in 'depth' is ~1.2 cm (in other words, in the corner the tiles are 1.2cm more towards the wall)).

Do you think this is acceptable work given the uneven wall? Or should that have been first better smoothed out? And should the tiling be neater?

Before speaking with the builder, I find it useful to get the opinions of others, because I'm not a builder and maybe my expectations are too high. What complicates matters a bit, the job is done by a dad from a fellow pupil in the class of my daughter.

The top cut corner tile on the left is really not straight, although on plasterboard (maybe pushed in by the one on the wall?


This is the same tile, trying to show the angle:


These tiles are on plasterboard (those to the left are on the brick wall), looks out of angle:



A tile which is on the old brick wall. In that part, the tiles are 1.2 cm 'deeper' than further to the left (where it joins the old tiling). So I guess this could have been 'padded up' a bit and make it even?


Top view. Right (white wall) is the part which has been done when we moved in. Left (freshly skimmed) is the new part. You can see how the wall is at an angle. In the corner on the left, the gap between the spirit level and the wall is ~1.2cm



The tiles on the right are the existing ones. The tiles on the left are new. Gaps seem too big, and tiles don't align very well above each other:



Another view of the spirit level against the wall, showing the 'bend':



These are tiles again on the right edge, where they meet the existing tiling. Not the same as above, just another example:



Overview of the whole work. With boxing and partially redoing the venting. The open socket was a bit redone (chasing) together with an electrician. On the left wall, the hole where the old boiler flu went outside was closed. So far, this is the work of 3 working days, at £250/day. Presumably one more day needed.

EssexExile

I assume the "dad" who did this is not a tiler. I would take it all off and start again. Tiling isn't rocket science, straight lines and equal gaps, that's all there is to it.

plumb1_2

Did this so called builder use a trowel and level, or his special catapult to fit the tiles?

Why has it been tiled before the plaster work that been done not been allowed to dry out before fitting the tiles. 

It would have been best to have the boards skimmed before and tiling.
If you’re not happy with it, ( I wouldn’t be) take them off asap before they fully set, or you’ll damage the boards.

Hopefully he’s not taken 3 days to just put those tiles on, so you need to have a discussion with him regarding cost/time reduction, as he’s clearly not upto doing a professional job.

1- take the tiles off and put them in a bucket of water to soften the adhesive, overnight, then scrape them clean 
2-remove the adhesive off the walls 
3-find and arrange a professional tiller, but a good handyman should be ok
4- never pay day rate, get a fixed quote
5- ask the builder to stop drinking 8 cans of stellar before starting work ( no best not ). Hopefully he might agree with your concerns, but I doubt it. 

Nearlyold

Doesn't look good to me though it'll look a bit better once all the grouting is done.The tiles look to be a bit on the budget side- is their size consistent?

stuart45

You could use a few more plasterboard screws, especially along the edges.

bjorn_toby_wilde

That’s rough. Even if the walls are uneven.

WIAWSNB

Oh dear, what an awful position to be in :-(
Uneven walls are one issue, and can be a bit involved to prepare to get it right, and on its own might not be obvious once it's all grouted and finished. 
However, uneven grout gaps and squint tiles are quite simply unforgivable - end of. There are many DIY tilers on here - I'm one - who would not allow themselves to carry out such a shoddy job. There is no excuse - it looks like the work of a beginner.
You have enough evidence in these photos to justify not accepting the work. 

andre_xs

Thanks to all. Some answers/comments in reply to your comments:
- To my knowledge, he is a plasterer by profession (and currently working as a plasterer)
- The three days work included the boxing, filling the hole in the wall were the old boiler flu went outside, and - together with an electrician - refitting/chasing one cable of the open socket box you see. According to him, it was all very fiddly time-consuming work because it's all pretty crooked (it's indeed crooked).
- I think that where the tiles are, there's no plasterwork beneath it. Tiles directly on the wall. The plasterwork is then only above the tiles (that area above is then meant to be just painted).
- Tiles have consistent size, the rest of the kitchen is fully tiled like this and it looks good
- Yes, my fault to not make a fixed price beforehand, learning from that

twopenny

When my new bathroom was plastered/tiled the man doing it asked for the plaster not to be put on the plasterboard where the the tiles were to go.
Don't know why but it's a lovely finish.

Don't think that applies to brick work though.

WIAWSNB

andre_xs said:

Thanks to all. Some answers/comments in reply to your comments:
- To my knowledge, he is a plasterer by profession (and currently working as a plasterer)
- The three days work included the boxing, filling the hole in the wall were the old boiler flu went outside, and - together with an electrician - refitting/chasing one cable of the open socket box you see. According to him, it was all very fiddly time-consuming work because it's all pretty crooked (it's indeed crooked).
- I think that where the tiles are, there's no plasterwork beneath it. Tiles directly on the wall. The plasterwork is then only above the tiles (that area above is then meant to be just painted).
- Tiles have consistent size, the rest of the kitchen is fully tiled like this and it looks good
- Yes, my fault to not make a fixed price beforehand, learning from that

We cannot comment on the whole work involved, and - yes - it is often the case that a number of small fiddly jobs take longer than seemingly much 'bigger' ones. 

That's one issue.

The one thing we can comment on is the quality of tiling. It is not remotely good enough.

How good should it be? At least as good as the original tiling. 

You can demonstrate unambiguously that the new tiling is of a far inferior standard. You can compare grout gaps, tiles not being positioned 'square', tiles not aligning along the top - including the trim, inaccuracy of tile trim mitres, and why the heck is some of it covered in adhesive? It's not even DIY standard - it's feeble beginner. 

It will look better once it's all grouted, and the slopes/differences in wall level might not even be particularly apparent, but the poor tile gapping, alignment, and trim mitres will always be obvious to you. 

It is unacceptable.   

jimi_man

twopenny said:

When my new bathroom was plastered/tiled the man doing it asked for the plaster not to be put on the plasterboard where the the tiles were to go.
Don't know why but it's a lovely finish.

Don't think that applies to brick work though.

I was taught that plasterboard can hold a greater weight of tiles than a plastered surface, so it's best not to skim them.